The Upcoming Week

 

Might be driving under this in the near future

As I'm simply too hot and too burned out, I thought I'd just look into the future.

There are no broadcasts this week. Let's start there. I realize I'll be back at it in early September (or even late August)* but I'm seriously yearning for a game to call. Especially baseball.

* OK, a short time back I wrote about the fall plan for sports coverage. Well, a few things are unconfirmed and I'll be the first to admit that's got me a bit ticked off since a few teams would like my services for football. However, I think I'm OK to announce that I'll be back with Brunswick this fall for sure. This will be the sixth season (not counting 2020 though that would have been true) where I'll be the primary Bruins football broadcaster. I should also be able to lock in on some soccer as well. 

Last year, I made a deal for Greenwich High School games to be heard on Robcasting. We have to work that out still. I won't name any other teams for now but I'll say that it's nice to be wanted. I keep saying I (and Chris Erway) will go where I'm (we're) wanted.

I'll be at Dutchess Stadium a lot this week, including a few nights as the co-public address announcer with Rick Zolzer. I keep getting asked about being back with the Renegades so let me see if I can explain it again. Basically, Zolz does the on-field stuff and, when I'm there, I do the "booth" stuff, such as many of the sponsor reads along with the introductions of the players when they're at bat. 

I also play along a bit with Zolz. 

So, why, you ask? Well, first of all, the team asked. But Sean still works there, so I get time with him. Lori -- my cousin by marriage, I suppose -- is there also, and I get to see her. It can be a family affair as well as getting to be with friends and people I wouldn't normally see. Yes, the ride is a beast -- roughly 120 miles for each game total -- but it brings me back to the Hudson Valley and keeps me in baseball.

I see the positives. That's why I do it. I also know this won't stop the questions but I'm trying.

I'm getting some car work done this week. Oh, I realize you don't need to know that but you do need to know that I'm extremely particular about car stuff. I trust almost no one when it comes to cars (I've been burned many times) so trust me when I say that putting my faith in the hands of Fran Pomarico at Poughkeepsie Nissan is a huge deal. Fran is my friend who had my back for some stuff (like taking steps that virtually nobody else would take) and he told me to bring my car there. So, it will be there.

Yes, you can say that was an #ad except Fran doesn't even know that I was going to do this and he's never asked me to do this. I don't even know if he's aware of this blog thing.

Also this week, I might be sporting a new look as it was time to update my spectacles. While I hate wearing glasses they are simply a reality for me. I take mine off all the time (including now) but I know I need them. I wore contacts for years but heard "I look better in glasses" (apparently it's a "professor" look). I also moved into wearing progressive lenses.

But, yeah, if you ever noticed, I almost always take my glasses off when I get somewhere. Just a habit. Thus, I bought a couple of pairs.

Oh, and Costco gave me a deal. That doesn't mean I didn't have some sticker shock. Wow.

I still haven't figured out the electric bill issue but it's OK. In talking with people I know, they think something is still, pardon the pun, off (oh, heh, on, amirite?). Sure, so much of the apartment is electric but we'll figure it out over time. Or we won't. Either way, we're still pretty happy here and we'll make other adjustments (looking at you, Verizon, and your obscene TV prices).

So, yeah, I'll probably be fighting with Verizon and SiriusXM and insurance issues related to my late mother (they think she still has a car nearly two years later after I called and canceled it).

A travel plan is in place that is pure "Rob and Sean"

The week ahead will also bring on preparing to run away for a summer vacation finally. Cooperstown happened because I'd been yelled at about going for months. Then, the urge hit. Shame on me for hesitating. I worried about the car. I worried about the money.

Obviously, we had a great day.

I need to stop worrying. I need to stop waiting. Life is too short.

So, we'll go away, hitting South Carolina, North Carolina, (Richmond?), and Philadelphia before it's over. Sean is comfortable with this and that matters. It also matters that we can embrace doing this before he starts really doing stuff without me.

But I also have to be good to myself. I can't keep waiting. It might be time to carve my own path even if I don't want to.

To quote a song I once used for a eulogy: "There's too many places I've got to see."

I don't want to be a "Free Bird" necessarily. 

But the road -- the world -- awaits.

Summer will, in many ways, almost wrap up after we finish vacation. Sean will start college and I'll dig into football. The weather will remain warm but thoughts will turn to Oktoberfest and Halloween and even The Big E (it's been years).

Let's enjoy every last moment of summer, 2022, even despite the heat.

Life keeps moving pretty fast.

I don't want to miss it.