My 2012 Year in Review

I'm not one to brag. I mean, seriously, I don't even really post on Facebook about anything that's going on in my life. Don't get me wrong, I love reading about everything going in all of my friend's lives, I'm just not one to post a lot.

But I do want to talk here about the year I've had. Overall, it was a really good year for me and I'm thankful for all of the great things have happened.    

One of the best things that happened this year is that I ran my 35th marathon. After training all Summer, I ran the Santa Barbara marathon in November. I wanted to do something special for this milestone so I thought about picking a big marathon like New York or something out of the country, but then I realized that what I really wanted to do was a small marathon that was close to home. That way I could use the money I saved to donate to a charity. I decided to support the Joyful Heart Foundation, a group that helps abuse victims. The marathon went great. I even ran into a friend, literally at mile 22 that had moved away and I hadn't seen in a few years. I got to see her, met some fun people and finished strong. And, the best part is that I was able to raise a good amount of money for the JH Foundation. Sadly, I didn't reach my goal of $3500 so if you want to contribute, please click here. No pressure or anything and remember, your donation is tax deductable.

Earlier this year, I was able to participate in a program sponsored by the Writers Guild of America and an amazing organization called Hollywood, Health and Society. The program is called The Storybus Tour. One Saturday, on a bus, just like the name says, a group of writers toured often unseen sections of Los Angeles and learned about the effects of environment hazards on these areas. I learned a great deal that has influenced my writing, but the best part was I met an amazing new friend. Carol and I got to talking about running while on the bus. After the trip we started running together every weekend. While I was training for my marathon, Carol would join me for a six mile route in the middle of my long runs. I seriously don't think I would have made it through my training runs without her. To find someone who is smart and funny and who I can talk with while we run basically the same speed is really, really rare. I had that with my friend Nan and when Nan announced that she wanted to take a break from running, I never thought I'd find another running partner. I've told Carol that she was a key component in my training for my most recent marathon and she was very modest about her role. Yet another thing to admire about my new friend.

The Storybus Tour is in part sponsored by a man named Dr. Neal Baer. Dr. Baer is a pediatrician and a prolific television producer. He worked on "ER" for years and was in charge of "Law & Order: SVU" for twelve years. I've long admired his commitment to using television not only to tell stories but to educate viewers about both social and medical issues. This year, I've gotten to interview him twice and I spent all day with him on the Storybus Tour. He is incredibly interesting to talk to. I've enjoyed every minute that I spent with him and hope to have more opportunities to talk with him in the future. One of his latest projects is a film called "Escape Fire" and it's about the health care system. Please check it out here.

This year I also got to meet actor/singer/improv extraordinaire Wayne Brady. I've been a fan of his for years, since he was on "Whose Line is it Anyway?" I saw several live tapings of that show and was always in awe of his humor and ability to make up songs on the spot. He was great to talk to. When I showed him that on a Christmas compilation CD I'd made a few years ago I included his song "Beautiful,", he thanked me several times. Sometimes when you meet someone you admire they don't live up to your expectations. Mr. Brady more than exceeded mine and I'll continue to be a big fan of his.  

Another incredible person that I spoke with this year is Ms. Denise Jackson. Ms. Jackson is a parole officer who I interviewed about a show called "Parole Diaries," that, just like it says, is an on-camera diary that follows recent parolees who are trying to re-integrate into society upon their release from prison. Parole Officer is not a job for the faint-hearted and Ms. Jackson is certainly not that. She's part mother, part hard-ass cop. I found her to be funny, smart, serious and committed to her work. During one episode she says to a client, "I'm your Parole Officer. I'm not your f-ing friend, ok? I'm not your sister. I'm not your mother. At the end of the day, I want you to be successful. This is not about me. This is about you." That statement tells you everything you need to know about Denise Jackson. After we spoke on the phone for thirty minutes, she said, "Ms. Anne, you really need to come here and we'll go on a picnic and I'll tell you everything you need about who I am and what I do." I'm seriously thinking about taking her up on that.

If you know me at all, you know how much I love baseball. This year I was fortunate enough to meet a man named Bruce Nash. Bruce wrote a book about baseball bloopers entitled, "The Baseball Hall of Shame: The Best of Blooperstown." The book is witty and funny, and the story behind how the book came to be is quite touching. Bruce had written a series of "Baseball Hall of Shame" books but the last one was published 18 years ago. It seems that while he still loves the sport, his passion for writing about it had waned a bit. But then, as season ticket holder for the Dodgers, he met three young fans who inspired him to write another book. The book is even dedicated to them. I'm not trying to pimp my work here but if you want to read what I wrote about Bruce, please click here. 

But wait, the story doesn't end there. Bruce, upon learning that I'm a Cardinals fan, invited me to a game at Dodger Stadium when the Cardinals were in town. It was a very special night. My friend Eric and I ate in the Dugout Club and sat five rows from the field. I got to meet the young men who inspired Bruce and they renewed my faith in the younger generation of sports fans as well. When one of the boys, Waylon, caught a ball thrown from the field, without hesitation, he turned and gave it to a young female fan sitting nearby. When he caught another, he handed it to me.
   

