Really, who are these guys? (Day 28)

My mind's made up.

Baseball players are people, too.

Not that I thought they weren't people, but as I eluded to on Day 6, for as long as I've been around sports, I've placed professional athletes in a completely different category than everyone else. When I got a little further into the game, I started to lump baseball players, scouts, coaches and writers into one category, that one being a group of people that I need to watch myself around. It's a guy thing though, not really a baseball thing.

I mentioned in that other journal that it's difficult to be a female in a male-dominated industry, but I'm not sure that's the best way to describe it. The truth is that a lot of what I worry about is probably just me overthinking things. But I have had my share of uncomfortable situations that can be traced back to my gender. And I've only been in the industry for not even two years.

Delving into those uncomfortable situations is not something that I wish to do, but I will say that I've had encounters with men who are incredibly inappropriate with me. It not only makes me feel awkward but it also is a cause for self-doubt in my mind. Is that all they think I'm around for? Have I been given a job at any point in time because of what I look like? Is my work actually any good?

Because I'm not exactly lacking in the self-confidence category and I know that I have a good work ethic and always perform in any job to the best of my ability, those questions don't usually linger for very long. But they always come back the next time some guy interrupts me while I'm working, in order to hit on me.

So I guess that's the difficult thing. It does make me place a little added pressure on myself to try and work harder though because I want it to be clear to people that I am around to work, I'm not around for that.

I love the game and I am having a great time working in it. I've met a lot of really outstanding men along the way, too and I don't want my message to be misconstrued, or anyone to be insulted. There have just been a few bad apples who skew the big picture. I've also heard a few locker-room stories that make me wonder how some men sleep with themselves at night. But they aren't the majority and I feel as though I've made it sound that way. That's not what I meant to do, especially when I started writing this with the intentions to actually be complimentary.

I spent more time today working at the field with three of the players, plus Whitey and Carl, and they furthered my notion that they might actually be real people. Decent guys, even.

My morning first started with a phone call to my friend Nicole. When Whitey and Carl dropped me off last night I asked them if it might be okay if I stayed home in the morning to get some stuff done since we had to be at the field at noon anyway. I felt guilty but they didn't seem to have a problem with it. And part of my morning plan was to call Nicole. She was one of the people I'd left a message for previously, so it's partly her fault I was homesick I guess (thanks Nicole).

Actually I should first mention that I woke up to an email from the guy dealing with the baseball cards telling me that he was mistaken about the number of characters for each guy's card. He was sorry for wasting my time but I would have to start over again. Great. I didn't happen to get to re-starting that today at all though. So much for that.

Nicole was late getting home from work (my morning is equal to her evening) so the call was postponed for a little while but at least I was confident it would happen this time since I had until almost noon to try. We finally worked it out and had a good conversation about all the things I am doing here and what's going on at home and stuff like that. We've been emailing a lot but it somehow seemed that much better just to talk on the phone. At the end of the call we made plans to try again next week and I think I need it. I have to start talking to more people than just BFC, for my sake and for his.

When I got off the phone with Nicole I headed to the post office to send a couple Christmas cards home. I need to write up some more though, and I think I can be assured that none of them will get back to Canada on time so I guess it doesn't really matter when I send them now. Being in the future does not assure me on-time mail deliveries. I'll let you know if I figure out what it does do for me.

From the post office I went right next door to the train station to meet Jon Durket for our fun-filled day of moving things around at the field. We headed to the ballpark together and stopped along the way so I could show off the pool at my apartment complex and give him a tour. I do have a pretty sweet setup.

When we got to the ballpark, SJ and Maestri were already there so the four of us kind of just sat around waiting until someone told us what to do. Eventually we had to start moving the corporate boxes. I don't know if I accurately described them before when the guys had to move them last time, but this time I tried to help so I feel as if I should go into more detail.

In the members' stand there are bleacher-type seats and the corporate boxes are meant for press and people like me and Coshi. They are kind of like desks that sit on top of the bleachers. But they are extremely heavy, and I'm not sure it's necessary for them to be that way. They are though and it sucks to carry them around and move them. I feel like I helped a little bit this time, but if I have to reiterate again that my weakness is my upper-body strength, I will. It is.

I'm not sure if I helped more or just got in the way more actually. I tried my hardest but it wasn't working out so well for me. The worst was when I thought I was being helpful and in the middle of trying to pass one of the corporate boxes over a row of seats (not on my own obviously), I smashed my shin against the back of one of the rows. Shinjuries are awful. It was super painful. Still hurts.

Whitey and Carl showed up when we were more than halfway through the corporate boxes. Nice of them to make it. They were likely more helpful than I was though so I guess I shouldn't complain.

After the boxes we had to put up the poles behind home plate that hold up the back net. It was a long and not really complicated process but I'm not sure I need to go into details. We moved poles and then shovelled dirt back on them. Definitely not the most exciting part of my day. We couldn't do much else at the field because we didn't have access to anything while the people from the concert were still getting their stuff out. It looks like we'll have a lot to do tomorrow.

