Sweet Caroline....Bop Bop Bop!!!!!

06/19/13 5:45 a.m.

Last night in Boston will go down in history….This entry you are about to read is very factual and matter of fact…the events being retold were not embellished because they could not be on a first date. It was if the gates of hell were conspiring to prevent me from getting to Fenway Park.

Tuesday morning, I arrived in Boston on time from Jet Blue airways. Heading towards baggage claim, I stopped at the bathroom. Upon making it out of the bathroom and security and to the baggage carousel, I noticed MY bag in the possession of  middle-aged woman, who was running out the terminal door. “Miss, are you sure that is your bag,” I screamed.

No harm, no foul.

Sunny skies in Boston quickly turned to downpours with a flash flood warning while approaching my hotel in Framingham. Being exhausted from leaving Toronto around 5 a.m., I quickly went to my room and crashed around 3:30 p.m.

Waking up around 5:00 p.m. and is often the case with most everybody, I did not get up with one fail swoop…I fell back asleep till 6 p.m., When my phone woke me up to the sound of my date calling….wondering if I was alive.

I ran out the door, telling her I would pick her up, and started the car….except it DIDN’T start…NOOOOOOO!!!!!! Michelle, instead of my passenger, became my chauffeur, driving over to meet me at the hotel.

While waiting for Michelle, I successfully corraled a jump start kit….but optimism for a charge of the battery was quickly dashed with the sputtering sound of an injured starter.

Michelle arrives, laughing, and understanding. I proceed to call my rental company about my plight, noting that it is a first date and explaining my 30with30 challenge. They are kind enough to send over a replacement car but not for another two hours. We leave the keys at the front desk, around 7:30 p.m.(The Red Sox were supposed to start the second game of their double header at 7:00 p.m.)and head for the commuter rail station in Framingham.

We arrive on time, minutes before the train is SCHEDULED to stop in Framingham. I see the train come around the corner, blow it’s horn and appear to slow down. It does slow down, except it doesn’t stop. I run down the platform with little success. I turn around and see Michelle laughing, which was a common trait of hers. The train disappears and me trying to catch my breath.

At this point, I’ve missed a train, mourned the loss of a rental car, and almost lost my

luggage. I could have given up, but not for Fenway. An Ipad, Google Maps, and an understanding Michelle finally lead us to the “T” and Fenway Park, the Mecca of the East Coast.

What an awesome place and what an awesome way to watch a game, in the right field bleachers and see a walk-off home run by Johnny Gomes in the bottom of the 9^th.

From this story, I have a lot to be grateful for. First off, somehow, someway, I believe divine providence delayed the first game, allowing my car problem not to go against me. Second, I had an extremely understanding date, who laughed off my car problems, locking myself out of my hotel room and just enjoyed the moment. Third, I realized that Fenway Park really is that special and one of a kind. And finally, I am grateful that the rental car company was understanding and easy to work with. 

after all that, I got 3 hours of sleep,  and am now waiting in terminal E of Boston Logan International, waiting to see what the next adventure will be as I head to Philadelphia.

Father's Day Thoughts

06/15 10:11 p.m.

Remember that man who threw the knuckle ball you always tried to emulate on the field but never could? And do you know the man who came home from a long day of work to sit in the backyard and play catch, when he knew he could be doing so many other things? Or what about the man who believed in u enough to support you in your darkest hour or believe in your greatest journey and stood behind you?

That man is my dad.

On the day we celebrate fathers, it is only appropriate to pay tribute to my father while on a journey in baseball, the sport that is synonymous with father and sons.

My dad is quiet, reserved, methodical and thought provoking.  He is a man who taught us to respect our mother, to believe in ourselves and to double check our math.

He rarely turned down a chance for me to play catch and a chance to rack em' up for a game of pool. He is a man who reads three books at once while teaching his children all about prime numbers and what they are. 1, 3,5, 7....etc.(that's as far as I can go)

He values prayer with my mom and takes a deep but reverence sense of pride in his children and what they are accomplishing.

By no means is my father perfect and my mom is not perfect and neither am I. But I do know they(Dad and Mom)are striving for that and looking to be better parents to their kids.

He is an example to me on how I can gain knowledge, listen in quiet moments for answers, and how I can unselfishly serve.

On this Father's Day I wanted to say to my Dad that I love him along with my mom, and brothers and sisters. I say today is a chance to value where we came from and say thank you to where we are going.

SIDENOTE: Next blog will be about baseball.

Groundhog Day....again? Groundhog Day...again?

8:00 p.m. 06/05/13

Wash....rinse and repeat. It seems like I'm beginning to do that repeating thing an awful lot. Mind you it's not washing my hair, but waking up early, jumping on a plane, getting to the stadium.and then going to bed. REMIND you of anyone that I used to know?(me at 3:30 a.m. :)

I came to the realization that I could literally be one of the hardest working men in baseball. Even ball players get days off and a seven game homestand. I on the other hand, will travel every day this month(funding willing) to a new adventure, new woman and new ballpark; knowing it was self-inflicted.

These first five days have been a blur. I find myself forgetting what day Wednesday is, what timezone I am in, where I am staying and who is my date. 

 I have been immensely blessed and lucky with small acts of kindness. I have been blessed with Renee, Adriana, Lauren, Kelly and Becky as my first five dates. All brought their own personality charm and laugh to the games.

Complete strangers are starting to take notice of the shirts, and my amazingly good looks. This morning, I was one of the last to board a Southwest flight from the O.C. to San Fran, when a sweet blonde gave up her aisle seat and sat in the middle. 

Then, as I was boarding the hotel-airport shuttle to catch the BART, a Canadian WestJet pilot noticed the 30with30 shirt, began to ask questions about the journey, and eventually gave me a $20 C note for help when I'm in Toronto. Sadly, he told me it could only buy one (Root)beer, but it's a start.

Time to get a sleep...I will update more with some down time in Seattle. It's time for recovery mode.
Don't forget to have your friends like us by going to our 30with30 Facebook page..email me with questions at 30with30@gmail.com or tweet me @tweet30with30.

Stay Classy Jon Schade

06/02/13 4:30 p.m.

FINALLY, a chance to sit down and write what's gone on the past couple of days and impressions of the trip. First off, Leaving Chicago was memorable, for nothing else than the woman directly behind me who started puking as we were about to board the plane :)Oh and by the way, thanks to Andrea Eschmeyer(my sister)who managed to brave the Stevenson in rush our to drop me off at the airport.

Thanks to the Oakland A's for providing the nice tickets and being extremely hospitable with their 4-3 extra inning, bases loaded walk that won the game.

Renee Flask, my date, she was legit, and even insisted on buying me a water. Important to remember while I don't forget, to remind everyone to make sure and bring sunscreen to any park you go. See reason below....

Literally, my calves were burning from the excessive sun. I'm telling you what...the Qatari's(people of Qatar or the knock off band of the Atari's)know how to dress for the sun.

If you are a baseball fan, you know that the A's now have there 3,213rd stadium name change with O.co Coliseum. By the way, getting to an A's game is super convenient, with the BART(Bay Area Rapid Transit)stops right at the stadium and the Oakland International Airport is just 3 miles away.

I've only been on this trip for two days...and I can already feel exhausted. The average bed time is 12:04 a.m. and wake up time 6:30 p.m. Adjusting to a new bed each night can be a bit of a challenge after attending all these games. Speaking of which, I am headed out to Petco to watch the Padres in action. Plenty of great pics to come from San Diego :) Remember to follow along at 30with30 on Facebook or @tweet30with30.