And, Eric and I were even on TV (clearly trying to stare down one of the Dodgers!). Thanks to my co-worker Edwin for the photo.

I just found out today that Mr. Nash continues to be an extraordinary role model for young baseball fans, really, young people in general, with his continued selfless acts. To understand, all you have to do is read this remarkable story, an event that involved a major league player, two young men, a twist of fate, and lesson in giving. Nash's part in all of this is not surprising. If you've had the pleasure of meeting him you know that his actions in this instance are not out of his nature and that when asked about them it's a sure bet that he responded with a modesty that many people should emulate.

I'm thankful to have met Bruce Nash. Little did I know that at that lunch to simply meet a man who wrote a book about baseball, I would meet a man who's so, so much more than that.

Right here, I have to give a special shout out to Pam Golum who introduced me to Bruce Nash and who has helped me in countless ways this year. Many of the events written about on this post were only possible because of Pam. The first time I met her she said, "I think you and I could really work well together." She knew it that first day, that's how good she is. I truly hope that I've done good work for her and will definitely strive to do so going forward. I look forward to more interaction with Pam in 2013 and hopefully for many years to come.

One of my favorite days this year was the day I got to visit the set of "Law & Order: SVU." While there, I met many members of the creative team, includng showrunner Warren Leight, producer Michael Smith, writer Stuart Feldman, and director Michael Slovis. I also spent time with another director, Laura Belsey and two of the actors on the show, Danny Pino and Mariska Hargitay. And, in an interesting twist, one of fate, my favorite directors just happened to stop by the set that day. I've long admired the work of Helen Shaver so when I saw her I knew I had to seize the opportunity. I was a little nervous but knowing the chances of her just happening to be there that day were super slim, I walked right up, introduced myself and told her I was a fan. We had a very nice conversation. I got to spend the day with all of these incredibly talented people, many, of who didn't  know I was a writer as I was visiting in a rather 'incognito' fashion. There was no 'kissing up,' the interaction was genuine. It didn't seem to matter why I was there, everyone treated me spectacularly. I can sniff out a phony a mile away and there was none of that.

And, to further put this in perspective, I visit a lot of sets and most are professional, but not all are friendly and fun. "SVU" has moved to the top of my list of sets to visit, and second place is really, really far down that ladder. "SVU" = A true class act.

All of these things are special to me, but if I had to choose my best day of the year, it wouldn't be any of these.

Every year, I look back and pick my best day. it's fun to do, to remember a really good day and what made it so special.

In 2012, my best day would be June 17th, which just happens to be my birthday.

Usually my birthday isn't so great. I usually have to work and it's nothing special. Most times people at work don't even know it's my birthday. I mean unless I tell them, how are they going to know? And that would just be weird.

Now a unique thing about my birthday is that every six years it falls on Father's Day and this was that year. So, I decided to take off work, travel to St. Louis and spend the day with my friends and family.

In the morning, I went for a run and then gave my dad his Father's Day present. Then I went swimming with my friend Nancy and spent some time with my niece and nephew, Meghan and Brendan. Later that evening, my friends Mike, Steve, Karen and I went out to dinner and then back to my parent's house for cake. We reminisced and laughed for hours. It was a truly wonderful day, one that I'm extremely thankful for.

So that's my summary for the year.           

Thanks to everyone who was a part of it. I appreciate each and every one of you.

I hope my year in review wasn't boring for you to read about. It certainly wasn't boring for me live it. Here's to hoping that 2013 is just as stimulating and fun.  I'm going to do everything I can to make it so.

Happy New Year! Here's to 2013!

When You're Not Sure Who You Want in the White House

As it's nearing the time when we cast our votes to pick the next President, this election seems like many others in the past; leaving a lot of people wondering -- are these two really the only choices?

Now I'm not one to usually talk politics and I certainly would never try to influence anyone as I'm just not a campaigner, but I really thought I should bring up one point that I think makes a difference in any job situation: Familiarity.

I look at it like this; in any job there is a learning curve. In some jobs a worker can quickly learn the processes to get things accomplished. In other jobs, it can take months or even really up a year. During that time, the employee is clearly not as efficient as someone who's done the job for a while.

For example, if you work for a company that ships things between various facilities, you know that every company does that differently. In one company, you might simply put in a request with a driver. In another company there might be reams and reams of shipping reports to fill out and the first time an employee does that it might take him/her a while to get the forms completed correctly. Admittedly, he/she will learn how to do it and get faster at it, but again, it's a learning curve.

So, I think if you're on the fence about who to choose, I say go with the guy who already knows the lay of the land. The guy who can get things shipped the quickest.

I mean, do we really want any lag time in the Oval office? Do we really want to wait a few months or even a year for someone to get up to speed on how things really work, not how he thinks they work?

Yes, the guy currently in that office has had some trouble, but who's to say that now that he's gotten some time under his belt that he can't get better at his job?

Just a little something to think about before the first Tuesday in November.

Whoever you choose, just make sure that you make your choice heard by voting. No complaining later if you don't vote.

