They forgot “baseball” on this T-shirt, but then it wouldn’t be a triathlon, now, would it?

Anyhoo, tomorrow, we are headed up to Maine for a weekend of Portland Sea Dogs baseball.  They will be playing the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.  As far as I know, no Red Sox players are rehabbing there this weekend, but who knows?

The weather is supposed to be gorgeous, and I’m really looking forward to this trip.  I went on a trip like this back in May, but it was solo…this time mike will be with me, and that will make it more fun.  He is scheduled to finally return to work from his disability leave next week, so this is one last blast before back to the grindstone.
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On another topic…are we the only ones who have seen the FOX commercials for the All-Star Game, and noticed that they contained NO Red Sox players that we noticed? The ads have the big St. Louis World’s Fair arch thingy as a giant magnet, picking up players and fans from all over the country and dropping them off at Busch Stadium (or whatever it’s called these days). But no matter how many times we’ve seen it, we’ve yet to see a single Red Sox All-Star. This makes no sense, because the Sox have six players going, more than any other team! Does national Fox Sports really hate the Sox that much? They must, because when they broadcast any Sox games, they almost always foist Tim McCarver on us.

I hope I’m wrong, and they did another version of the ad that did have Red Sox guys in it.  But we’ve yet to see it.
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Anyhoo, pic and updates from the weekend will be on Twitter! Have a good one!

Directions and Parking -  Pretty much all you need to know is on this page from the Sea Dogs website.  Don’t try to avoid paying for parking by parking on the street…you WILL get towed.  Valley Street used to be a common place to park for games, but now, this is no longer allowed.

Also, DO NOT park in the Inn at St. John parking lot, unless you happen to be staying at the hotel.  As a frequent guest at this hotel, I can tell you that they make each guest provide the license plate numbers of their cars upon check in.  I can also tell you that they have a closed circuit TV at the front desk, which points out to the parking lot.  They DO go out and check license plates against the guest list, especially on game days.  If they see any unauthorized, non-guest-owned vehicles on the property, they WILL have them towed.

Several area businesses offer inexpensive parking, including Lang’s Express, the Chinese place next to the Inn at St. John.  The fee is five dollars.  An employee will be out there collecting money and giving tickets to stick in the windshield so they know you paid.  Just don’t park along the back wall of Lang’s parking lot, those spaces are being rented by the Inn at St. John as overflow parking for hotel guests.

Hopefully, our trip up there this weekend will still be on, and if so, we will be staying at the Inn at St. John.  If we show up and find that we can’t get a space in their lot due to game-goers illegally parking there, before hotel management had the chance to have them towed, I shall rip the spoiler off the back of my car and beat the offending parties with it.

At the Ballpark – Hadlock Field has NO roof.  So, before you head out, make sure you have some sort of protective sun gear, such as hats and/or sunscreen.  I don’t know if they sell sunscreen at the ballpark, as I’ve never looked for it.  So be safe and bring your own, it is probably cheaper, anyway.

Hadlock Field has a variety of concessions, and the Sea Dogs have provided a handy-dandy map, which you can find right HERE.  This is a .pdf file, you’ll need Adobe Reader in order to see it.  All concessions are located under the seating area, as you’ll see as you enter the ballpark.

That map may be a little outdated.  The microbrew stand is now located in the Portland Room, along the first base line.  The grill stand is still outside, just follow the BBQ smell and smoke, you can’t miss it.  However, there is now a Shipyard “beer & brats” grill stand at the other end of the concourse, down the third base line.  I think it has Italian sausages, too, not sure about burgers and such.  We sualy sit on the first base side, closer to the microbrews and regular grill stand.  I’ve also noticed that they no longer have Sam Adams beer, despite the map saying so.

A word about seating.  Not all seating at Hadlock is reserved.  The blue seats with backs, the green seats, and the seats in the U.S. Cellular Pavilion are reserved.  The blue benches at the top of the seating area, as well as the bleachers in left field are General Admission.

I cannot emphasize this enough – GENERAL ADMISSION DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU CAN SIT IN ANY SEAT IN THE ENTIRE BALLPARK.  ONLY IN THE AREAS THAT ARE DESIGNATED AS GENERAL ADMISSION ARE YOU ALLOWED TO SIT IF YOU HOLD GA TICKETS.

