Bye Bye, Number Five

St. Louis has two major religions - Catholicism and St. Louis Cardinals baseball.  It's home to two main houses of worship - the basilica on Lindell Blvd. and Busch Stadium on Clark Ave.  In its down home Midwest way it worships its heroes unconditionally, wrapped in swaddling clothes emblazoned with an embroidered number 5.  Even if you're one of the less appreciative players after your St. Louis career years and embarrass yourself with the wrong choice words (I'm looking at you, Jim Edmonds) you will be welcomed back with open arms.

So this week, the St. Louis media sugarcoated the enormity of the Albert Pujols situation.  Meanwhile, a St. Louis based sports shop gave away Pujols' jerseys "because it's not about the money."

It's more than anger or resentment.  It's flat out disappointment.  It's coming home to find Papa Tony LaRussa on the front steps after curfew, as he slowly pulls up his aviators to stare intently down upon you.  You hang your head and sulk into the house, a few minutes after midnight.

St. Louis, and a larger part of the Midwest, embraces its golden children, putting them on an impossibly hard to reach pedestal.  Rather than boo and downgrade, there's always a positiveness that "things will move in the right direction."  Even the media takes this approach.  It's mostly endearing until you find yourself standing outside of the warm embraces.  Then it only seems naive as if you're standing among the halls of the school of ignorance as bliss.

So now our legend, the one who spent a season saying he wanted to end a career in St. Louis, is gone. Comparing this to a bad boyfriend I could only exclaim, "why didn't you just tell me this in the first place?!"  Of course it was about the money.  I heard it all including, " but he is the greatest player in baseball, he was worth more during his time in St. Louis and he wasn't paid like that. Bla bla bla."  Find me one career where you are paid retroactively and I'll give you $250 million over ten years.  I'm that confident I won't be delivered an answer.

There is a number 5 National League All-Star jersey hanging in my closet that won't be put to use any time soon.  Of course it makes me sad, but I was a Cardinals fan first.  It all begin to wear on me when, during the most unbelievable of runs to a World Series championship, it was being overshadowed by one person.  The drama can start to dwindle and we can finally focus on the future.  A future of a reliable third started or a bull pen that doesn't rise and fall like the sun.  Also, more championships.  I'm certain of that one.

One Small Step for "Theresa + Media"

From time to time, I take a few minutes out of my day to google my full name, in quotes or any other variety. Sometimes it's me, other times it's a pack rat in Farmington Hills, Mich. or the tormented friend of (yikes!) a late Debbie Hawk.  As I have grown professionally, my material took on a life of its own via this blog, twitter, various networking pages.  (Go connect with me!)  Then, on page three of the results, I found my first ever "published" piece of work in a major news outlet, a press release for "Leonard Slatkin and Friends" event.  STLToday.com!  The #1 St. Louis website!  Exclamation!  Do I remember who I e-mailed to have this posted or know if anyone, at all, read it?  No, but I remember the excitement when I received link in a reply e-mail.  At the time I was an intern and many of the materials I created went to multiples supervisors for review and, ultimately, did not include my name.  This little diddy had all the pieces and, to this day, is an event that I take great pride in even if now it's just a sentence of my resume.

It was a baby step and I am still enjoying those little successes whenever they occur.

Bucket List

Bah, I hate it when I do not have time to write.  After a long weekend of "tonight's gonna' be a good night" Black Eyed Peas style, I settled down with the boyfriend on Monday to experience Chicago culture and recharge the brain cells.  We strayed from the long line at the aquarium and visited the Field Museum.  Mummies, diamonds and ducks.  Oh my!  I was able to cross Chicago Field Museum off my "Chicago Bucket List."

I'm a strong believer in bucket lists, not the "before I die" kind, as I appreciate creating tasks and fulfilling goals for oneself.  Mine are at least feasible.  I've called a few interesting cities home with plenty to keep me busy.  Branson, Mo. in junior high for a couple years (where the old go to die), St. Louis for college, Rome for studying abroad, and now the third largest city in the U.S.  I created so called "bucket lists" for each of these moves, largely influenced by my dad's career in hotels and the ability to travel at a whim.  My fulfillment of each list is varied. I dominated Rome's (one real chance) and so-so for the Lou.

