In 1985 I asked Santa for an Atari. I had played it at My uncle's house and some friend's houses. On Christmas morning, I received a Nintendo instead. I think I was initially disappointed because I had never heard of a Nintendo and I wanted an Atari. However, as soon as my dad hooked it up and started it, I was wowed. I remember playing Super Mario brothers and remembering that this was the arcade game I played last time we went to Florida. I distinctly remember dying on the first mushroom when I played for the first time.

My dad went all out, buying the deluxe package for the Nintendo. It contained R.O.B. the robot with the game "Gyromite", the gun with "Hogan's Alley" and "Duck Hunt" and two controllers and "Super Mario Brothers". You just can't buy a package that cool anymore. I was instantly hooked and I am still a gamer to this day.

I remember that we were the first people I knew to have a Nintendo and my friends wanted to come over to play it all the time. Way to go Dad!

I have been thinking a bit about the things I used to do in my back yard at my house growing up. There is not one story that completely sticks out to be written as a full memory so I will try to bullet the things that happened in my yard so I wont forget some of the fun things that happened there.

• The first big memory that happened here was the time my brother fell off of the tree in the back yard. It was very early on in living at that house, maybe a few months after we moved in. He was in a cast for a while.
• We even had a second tree pretty much in the neighbors yard next to us that we would climb around.
• If you cut through the house be hind us a bit, you can get to this small little patch of woods where we used to hang out once and a while.
• One time near our shed in the back, a kid next door threw a large rock and hit my brother in the head. He probably got a small concussion or something. My dad was so furious and he

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So I only started running recently. My dad was my inspiration for entering races. I figured that I could do it if he could, being 27 years older than I am. So I signed up for the 8K race last year and my Dad and Dave as well as some other co-workers ran in the 10 mile race.

It was cool to go back to downtown Flint since I went to college there and to see so many people there. My Dad and I walked through the hotel where they were selling running accessories. It's amazing the things that they sell runners like nipple guards and energy jelly beans. I ate a nice pancake breakfast in the outdoor theatre and met up with Olaf and Dave, I think.

We waited in a long line for the bathroom at one point in the university pavillion and I think I remember some guy being weird in line. Dave, do you remember this?

Anyway, the 10 mile race started before my race so I watched my dad cross the starting line and then headed towards the car to get another water or something. It was cool walking the . . . Read More..

So heres the deal.

I was dating Susan... ummm jeeze what is my fiances last name again... for like two months or so?

And I still didnt know her last name.

I think I asked her before, but I still must have forgot or something.

So anyway, we head down to Compuware

So tonight I went to a Chimes Movie night to go and see "Live Free or Die Hard" and my buddy Andy points out that Sean Casey from the Detroit Tigers and his family are up at the front booth buying movie tickets.

Andy takes a photo of his back and I call up Susan to tell he who I saw. 

I see him hand his tickets to the guy and he has a bunch of twenties he is putting away.  Of course he pays with hundreds.  He's Sean Casey!  He also went straight to the theater after ball practice to be with his family.  What a guy!

I go down to theater 14 where we were seated and I realize I have to go to the bathroom.

As I am walking down, Sean Casey is standing in line getting loads of popcorn and drinks for his family.

He leaves them at the counter and goes to the bathroom too.  As I am drying my hands he is drying his as well.

"So whatchu seeing tonight?" I ask.  We look at each other.

"Fantastic 4 and you?" Casey Replies.  "The New Die Hard.." I tell him.

We walk out and I follow him to his food. 

"So guess what, my Fiance is really mad that she missed seeing Inge as a Barista out in Ann Arbor yesterday..."  I explain.  "There was another player serving coffee too."  Darn it ... I cant even remember McCullens name!  I mean....Guillen!  Long story short... I thought I saw a guy named McCullen on the field when Susan was asking me who was at base ...  and she will always make fun of me now for it.

"What's a barista?" Casey Replies.  I thought this reply was totally a guy response... most guys dont pay attention to that kind of crap.

"Its like a starbucks."

We start walking toward our theaters and talk about how Die hard wouldnt be ideal for his family to go see.

The whole conversation was the most magical thing in the world cause I have never really talked to someone who is a major celebrity.

Sean Casey was the nicest most energetic person I can ever imagine.  You can tell he is just very humble, smart, proud and hard working.

I love the Tigers and any other MLB organization that really love their communities like the Tigers do.

I finish off our conversation with "I will see you in a few weeks at the game..."

I call up Susan again to brag.  I also surprise my work friends with who I just got done talking with.

Only I will randomly talk to celebs without even being nervous.  I wish I had a memorycrawler business card and would have thought to give it to him.

I love you Casey!  You are now my tiger!  Now we are pals!

;-)