One last thought, in my family we call your first day at a new job 'Dork Day.' I think that phrase is self-explanatory. And it applies to every employee, whatever level you're at in your career. Even if you're the President of the United States.

My Thoughts on Yankee Stadium

In my quest to visit as many ballparks across the country as I can,  I recently made a stop at Yankee Stadium.

The boys in the pinstripes were taking on the Tampa Bay Rays, but that was really beside the point as I was mainly there to check out the venue.

In truth, I hate the Yankees, not the player's personally, but I really hate the payroll. Those Yankees can just buy any player they want while teams like the Kansas Royals can't afford the Yankees bat boy. So, as long as there is no revenue sharing in baseball, I'll continue to dislike the Yankees.

Having said that, it was pretty cool to see future Hall of Famers A-Rod and Derek Jeter bat. I grew up in a National league town so to see these American league players was very cool for me and they did not disappoint. Well, the team lost, but as a true baseball fan I can't deny that I liked seeing these icons.

Now, back to my review of the stadium.

First, I don't know what parking is like, but taking the train was super convenient and I like any park that encourages using public transportation.

The entry plaza is attractive and there is a very large McDonalds right next door to the stadium. (More on this later.)

When you walk into the stadium, it sort of doesn't look like a stadium but a little more like a club with intricate lighting that extends from floor to ceiling. This may not be true during a day game, but it certainly is at a night game.

In most stadiums there are escalators galore to take fans up to their assigned seat level. In Yankee stadium there are huge elevators. The elevator attendant -- yes, there was an elevator attendant -- told me that that was George's idea. Yes, she meant the late George Steinbrenner, owner of the Yankees at the time this stadium was built.

This stadium is still referred to by many as 'The New Yankee Stadium" as the original Yankee Stadium was host to the team from 1923 until 2008. So this venue has only been in operation for three seasons. I wonder how long it will have to be open for it to stop being called 'New'. (If the St. Louis Cardinals are any indication, it takes about five years. Their 'New Busch Stadium' opened in 2006 and in about 2011 people stopped referring to it as 'New'. So give it a few years New Yorkers.)

One of the other things I noticed about Yankee Stadium is the number of team stores. It seems there is one in every nook and cranny of the stadium, including one that's just for the ladies, carrying all female apparel! And every one of these stores seems huge! After doing some research, I learned that there is nearly 12,000 square feet of  retail space in the stadium. Wow!

If you're nostalgic at all, Yankee Stadium is rife with memorabilia. The Yankees have such a storied history and as a baseball fan, it's cool to see all of the monuments to the greats of the game. The monument park is really amazing with tributes to Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth, among others.

If you want to go upscale, there is a Hard Rock Cafe and steakhouse in the stadium, but, after the 7tn inning if you leave the ballpark and go into one of these restaurants, there is no re-entry into the ballpark. That seems a little strange to me. If you have a ticket and are 'in' the ballpark, you're in the ballpark and should be allowed back to your seat if you want. Sometimes games get really good after the 7th inning!

But even with the aforementioned pricey eateries, about three innings into the game I keep thinking, "What is that smell?" After my teen years as an employee, I realized that it was the overwhelming smell of McDonalds. The smell did wane after a bit, or I got used to it, but it was there, trust me.

Keeping in the food theme, there is plenty of 'lower end' food to be had at Yankee Stadium, from the requisite hot dogs and nachos to various other cuisine. I was particularly happy to see a Johnny Rockets on the premise. However, I was not happy that JR's was out of hamburgers -- in the fifth inning! How does that happen? I don't think George would be happy about that.

My seat was in the 400 section up above home plate and the view was great. While the stadium is large -- it seats nearly 53,000 -- it still seemed rather intimate to me. The outfield did not feel that far away to me. I've been to some stadiums that just seem huge and everything seems far from your seat. Coors Field and Fenway feel this way, Yankee Stadium does not and I like that very much.

The other thing that I really liked about Yankee Stadium is that other than the sections closest to the field, everything was open. I wandered from section 400 down to almost field level. I felt really close the the players! And the attendants guarding the the field level sections were very friendly, seeming to understand that while they couldn't let fans without tickets into that area, they wanted to help us get as close as we could. In fact, every attendant that I interacted with was really friendly (save for the Johnny Rocket's guy who looked at me like I was crazy when I said, "Really? You're out of burgers in the fifth inning. The TOP of the fifth inning?" He just seemed really annoyed with me.)

During one inning I wandered to mezzanine to look out of the ballpark to see what might lay just outside the stadium. From my vantage point, it wasn't a row of bars or clubs, but several ball fields. Imagine playing little league right next to Yankee Stadium, in the shadow of one of that greatest teams of all time. If that isn't inspiring, I don't know what is. And, while standing in the fortress of this baseball shine with the evidence of money all around, it was a bit touching to see that right next door the game in its purest form was on display, with kids of all ages simply showing their love of the game on this night.

At the end of my Yankee Stadium adventure, as much as it pains me to say it, in light of my feelings about a team with globs and globs of money, I would go back to Yankee Stadium. It seems that the 1.5 billion, yes, BILLION, price tag of the stadium was well worth it.

Now if you could just get a burger past the fifth inning, that would be great.