Football!

Originally, it was supposed to be a surprise, but my father-in-law, Tony, took me to a Penn State football game this past weekend. Carrie let it slip about a week early to make sure I didn't run off and make some sort of plans. Tony and the rest of his family are die-hard Penn Staters ("They-are-PENN-STATE!"). I have no loyalty to Penn State, but I was thrilled at a chance to see FedEx field. I watch the Redskins lose their all the time, but only on TV. What Tony was offering me was a chance to see a football game (always good), a chance to see FedEx field in person for a change (even better), and the tickets included an ALL YOU CAN EAT BUFFET (Touchdown!). That's a winning combination!  I wouldn't even have to worry about the skins losing for a change.

The drive to the stadium took around an hour and a half if memory serves. Beltway traffic is dismal at the best of times, and our route took us over to the dark side: Maryland. The land of no turn signals and weaving cars. Thankfully, we survived. The game was worth the trip.

A few notes about watching a game in person:
1) I miss the commentators (at least when they're good). There are no stats, there is no discussion of strategy, there is only the crowd when a play is live. In between plays, the loudspeakers will blast the beginning of a song. The music starts to get in your blood, pump you up, and then they turn if off for the play. I'm so used to watching on TV, it almost felt disjointed for me for most of the game.

2) At the end, when the game was on the line, the whole stadium was pumped and excited. Crowds can be highly infectious. It was tame for most of the game, but around the third quarter, people started getting excited. There's something about an excited crowd that draws me in as well. It's contagious.

3) You can never escape commercials. They blasted them on the jumbo-trons. I could be saving money on car insurance with Geico or protecting myself from Mayhem with All-State.

4) Prices aren't only elevated, they're practically a felony in progress. Eight dollars for a Bud Light. Fifty dollars for a Penn State polo. I wouldn't be surprised if the prices went up even higher for a professional game.

5) Driving out of FedEx field sucks. It took an hour to move out of our parking space and travel an hour on the main road. The first 40 minutes were spent within 30 feet of where I was parked. I do not kid. I couldn't help but think how awful it must've been watching the Eagles destroy the skins the Sunday before in the cold rain, only to then be stuck in a parking lot near midnight (in the cold rain).

The rest of the weekend was spent on plumbing and home improvements. My father-in-law did the majority of the work, but I lugged things, sawed lumber and pipes, and did whatever I could to help. My in-laws have been extremely generous, but I was still glad to have some quiet time after they left on Sunday. I like people, but I don't recharge my batteries without peace and quiet. How much of that do you think I'll get once Shane is born?  Seven pounds, nine ounces. I better enjoy the sleep while I can.