Have Arrived

Here's a series of summaries of stuff that's happened since I got to New Orleans yesterday.

Airport
Touched down yesterday at MSY. The second the door opened on the plane, I could feel the humidity. Was reassured when I had this interaction with my Point of Contact (knowledgeable local, Seander):

Seander: Pretty hot, huh?
Me (panting): Yeah. Humid too.
Seander: Wait till Joo-ly. It's just getting started.

Housing
Along with the 4 other counselors, I am staying in the on-base hotel. I've posted a pretty crappy picture of the room so let me take inventory:

- TV (with VCR, an important utility
- Queen size bed
- Full size refrigerator
- Microwave (sole means of cooking food this summer)
- Bathroom with shower
- Breakfast table
- Couch
- Desk
- AC Unit
- Full size dresser

Base
We have access to mail, swimming pool, transportation and the commissary not to mention the nicest gym I've ever seen. Also, the Liberty Center seems nice (sarcastic understatement). It's a great hangout with a movie theater, lounge, pool tables, bank of big expensive computers and an absolutely huge Guitar Hero set-up. There are seriously like 20 guitars hanging on the wall. For the purist, there is a music room in the back with a drum set, piano and maybe 19 real guitars.

Work
We spent today in the Youth Center making posters for the coming week. Theme is jungle so plenty of jungle creatures were drawn, colored and cut out. Place is well-equipped with supplies and each of us counselors will be responsible for approximately 12 campers once Camp starts on Monday.

Other
- We spent a good two hours today getting our base ID cards. These allow us to shop at the NEX (commissary or PX). Something in the software caused our white uniform shirts to blend in with the background so it looks like our heads are floating in the pictures.
- Most of the afternoon was spent in the Liberty Center coming up with programming for the rest of the summer. The math goes like this: 10 weeks, 5 counselors, each gets 2 weeks. I have weeks 3 and 9. For these weeks, I plan 4 days on base with the campers and part of a day that we go on a field trip. My themes are sports and toy box, respectively. Without giving too much away, World Cup day is gonna be sick.
- Went to the gym after dinner. The place is unbelievable. This makes sense seeing as the base's size is unbelievable but regardless, I look forward to going there plenty this summer.

Other things on my mind: baseball

Jim Joyce's blown call in the bottom of the 9th during the Tigers-Indians game robbed Armando Galarraga of a perfect game. After mistaking the call at first in what was to be the 27th and final out of the game, he had this to say:

"I just cost that kid a perfect game, I thought he beat the throw. I was convinced he beat the throw, until I saw the replay. Biggest call of my career, and I kicked the s*** out of it."

On one had, everyone has had it with the recent string of blown calls by umps. On the other, Joyce and Galarraga handled the situation like men. Go watch the interviews. Great role models.

Also, and finally:

"This has been on my mind recently, but it's not an easy decision to come by. I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to have played Major League Baseball for so long and thankful for all of the friendships I have made, while also being proud of my accomplishments, I'd like to thank my family for all of the sacrifices they have made all of these years for me. I'd like to thank the Seattle Mariners organization for allowing me to finish my playing career where it started."
- Ken Griffey Jr.
Wednesday, June 3, 2010

My childhood hero has retired from baseball. A kid couldn't have had a better role model than The Kid.