52 Weeks (6/52)

I know this post is a few days early, but since making my semi-return to blogging I've been a little selfish. I've mainly been posting for myself... I don't mean that to say nobody is reading --because thankfully, you are-- I mean it in the sense that I haven't really been posting with the intent to entertain anyone but me. Part of that is lack of inspiration and part of that is laziness, but like I said, mainly selfishness.

I'm a better writer than photographer, which doesn't bother me in the least, but for some reason I just haven't been able to enjoy the writing process the way I once did, and that does bother me... but still, every once in a while I get that once familiar urge to dance my fingers across the keyboard and share my thoughts with whoever will willingly read them. The latest topic to arouse that feeling in me is one of the most pure, optimistic, and lasting subjects in my life... baseball...

Spring training is underway and for the first time in several years, my beloved Nats actually have a few rays of hope peaking through the dark clouds of doubt that seem to perpetually hover in our skies. I'm not suffering any misconceptions that the team will contend for a title (or even put up a winning record) but they do have some exciting young players whose energy and enthusiasm can't help but be contagious. Even a jaded and cynical fan like me is looking forward to what this season might bring.

It also probably helps that that the arrival of spring, and by proximity baseball, is ushering out one of the coldest, bleakest, and most snow covered winters in this city's memory. I find myself longing for green grass, tall glasses of lemonade, line drive doubles to the gap, and sunshine bright enough to make me squint.

Hopefully, all those elements will come together on April 5th, 2010. That's "Opening Day" for the Nationals, and for the 3rd season in a row, I'll be at the ballpark with my best friend Moe Greene. Of course I know that the optimism will, in all liklihood, only last the first week of the season. I may probably find myself miserable and angry more often than pleased with the team this year, but right now that doesn't matter. I'm longing to feel warm, to have hope, and to be inspired.

...these tickets make me feel that way...




I'm going to keep posting my 52 Weeks updates, but I'll be sure not to forget I'm here to write as well. Thanks for sticking with me for all these years you guys!

*Nerdy photo info: I've been really drawn to extremely shallow depth of field shots of late (that's where you have a very small area of the picture in focus and blur out the rest to add emphasis). I took this on my desk at work. I used a flash to bounce light off the ceiling from the right to make the light nice and soft.