At the moment my Chicago list is in its primary stage, mostly because it's full of stupid tourist things.  The "things" European tourists visit with their big cameras.  Or people from the suburbs whom ride the Metra into the city for the weekend and pretend they're from Chicago; I hate those assholes.

My first order of business in Chicago was to find a career focused position [note I did not say job] in a building that is part of the Chicago skyline.  Call me vain but the idea of working in downtown Chicago was fun for an 21-year-old college graduate AND I accomplished this.  Check, please see my twitter background for reference.  The money isn't outlandish but I am constantly learning with the potential to move up and rotate clients within the company, so I'm content for now.  Around the city, I've taken tourist pictures on the Navy Pier ferris wheel, rode along the river as part of the Wendella Boat Tours, and been a stupid goober in front of the Bean.  I even did a segway tour!

See self-deprecating photo below.

This is all amazing fun but I am looking for even higher expectations. I just have to find them first.  Until then, I'll keep you posted.

Assignment Detroit: A Special Time Inc. Project

Urban decay is present around the country, whether people want to discover it or care to is another story. For four years, I lived in the Midtown area of St. Louis, the 48th largest city in the U.S. In 1890, it was the fourth largest. Each morning I woke up to the Arch shining through my freshmen dorm window. Only miles to the north of SLU's beautiful oasis are the projects. When I volunteered there senior year small, black children gawked at us through the cracked open doorways of their homes. They stared for two main reasons: we were white and we weren't cops. White people don't typically come into those areas for good reasons. Below is an example of a once beautiful mansion in the same area. Now it's mostly recycled for scraps.



Because of my time in St. Louis, I took particular interest in Time Inc.'s newest project, "Assignment Detroit." The editors of Time magazine recently purchased a home in Detroit for a year long evaluation of city and its past and future role in American society. Journalists, photographers and bloggers will spend a year living in this home and emerging themselves in Detroit's history. They are hosting BBQs and inviting neighbors over for lawn parties. It's not just reporting, it's immersion. The introduction of why time is in Detroit is here and an amazing article.

People [lots of Chicagoans] that say "Detroit sucks!" are ignorant. Detroit's story is the most important milestone in America economic history's since the Industrial Revolution. (If this is already too far over your head then stop reading.)

Detroit is still the world's automotive center. Detroit as a whole cannot fail. Detroit is at the forefront of health care and poverty issues, to name a few facing national policy. For all of these reasons, I will follow this story as it unfolds and look into all the possiblities presented to me. And whoever else wants to discover the story.

"While we do not intend to be cheerleaders or apologists, we do have a point of view: we want Detroit to recover and find its way into the future."

United Arts Theater Built in 1928, vacant since the 1970s)

Selling homes in Suburbia

While playing around with twitter I saw a post from my SLU alumni group: A house is following us here in Twitterland. This is strange. http://twitter.com/124Roxbury


Also intrigued, and a little bored, I followed the link. The twitter is actually run by a real estate group looking to sell the $165k 2BR/2.5 BA in suburban St. Louis. The four-year-old home recently dipped in price (thanks market!) and the twitter updates those interested on open houses, new offers and contact information. 124 Roxbury even has its own blogspot


I found this concept captivating as a move from traditional real estate marketing. Passive buyers are not actively seeking company websites or driving through neighborhoods looking for homes. So far there are over 1,700 followers so I look forward to seeing how this new marketing tools helps...if it helps.


My favorite tweet from today: Q:"How'd you hear about your house?" A:"a little birdy told me" Wouldn't that be a great story? Come and see the house... make an offer.

Slacking! More baseball.

Oh no, slacking! I went to Florida April 4th - 12th with Casey and the family and have been really busy ever since trying to get my life back in order. PLUS, one of my best friends since childhood got married this past weekend so life has been fun. I'll post some pics up here I'm sure. Mostly I just wanted to share this link that Casey sent me today and is even now appearing in my friend Steph's "Between the Lines" baseball blog. Check out her blog here! She updates it almost daily and gives a very journalistic, fresh and unbiased account of baseball for what it really is. Refreshing! So you know, check it out.

