Can't seem to get away from work--even on vaco

Life sure is funny! I've been on vacation for the last week and 1/2. One of the best, most magical vacations I've ever had --EVER! It consisted of seeing college buddies, experiencing Indians' batting practice from the field, entertaining my family in a loge at an Indians' game, being Season Ticket Holder Fan of the Game, meeting one of my Twitter buddies, quality time with old friends every day, Larchmere Porchfest, sun, fun, and relaxation!

But it seems 2 of the most exciting highlights revolved around work --while I was on vacation! Go figure!

One night I attended the Indians' -Rockies game with a co-worker and a former co-worker. We wound up having dinner up in the Terrace Club. We were laughing, talking, catching up when who walks in? NBC Sports guru Bob Costas. Really? Bob Costas. What are the chances?

We kept our eyes on his every move (well not really). But when he went to leave, my girlfriend subtly asked if he'd mind taking a picture with all of us. He was quite gracious and did so. This was probably my one shot at ever speaking with THE Bob Costas. I mustered up as much courage as I could and introduced myself. I told him I worked for the local NBC affiliate in town. He perked up and the 1st question out of his mouth was, "Do you know Jim Donovan?" Are you kidding me? My hero and friend. I answered, "Oh yes. He's one of my dear friends. Do you know he's in the hospital?" Mr. Costas was surprised to hear about everything Jimmy is going through and was quite adamant in asking me to please send him best well wishes.

Again, I ask, are you kidding me?

After he left, I got the skinny from a friend. He apparently has very good friends in Cleveland he reunites with a few times a year. He was in town just for fun, realized there was a game and called to see if they could eat in the Terrace Club and enjoy the game. Uh, I don't think the Indians or Bob DiBiasio or anyone could ever say NO to Mr. Bob Costas. Really!

My next task was texting my friend Jimmy Donovan with the well wishes from Bob Costas! He was surprised, maybe not so much at the sentiment because they have worked together but that we saw him and spoke to him.

I must admit, the biggest thrill from this whole extravaganza was not necessarily the game, or even meeting Bob Costas but relaying the message and getting a response back from my hero and friend, Jim Donovan. I can't express how I felt at that moment.

A second highlight work related as well. Metromix Cleveland threw a huge birthday bash over in Lakewood. Why not? I was on vacation so I popped over and had the absolute best time of my life sharing in the fun, festivities, cornhole competition, dunk tank, bowling, birthday cake, and so much more, which included spending part of my vacation with cool co-workers!

All in all, a magical week which probably will not be paralleled or surpasssed anytime soon --but I can dream!!

Weekly Feature: Hidden Gems

Today's Hidden Gem: Mom

As you've seen all week, I've used 'Swing by and Spray' as more of a 'catching up with Danielle' forum as well as a way to gracefully glide back into the work mode after being off for so long.

Believe it or not, this has been quite a transition.

Not only am I trying to adjust to not having my Mother and best friend physically here with me anymore but I have been out of work longer than ever before.

I needed to come back to work.

It's just like riding a bike or re-connecting with a terrific friend. I picked up right where I left off.

Now, for making Mom my Hidden Gem, there is no way in God's green earth that I can include every wonderful thing about her or do her justice!! But, I'll give you all a little snippet and glimpse into her greatness.

Mom was a stupendous human being.

She had the biggest fan club around, even more expanse than the Cleveland Browns and their world-wide Browns Backers.

Not sure what one particular attribute drew people to her, but they were drawn.

While dining at one of her favorite restaurants on Larchmere, she caught the attention of Gary Sandy, actor from 'WKRP in Cincinnati.' He was in town doing a play, and in Mom fashion, caught his eye, he was drawn to her and well .....Mom had this effect on EVERYONE!!

She ran our church for the longest time being the 2nd in command after our pastor. Even in her final days, Father would call Mom asking her for code #'s or account #'s, the name of someone he could not remember, or a little background on a longtime parishioner who had passed away.

