Alexis Hartz, Author

The last time I went into the phone store to upgrade my cell phone I looked for one that was just a phone . "No such thing on your plan," the clerk told me. "Besides, it's good to have the camera on the phone, in case you are in a car accident, or something like that."   Really? My mother always told me about wearing clean undies in case I was in a car accident, but now I have to carry a camera too?   Like most of my generation I don't understand the fascination with phone cameras and caring a cache of images in my hands 24 hours a day. Of course needing glasses to see those tiny photos is probably part of the turn off. Oh don't get me wrong. I love my photos as much as the next person. But, I continually and carefully to edit my collection. Photographs capture so much more than an image. They are full of memory triggers --- which can be good or bad. They take us back to the past -- which can be good or bad. Seriously, photos of some of ...

Yesterday we prepared for today's rains.  Oh, and did they come. One cloud burst right after another. Rain. Wind. Hail. Game delayed.  Game on. Game delayed. Game on. Forty degrees. Wet and cold. Inning after inning fans and workers nestled together in any bit of shelter they could find. Any person in their right mind could see that the weather was not fit for man, beast, or baseball, but the show went on.  Whispers of when the game would be called circulated among the stadium staff, along with the inside info that ticket refunds would not be given if the team played a pre-determined number of innings. By the fourth inning even God had had enough.  A clap of thunder and a bolt of lightning came out of the sky and the game was finally and officially declared "rained out". I could tell you how miserable it was, especially cleaning up after all that, and how I came home wet, and dirty, and tired, and chilled to the bone. But as you can see from the images ...

Can you believe it?  I was actually invited on to the field. . . but not without strings attached. The stadium grounds crew was preparing for rain and asked our team to help maneuver an oversized tarp out of storage and over the field. Of course I graciously offered my assistance. Check out how the event unfolded. First the assembled the team. Then, I helped with leadership and direction. With Step 1 completed, we each grabbed a tarp handle and ran in unison to spread the tarp length-wise. Once unrolled the heavy tarp became a sea of billowing waves. With the process nearly completed, I took the opportunity to look around. Always willing to help, I moved unnecessary equipment out of the way. I did a little cleaning up, and checked out the equipment. Finally, I took a well deserved rest. How fortunate I am.  Not everyone can enjoy a day  out in left field .