If you want reserved seats, you have to pay more for them.  They are better seats, that is why they cost more.  And they also sell out first, so if you can’t get any for this weekend, too bad.  We got kickassed seats for the weekend because we bought them back in November 2008, when they first went on sale for the 2009 season.

So don’t let me catch you and your cheap seat tickets in our seats.  We WILL kick you out of them, we’ve done it enough times before.  And no, we will NOT swap seats with you so you can be on the aisle.  We have medical needs for aisle seats, and as such, we plan ahead to be sure we get them.  Got it?

Dining In Portland -  Here is a list of restaurants I have personally been to and enjoyed.

• Dogfish Cafe – This is near the ballpark.  Best to get there early before a night game, as it gets mobbed later.
• Margarita’s – Chain Mexican place that is pretty good.  Check the website, the St. John Street location is an easy walk to and from the ballpark.
• Gritty McDuff’s Brew Pub – Three locations, the best one is the location in the Old Port.  An easy bus ride, cab ride or drive from Hadlock.  Just be warned if you drive, parking can be pricey and hard to find during tourist season.  Features their own craft-brewed beers and yummie pub-grub.
• Sebago Brewing Company – Another place that features its own microbrews, but it’s a bit more upscale than Gritty’s.  Old Port location is on Middle Street.
• Fore Street – If you have an evening free during yor trip, perhaps after a day game, and are willing to spend some cash, consider Fore Street.  Sadly, we won’t be able to go this time, since we have two night games, and have to go home after the Sunday day game…but maybe next time.  This place features locally grown, organic foods whenever possible, and the menu changes daily, depending what looks good that day.  I must warn you that this restaurant is NOT child-friendly, they have no kids menu, so you may want to skip it if you are in town with the kids in tow.  It is pricier than other restuarants in towm, but oh, is it ever worth it!

Other Things To Do – If you’re going to night games, and you have the whole day free, just go to the Old Port and walk around.  There are lighthouse cruises, a tourist trolley, shopping, and much more.  The best thing I can suggest is to walk into any establishment and pick up a FREE tourist map.  Your hotel probably has these in the lobby, as well.

Lodgings – For Sea Dogs games, the best place to stay is the aforementioned Inn at St. John.  They actually do have a few rooms left for this weekend.  As a guest, you can leave your car in their parking lot all weekend, walk to the ballpark, and take the bus or cabs into the downtown/Old Port areas.  This is the only place we will stay when we are there.

Transportation – Before you leave home, visit the Greater Portland Metro website and print out the schedules.  I’ve found it hard to find them on the actual buses.  Having them on hand in advance will save you a lot of aggravation.  The buses are clean, the drivers are usually courteous, and not too many skeevy people around.  Fares are $1.25 for adults.

The only bad thing about the buses is that they stop kind of early, so if you stay out past 7-8PM, you will need to take a cab back to your hotel.  Here are two cab companies that I’ve used and can recommend.  The drivers are courteous and they don’t try to rip you off.

• ABC Taxi – (207) 772-8685
• ASAP Taxi – (207) 791-2727

Write these numbers down before you go, and tuck them into your wallet along with the bus schedules.

Well, that’s it for the moment!  If you have any further questions, please leave a comment and I will get back to you ASAP.  Hope to see you in Portland this weekend!

The Fisher Cats certainly have a lot on tap for the holiday weekend.  There are still some tickets left for the July 4 game vs. the Portland Sea Dogs, so if you want to go, get over to nhfishercats.com and order before they sell out.  For your convenience, the site lets you print your tickets at home, so you don’t have to stand in long lines at the Will Call window.  Game time is at 7:05 PM.

In addition to the Atlas Fireworks show after the game, there will also be a hot dog eating contest before the game.  Honestly, I’m sorta glad we were unable to find suitable aisle seats for this one, because I kinda get gagged out by the sight of competitive eating contests.  The sight of seeing anyone rapidly shoving food into their mouth is just gross to me.  But many people do enjoy it, so if you do, and have tickets for this game, enjoy!

But a 4th of July tradition that I do enjoy is when the Fisher Cats suit up, this one day of the year, as the New Hampshire Primaries.  As you may know, when the team formerly known as the New Haven Ravens was bought and to be moved to ManchVegas, it was originally to be called the New Hampshire Primaries.  The logo was to be an elephant and a donkey…here it is…

However, a lot of people (myself included) thought it was a dumb name, so they put it up for a vote to the people of New Hampshire.  Since I live in Massachusetts, I was not eligible to vote.  But the name “Fisher Cats” won, and the rest is history.