She sat in the same pew in Church, and believe it or not, NO ONE sat in that spot during her funeral.

Next to her faith and devotion to her Lord, her family and her Cleveland Indians were her life.

She was so proud of her children and grand children. She loved them more than anything. When the kids were smaller, Mom would take us all globetrotting following our Cleveland Indians. Mom really opened up the world for us all. She taught us to respect life and everyone we met. She ingrained in us to enjoy each day as if it was the last and to reach for the skies. She had a tremendous work ethic allowing us to not only have what we needed but what we wanted. She told us all 'you can do anything and be whatever you want to be.' Mom familiarized us to all kinds of music, movies, entertainment, sports and so much more.

We were always on some kind of adventure traveling around to Boston, Detroit, Canada, Baltimore, Florida, Vegas, Arizona, Kansas City, New Orleans, Texas, and so on.....

Mom's energy spurred the rest of us on. We were trying to keep up with her on the Freedom Trail! Finally my Aunt hailed a cab and said, enough!

I remember Mom sitting in 'A Steak in the Neighborhood' in Boston with Indians' Pitcher Jack Morris as they pondered whether or not he should retire. I believe he retired the next season.

I hope one day Mom's fearlessness rubs off on me. She was not afraid of anyone or anything.

Mom would never miss an Indians' Game. Then her health suffered a bit, but we still made the trek to Jacob's Field. It may have taken longer, but was well worth it. Her Usher, Bob, would escort her to our seats and just about whisk her back up all the stairs at the end of the game.

And her health ailments did not stop us from taking our trips. Last year we made it to the final season of old Yankee Stadium, and this year we hit PNC Park.

Mom's 'home away from home' was the Terrace Club at Progressive Field. She'd walk in and they'd escort her to a terrific table. Two weeks before she passed, I had a blow out 80th birthday party for her there. It was one of the best things I could have ever done for her. Family and friends gathered to celebrate her life with her while she was still vibrant and alive and able to enjoy their company.

Mom always thought of someone else. When the WNBA came to Cleveland, knowing my niece's affinity to basketball, she was 1st in line to get Rockers' Season Tickets and had Center Court.

She shopped for Christmas all year long. She'd see the perfect gift for someone in March and buy it! Suffice it to say, we had SO MANY Christmas gifts, we had to start wrapping them weeks in advance!

Even toward the end, Mom never lost her passion for living. We'd be driving somewhere listening to Siriusly Sinatra and she'd be singing along to Frank or Tony or Dino at the top of her lungs not skipping a beat!

She brought her dialysis ward to it's knees laughing when she screamed HALLELUJAH after hearing Eric Wedge had been fired! And she was overjoyed when her 'boyfriend' Rick Manning wished her a happy 80th birthday on TV during the final Cleveland Indians' Game.

Mom was a perfect example of someone who loved life and who lived her life the way the Good Lord prescribed, and it came back to her ten-fold.

Oh, I have a bazillion more stories of my Mom. I've only touched the surface.

If you knew her, I'm sure you understand why I have named her this week's Hidden Gem! If you did not know her, I truly hope you can get a sense from this entry on why my Mom has been chosen as this week's Hidden Gem! I love you Mom! No, "I love you more!"

Weekly Feature: Hidden Gems

Today's Hidden Gem: Progressive Field!

Ok, so you are saying, Progressive Field is definitely not hidden! Everyone knows about it. You are correct, my friend. However, amazingly enough, there are still loads of Clevelanders who have never set foot inside Progressive Field.

Progressive Field is my home away from home. If I could attend every single Indians' Game, I would. Unfortunately a necessary roadblock, my career, blocks that dream, for now! One day, hopefully I will be living the easy life at Progressive Field from April through October.

I've chosen Progressive Field as this week's Hidden Gem for a number of reasons, really.

For one, hot off the presses, Progressive Field was just named the #1 ballpark in the Major Leagues by SI.com. Sports Illustrated conducted an online survey of thousands and thousands of baseball fans and Progressive Field won hands down as the number one ballpark!

