Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Wow.

I have 60 RSVPs for Nick's 30th birthday.  That's a pretty big party... now to see if the Pirates have enough tickets together for us!

Thursday, February 23, 2012

RSVP!

Please RSVP if you'd like to attend the Pirates game with us!

(Form has been removed-- too late!)

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Merchandising!


I've created a Facebook event for Nick's 30th Birthday.  Everyone is invited-- I just need RSVPs to figure out the group ticketing situation.

But more interesting, I spent yesterday designing some shirts and accessories on CafePress-- check them out!  Please note that the prices are the CafePress prices.  There is no markup on my part, no proceeds to donate, nothing like that.

Shirts!
Dark T-Shirt
Long Sleeve Dark T-Shirt
Baseball Jersey
Custom Ringer T

Accessories!
Messenger Bag
Black Cap
Shot Glass- Especially appropriate if you knew my brother, the Instigator


Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Progress!

It looks like we're on with the Central Blood Bank-- just April 22 instead of April 21.  They're meeting with the Pirates next week, so maybe we'll have a little something else to raise awareness of the importance of blood donation. I just hope I can pull this off-- from Baltimore, no less...

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Quick update

The blood bank may be interested in doing something to coincide with Nick's 30th birthday.  They want to talk.  They want to talk!  More when we do.

In the meantime, I'm hoping that between friends and family there might be a large enough group for group tickets.  Which would be cool.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Planning...

In trying to think about what exactly to do for Nick's birthday, I had the notion that maybe, just maybe, the Central Blood Bank and the Pirates may be willing to schedule one of the Pirates' blood drives (the Pirates typically sponsor a few over the course of the season) to coincide with a gathering of friends & family. Kind of an opportunity to gather donors united by a common cause, and to draw attention to the deeply personal impact blood donors can make on total strangers' lives. So, I contacted the individual at the blood bank whom I had contacted about Nick's death, and pitched the idea. I don't know if it'll go anywhere, but wouldn't it be nice if it does?

In other news, I'm exploring just what (and how much) this visit all 30 ballparks venture is going to take-- and how much this former baseball fan is going to have to bone up. Starting in Pittsburgh at PNC Park is not only the obvious choice, but it's easy. I'm a Pittsburgher born & bred and I'll be a Pittsburgher through & through until the day I die. Then Baltimore, as I live here & all, plus Camden Yards was the site of the last game I attended with my brother (which is also the last game I attended, period), as well as the most memorable for being the single hottest day I've ever experienced. DC is next, and Philadelphia is reasonably close- as is NYC for the Mets and, Nick's other favorite team, the Yankees. I'll never forget his reaction when I told him I was taking him to New York to see a Yankees game- it was pretty much the best gift ever.

From there, things get a bit more hairy.  Luckily, Megabus (which itself became an inside joke between Nick & I after his pilgrimage to Yankee Stadium) has a pretty respectable network in the upper midwest, which expands my options.  I think that, between Pittsburgh, Baltimore, DC, Philadelphia, and two trips to New York (let's not forget that the Yankees and Mets are hardly ever in town at the same time), that might be my limit for this summer.  Maybe Fenway-- the awesome and amazing Megabus does run from Baltimore to Boston.  Another concern: how exactly am I going to pay for all of this?

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Nick's Big Adventure(s)

I received a gruesome shock when I looked at the calendar and realized that next Monday is the 1 year anniversary of the last time I saw my brother alive (which means today marks 359 days since the last time I saw my brother, walking to his car to head home after coming down to Baltimore for a weekend visit that involved Tarentino movies, Papermoon Cafe, and respectable amounts of beer).

It's amazing how quickly I completely collapsed under the weight of this revelation.  Or perhaps not-- my boyfriend asked me to pull his finger the other day, and I promptly collapsed into a crying fit, because not only my brother was notorious for such invitations, but because it's the first time I can recall anyone saying that to me... since the last time my brother visited.

So.

With the first anniversary of losing my brother lurking right behind the next flip of my calendar, I'm grasping at straws and trying to avoid the complete meltdown I fear is coming.  So, time to actually start doing the stuff I've talked about doing in Nick's honor.  Except... I kinda hate that.  Saying something is in someone's honor or memory sounds so final, and I just can't deal with that.  Call it denial.  I honestly don't care.  But it's not in his honor, or in his memory.  It's doing it for him.  It's Nick's Big Adventure(s), and I'm just along for the ride.

I'm starting with "visit all 30 MLB stadiums," which is going to take several years given my financial constraints and work commitments.  But that's okay-- he was doing it on the installment plan anyway.  I'm going to start with the seven that he did manage to visit, and the first up is our hometown, Pittsburgh.  The Pirates have a homestand the same weekend as Spring Carnival at CMU (so I was already planning to be in town), which also coincides with what should have been my brother's 30th birthday.  Under normal circumstances, I would have taken Nick to the game anyway... so, April 21st at PNC Park, we celebrate Nick's 30th birthday.


Ballparks left to visit: 25