For awhile, we just hung out in the locker room complaining about how hungry we were and playing ping pong. Have I mentioned before that there is a ping pong table in the locker room? I'm sure I did but if I didn't, there it is.

Several times we were ready to make an attempt at walking to the nearest burrito place but something stopped us. Usually it was the prospect of getting a ride. Or trying to figure out how the guys were going to get to pitching practice at 6 o'clock since it was only 3ish. After several long minutes of waiting and doing nothing, Gonzo took the four of us (me and the pitchers) to Guzman Y Gomez, a burrito place that I think rivals any other at home. It's good. Alan also showed up and joined us for the eats. And somehow we swindled Gonz into paying for all of us. What a fantastic lunch. He's a good man, that Paul Gonzalez.

Gonzo took the opportunity to give some pitching pointers out across the table, and then we got him talking about his time playing in Japan and Taiwan, and when he played with Michael Jordan. That's my favourite factoid about Gonz. Maestri was asking questions about playing in Japan and it got me wondering what these guys are all going to do when this season is over.

I was sitting next to Durket and I asked him what his plans are and he gained like a million bonus points with me for a couple reasons:

1. I don't really know if this was a part of the same conversation but he was talking about how he is going to take the LSAT (Law School Admissions Test) in February, if the team isn't in playoffs on the day he is scheduled for it. He wants to head to law school next September (after already earning his undergrad and MBA at WSU). Gotta love him. I told him that I already took the LSAT and I happened to score perfect in the logic puzzles section, which is most people's toughest, so I might be able to help him out there if need be. For some reason, reading comprehension is my worst, but at least I can try to help in one category.

2. We started talking about the Frontier League, where he played last and I mentioned that there's a new team in my hometown. As it turns out, the London Rippers are the team that he is thinking about trying to be a part of. Coincidence? Well, yes, obviously. He said he knows someone who knows the coach or something and he figures it would be easier to go play in Canada, where people speak English, than to go to Czech or the Netherlands or wherever else he was thinking of going. I told him he should definitely go play in London and that he can go live with my mom. By the way mom, I offered your place up. There's lots of room. You're okay with that, right? Perfect.

So basically he gained all those bonus points just for talking about applying to law school and potentially playing baseball in London. It doesn't take much to impress me, now that I think about it.

We talked a little more about the London Rippers on the car ride from the burrito place. I should have probably just walked home from there but I opted instead to squeeze into the backseat of Gonzo's SUV, between Durket (6'3") and SJ (6'6"). I don't really know how those guys manage to be comfortable sitting anywhere. But I was only there until we picked up KJ and then it got a little more uncomfortable for everyone.

Gonzo drove around for a little while before we could even find where KJ had been dropped off by his wife. I think once we actually went right by him, but that could just be speculation. Once we found him, Maestri took over my spot in the backseat and I moved into a smaller seat essentially in the trunk of the vehicle. I think I was better off than the guys though because they looked a little squished. I guess sometimes it pays to be short. Okay, one time. And that was it.

From there we all went to the Jeep dealership, where KJ was to pick up his new vehicle. He now has a brand new Jeep courtesy of some sort of team deal. It's pretty sweet and it's branded with Bandits stuff all over it too, which is awesome. I think KJ was actually worried about the car because he said it's the nicest vehicle he's ever had. But it's great and I'm sure he will get over those fears and enjoy driving around town in the red beauty.

The three pitchers took their stuff from Gonzo's car and transferred it to KJ's so he could take them to practice. I was happy to have a ride from Gonz because it was actually a little chilly outside and I was pretty cold standing around at the dealership. I must have fully adjusted to the weather here because I can't handle the slightest loss of heat. So that's it, I can never go back to another Canadian winter again. I'll see you when it heats up, Canada.

After sitting around at home not doing much of anything for awhile I decided to go for another run. Once again, I didn't know how long I was going to last on the treadmill staring at the blank white wall. But again, I ran 10 kilometres. I made it the first five in 28 minutes and then took the rest of the hour to run the last five kilometres. So I did not, in fact, get faster overnight, despite all my wishful thinking. I actually ran slower than yesterday. I'll have to work on that.

I was interrupted at one point by a man who must be the landlord around here or something. He was shutting things down, and by that I mean closing the door to the pool and turning off the lights. He told me that usually he closes everything up around 9 at night to keep the noise levels to a minimum. He said it would be alright if I stayed until I was finished though, as long as I wasn't too loud. Hopefully I'm not loud when I run because that would just be embarrassing.

When I was finished though I wanted to dip my legs into the ice bath of a pool that we have here. I tried my key in the door to the room that heads to the pool and much to my surprise, it wasn't even locked in the first place. So I snuck in and laid poolside with my legs in the water for a little while. Though maybe I should think twice next time I break the rules right after I'm told what they are. No negative repercussions this time, so it's all good for now.

I was pretty tired after the run so I showered and passed out shortly thereafter. Need to get some quality rest time in preparation for the labouring at the field tomorrow. Can't wait.