Foul Ball

BUDGETS AND BASEBALLS: Last night we went to a Mariners' game. No big surprise there, right?

But last night was different. For starters, the tickets were FREE! They were part of a promotion by BECU (formerly Boeing Employees Credit Union). Called "Bills, Budgets & Baseballs," they describe the event as a simulation where teenagers had to "make the sort of real-life budgeting decisions people face every day. Staying within the means of your assigned career, choose which housing, transportation, clothing, and other purchases make sense for you and your family."

 I'll let CJ tell you a bit more about it.

On 24 July 2018, before going to that day's Mariner game, I participated in a BECU-run event in Safeco Field's Ellis Pavilion. The event involved downloading an app on my Nook (a brand of tablet) named "Bite of Reality 2" (not to be confused with the original "Bite of Reality").

In Bite of Reality 2, the user is assigned with budgeting various expenses (transportation, clothing, housing, etc.), without going in debt or angering the user's spouse or children. My assigned role was that of an economist, I do not remember my spouse's occupation, and my assigned role's child was a three-year-old named Hector.

There were several stations I had to attend in order to make purchases for myself, my spouse, and sometimes, my child. Several of the station attendants pressured me to choose the more expensive options (for example, a sports car instead of a used car or a jalopy.) I later learned that this pressure to spend more was intentional.

After making all of the purchases, I discovered that I was $755 in debt. I was instructed to speak with an assistant at the credit union, who, upon discovering that my most expensive purchase was a sports car, informed me to purchase an inexpensive car. And that's how I wound up with a jalopy.

In the end, Bite of Reality 2 was an interesting experience and I'm glad I participated.

Annabelle participated as well. She was a zoologist and, like CJ, found out that a flashy car was not the best choice for her, economically. She had to trade it in for something more modest. She also had a financial setback when her glasses broke and she had to spend $200 (virtual) dollars she hadn't budgeted for.

 In the end, the kids were both pleased with their bottom lines.

 A screen shot from CJ above, and one from Bee below.

Afterward, we got to 'enjoy' a Mariners game. 

 It was a beautiful night at the stadium, that's for sure ...

but my, oh my, it was a parade of humans behaving badly.

In fact, afterward, we agree that last night was the worst time we'd ever had at a game, thanks to horrible human beings. 

For starters, a group of rude 20-something males up where we were sitting high, high on the 300 level (high to try to escape inane people talking everything but baseball). Well, no escape last night. One of the group of coworkers was being COMPLETELY inappropriate and loud regarding what he was talking about (a female coworker in extraordinarily vulgar terms). None of them were watching the game at all, they were just blathering loudly, apparently oblivious to the fact that it was so, So, SO inappropriate. (#MeToo).

I wasn't going to listen to that for nine innings (or even one more out), so I went down and reported him to a guest services attendant.  I hope I ruined their night. They certainly deserved that. When we were leaving the section (after I reported them), four 'incident response' team members were going up to say hello. SUPER not OK behavior. #MeToo

After that awful experience, we went and stood down on the main concourse. It was cooler there. For about 2 minutes. This guy just didn't look right to me who was standing by us, off to the left. He gave off a very bad vibe and I kept watching him, instead of the game. Yeah, well, within about two minutes, all of the sudden there is this FIGHT like an inch in front of us and the sketchy guy is on top of another guy. OMG. Like right at our feet. I'm yelling trying to get the guest service attentants'  attention and they can't hear me for whatever reason. The guy on top (the one who didn't look right to begin with), says 'it's my son' (as if that makes it OK), and says something about 'consequences' to the 'kid' (an adult). What a shit show. For whatever reason, dad lets the kid go when security gets there, and the kid runs off through the crowd. CRAZY.  (Turns out later he likely let him go because he was buying alcohol for his minor son and that's not OK, of course. They're both 86-ed.)


Oh, and then the Ms lost.

Rough one.

Platters and Splashes

FOR THE RECORD: The last three days have been a veritable vinyl waterfall for CJ, lucky boy.

Friday, we went to a favorite record store, Silver Platters, in the Sodo neighborhood. We were there because they were having a 50th birthday party to mark the release of The Beatles' "Yellow Submarine" back in 1967.

While we were there, the kids got a little cake, some free posters, and CJ picked up a couple of new albums. I'll let him tell you a bit about them.

Axis: Bold as Love by The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Released in 1967, Axis: Bold as Love was the follow-up to Are You Experienced, released earlier in the same year. The most well-known songs from Axis: Bold as Love are Little Wing, If 6 Was 9, and the eponymous closing song, Bold as Love.

Come On Down by Green River: This obscure band's debut EP is widely considered to be the first grunge record. Green River featured Mark Arm, Steve Turner (who would later be members of the better-known band Mudhoney), Stone Gossard, and Jeff Ament (who would later become members of the world-famous Pearl Jam). This year's reissue of Come On Down was pressed on pink vinyl, and came with a bonus song.

Black Smoke Rising by Greta Van Fleet: Greta Van Fleet hails from Frankenmuth, Michigan, and is named after an elderly resident of the town. Black Smoke Rising contains four songs, all of which have brought attention to the band. Greta Van Fleet's sound is often compared to that of Led Zeppelin.

Saturday morning, we worked around the house for a few hours. Our efforts were mostly concentrated on the new sliding glass door off the game room. Below, Annabelle installs some nails in the fin around the door. (CJ had already done some hammering and was off watering at the moment.)

 Later in the afternoon, we went off in search of some air conditioning and a cold beverage.

 We accidentally found ourselves in the midst of the White Center's neighborhood "Jubilee."

There was a car show, vendor tents, live music, and more. 

In the midst of it all, CJ found a local record store with a blazing sale. CJ can tell you about some of his scores. 

Fresh Cream by Cream: Cream is widely considered to be the first successful "supergroup" (a band composed of multiple previously-known musicians). The copy of Fresh Cream that we bought at the sale looked rough, but was playable to the end. It tastes pretty good for remaining unrefrigerated for over half a century.

Hat Trick by America: This was the folk rock group's third album, and wasn't as big a hit as their previous two. To be honest, the only reason I wanted this was because it had the band's cover of Muskrat Love.

Saturday Night Fever by the Bee Gees: This is the best-selling film soundtrack of all time, as well as the best-selling disco album of all time. This album features hits such as Stayin' Alive, How Deep Is Your Love, and Night Fever. When my mother was a kid, she would spend hours looking at the pictures on the inside of the gatefold.

He walked away from there with the three listed above and another four or five, all for a donation of $10. Great deal!

Saturday night brought a beautiful sunset, by the way.

Monday, Christian and I made a 'quick' round-trip down to Portland to pick up a new-to-us couch. It actually used to 'live' in the Delta Airlines concourse of Portland International Airport. (PDX). When PDX surplussed them, an enterprising company in Portland decided to help them live on.

We're so happy to have one! Tonight, I was sitting on the couch, staring out the window at Mount Rainier, but thinking about the people who have sat and slept on the couch before me, thinking about who they were, why they were traveling, what they were thinking about. Our couch has stories to tell!

Now, I just need to redesign the living room around it. ;)

This evening we cruised down the hill to the Tukwila splash park. 

It's not all that splashy to tell you the truth - especially to people used to going to Seattle Center's International Fountain to splash around. However, as I pointed out to the kids, it's close, it's convenient, and you can get just as wet there as you can at Seattle Center. 

Can you spot CJ and Annabelle below?