This story goes along the one I wrote last month about my Cardinals and the Cubbies rivalry. I love it, it makes me smile and gives me goosebumps. Unfortunately I had to work last week for Thursday and Friday's games (make up those vacation days!) and then the game Sunday was rained out :( But fortunately, rescheduled for a day/night double header on July 12th which is the day before the All-Star break. AMAZING!

Read this article, do it now!

Here is an excerpt from the introduction. "Take the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals. All that stands between these two adversaries -- who will renew their rivalry April 24 at Busch Stadium -- is a mere 297 miles of rich, Midwestern soil. With each team intent on owning that land, this rivalry is really a turf war."

Driving directions, according to Google maps, are actually 302 miles from stadium to stadium. 1020 W. Addison Chicago, IL 63102 & 700 Clark St. St. Louis, MO 63102.
Yes Cubs fans - we too have a Clark street.

For fun I am breaking this down. My childhood home is 203 miles, 3 hours and 28 minutes, south on Interstate 55 from Wrigley Field. Exit 100, fyi. From there, continue one hour, 45 minutes and 103 miles farther South to Memorial Drive. in St. Louis. From there...

Welcome home, Cardinals fans!

Cards and Cubs, the I-55 Series

"The Red Sox and Yankees is a tabloid-filled soap opera about money and ego and sound bites. But the Cubs and Cardinals are about... geography and territorial rights." - Buzz Bissinger, Three Nights in August

To start, I am from Springfield, Illinois and extremely proud of it. Land of Lincoln. The kick off point of Barack Obama's presidential campaign Booyah. I find it impossible to believe that anyone outside of this area can appreciate this post for all its worth. This is about the I-55 series or, if you're still reveling in the pre-Eisenhower era, Route 66. However, keep reading because I do not have many followers.

Two words and two worlds: Cardinals, Cubs. Central Illinois is the Berlin Wall of baseball rivalries. I chose West Germany.

Sure, Chicago will blabber on about Sox and Cubs, Southside Northside, whatever I get it and I don't really care. Your fate was primarily decided on your neighborhood, central Illinois isn't like that. We are conservative and liberal, Christian and Lutheran, right-brain and left-brain. Gray area. Boggles your mind. Above all - there is a choice and it is guaranteed you will choose against someone you love very dearly.

Beginning at childhood your world is turned upside down and the manipulation begins by adults pursuing you to sway towards the bright light.

Concerned adult: "Who do you like better, the Cardinals or the Cubs?"
Ignorant child: "I like both?"
Now exasperated adult: "YOU CAN'T LIKE BOTH."

I chose Cardinals. Well Dad chose Cardinals and what four-year-old chooses against Dad? Especially when this Dad had a mustache. I absolutely watched the Cubs' afternoon games with my Grandma and swayed to Harry Caray's drunken rendition of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." Some of the best memories of my life. For me though, trips to St. Louis took a day and we frequented the Arch City often. Score one for the Cards. The tradition of losing by an unsaid team probably helped solidify this lasting allegiance. Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa in '96. Enough said.

This excerpt is from George Will at a commencement address at Washington University in St. Louis - down the street from my own alma mater at SLU. If you don't know who George Will is, and I will carefully let it slide if you don't, he is a Pulitzer prize winning journalist with a history at both the Washington Post and Newsweek. He was also referenced in "The Jimmy" episode of Seinfeld but that's either here, nor there.

"I grew up in Champaign, Illinois, midway between Chicago and St. Louis. At an age too tender for life-shaping decisions, I made one. While all my friends were becoming Cardinals fans, I became a Cub fan. My friends, happily rooting for Stan Musial, Red Schoendienst, and other great Redbirds, grew up cheerfully convinced that the world is a benign place, so of course, they became liberals. Rooting for the Cubs in the late 1940s and early 1950s, I became gloomy, pessimistic, morose, dyspeptic and conservative. It helped out of course that the Cubs last won the World Series in 1908, which is two years before Mark Twain and Tolstoy died. But that means, class of 1998, that the Cubs are in the 89th year of their rebuilding effort, and remember, any team can have a bad moment."

Amen sir.