For those of us living in Cleveland and making frequent visits, this comes as no surprise.

The categories rated by fans were:

• the quality of the team on the field
• affordability
• food
• tradition
• atmosphere
• fan IQ
• hospitality
• promotions
• traffic
• the neighborhood

Responses came from season ticket holders as well as fans who attend at least five games a year.

Indians' Vice President of Public Relations, Bob DiBiasio, said "it's a wonderful honor. It speaks volumes to the team effort that goes into entertaining our fans to the best of our abilities."

Progressive Field has only been around for 15 years. However, every year there is something new added to keep the fans coming back for more. If it's not the promotions and gifts given out to adults and children alike, it's the amenities. In 2004, a new scoreboard was erected with an immense video display. The Batter's Eye Bar has become the hotspot before, during, and after the games. Last year, Nostalgic Heritage Park opened to honor former Indians' Players. Fans were able to purchase pavers to be a part of history. And this year, along with some delicious, new foodstuffs, the right field Party Deck and Champions Suite were unveiled.

On a cold, rainy day, there is absolutely no better place to view the game then from the Terrace Club, front and center behind the warm glass. The Terrace Club has only the top chefs in the nation serving a menu fit for a king.

Believe it or not, there are many hometown people who have never set foot inside. I know it seems hard to believe, but it's true. This year, we have to get those folks inside Progressive Field!

For 455 straight sell-out games, it was absolute mayhem. Then when the streak ended, a slight let down, but you have to look at the glass half full. So many folks who could not attend before were able to share the experience.

We are lucky enough to have season's tickets. We've had Indians' season tickets since 1988 at the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Going to so many games, we are lucky to meet a slew of out-of-towners in just to see our ballpark. We've come across business men in town for seminars who steal away to catch a game or two. We've met die hard fans who follow their beloved team to Cleveland from New York, Boston, Toronto, St Louis...We've even met those warriors visiting every single major league ballpark (one of our goals!).

And we hear the same thing time and again. This is one of the prettiest, nicest, cost efficient, and most enjoyable ballparks to watch a game.

Last year, we sat next to the dreaded Boston Red Sox Fan. He was in town for the entire series. He could not believe how much cheaper the whole experience was. Right off the bat he said the seat he was sitting in alone would have cost him triple at Fenway. The beer about 3 dollars more and so on....

We, too, have visited numerous ballparks around the nation. And, it's true. Can't beat watching a game at Progressive Field. We were at Camden Yards, which many say looks and feels a lot like Progressive Field. We were sitting in Club Seats which supposedly were one of the top seats available. Well, their value was high end but so were the seats. Nose bleed USA!

The entire experience is usually a win-win situation. You can either take an RTA rapid from various locations and then it's a short jaunt from Tower City or there are dozens of parking areas around the ballpark.

If you have a handicapped person, you normally can park in the garage adjacent to the field and there are wheelchairs available at the gate to transport wherever you need to go inside the ballpark.

There is usually not that bad of a restroom wait.

There is food for anyone and everyone, and the cost is better than most other ballparks.

There is something for everyone --young and old. Slider be-bops around entertaining the children as well as kid's land and a food stand for the young ones. The children also love the hotdog derby where life size hotdogs race around the field with their eye on the finish line. There are contests throughout the entire game for adults to win free giveaways.

And the young players give 100 percent day in and day out. You can tell they want to be there. They want to play hard. They want to win. Even the other day when CC lost 1-0 to the Yankees, it was a great pitcher's duel. CC pitched a great game.

The players are very accessible before the game signing autographs for fans as well as after the game by the players' parking lot, where many players do stay and sign autographs for the children.

Win or lose, you will not leave Progressive Field disappointed. Your entertaining visit will leave you wanting more...

If you are one of the locals who has yet to visit Progressive Field, please get to a game this season. You will not be disappointed and will find out why Progressive Field is this week's Hidden Gem.