But the fact that I thought that the original name was a dumb one didn’t stop me from buying logo T-shirts for Mike and me, that were left over from when they really planned to name the team the “Primaries”.  We wore them when we did get to go to games when the ‘Cats became the Primaries for the night.
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Since we have the Sunday Funday mini-plan, we already have tickets for Sunday’s game, which will also have an Atlas Fireworks spectacular afterwards.  So we’ll be seeing a live fireworks show a day late…but so what?  Also, no competitive eating contests, but we’ll be treated to something much better.

At 2:45 PM, prior to the regularly scheduled Fisher Cats/Sea Dogs game, college ballplayers take the field, as Team USA takes on the New England Collegiate Baseball League All-Stars.  We’ve been to a few NECBL games (Sanford Mainers, North Shore Navigators), and these kids really are the cream of the crop from their schools.  It’s excellent quality baseball, so if you have tickets to the Sunday Fisher Cats game, come on out a few hours early to see these guys play!

After that game, the Fisher Cats/Sea Dogs game will start at around 6:35 PM, that is, provided that the college game doesn’t go into extra innings or something.  But hey, it’s gonna be a gorgeous day out, and what better way to spend it than at a beautiful ballpark?

Yeah, I know that there are all sorts of 4th of July sales at the stores, where everything from area rugs to appliances to cars are being offered for great prices.  But I’ll be skipping the malls on Sunday and hitting MerchantsAuto.com Stadium for a day filled with sunshine and baseball!

As for Saturday, the Sox come on at 1PM, as a night game would interfere too much with the Esplanade fireworks letting out.  So, since we don’t have cable, we’ll probably go to our local TGI Friday’s to watch that game, as I have an $8.00 off coupon that will expire soon if I don’t use it.  And then we’ll go home and watch the Pops show and the fireworks thingy on TV.  So we’ll be all rested up for the big day in New Hampshire on Sunday!

However you choose to celebrate the 4th, make it safe and sane!

After the big rainout that I talked about in my last post, we did go back to MerchantsAuto.com Stadium on Monday night.  The Sunday night game that had be suspended due to rain was scheduled to be made up on Monday, as part of a single admission double-header, to begin at 5:35 PM.  I had traded in the tickets for Monday’s game, and we drove up there after my doctor’s appointment.  We knew that by the time we got there, it would be past 3:35 PM, and that the Same Adams Bar & Grill would be open, it opens about an hour before the rest of the Fisher Cats ballpark does.

Also, they were giving out Johnny Pesky bobbleheads, and I wanted.  Another reason to get there as early as possible!

The weather at the time was gorgeous…would we finally get a break from all of the rain?

The Sunday night game was suspended after only one inning was played, so they picked it up in the second.  They managed to get almost the whole game in, before the skies opned up, never to close again.  The thunder and lightening made more noise than a sportscar with souped-up Ferrari parts.   But it was an official game by this time, and the Portland Sea Dogs won it.

So the second game has now been postponed until sometime in August.  I can still exchange my tickets, but I may or may not bother.  The way I see it, we saw almost one whole game, which is what we originally paid for, AND we got the bobbleheads.
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I wanted to spend a little time talking more about the Sam Adams Bar & Grill.  This first opened last year, to great success.  The ala carte menu includes burgers, sandwiches, salads, New England clam chowder, chili, and a few appetizers.

This year, they have introduced something new…an All You Can Eat Buffet (this is a .pdf file).  It’s different for each day of the week,   Neitther of us had tried it until Sunday…Mike took one look at the Carving Station (which they have every Sunday), and he wanted it.

Prices vary depsning on the buffet…the Carving Station is the most expensive one at $16 per person.  I wasn’t hungry enough to justify it, but Mike got it, and had several helpings.  They had roast beef, roast turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, and veggies.  Mike enjoyed it a lot, and says he would get this again.  Since we go to most of our Fisher Cats games on Sundays, it’ll be the Carving Station next time.

The buffet opens two hours before game time and closes half an hours after the game starts.  I mean, they can’t afford to have people grazing at the thing all day!  2 1/2 hours is more than enough time to fill up, and then walk out to your seats to watch the game.

$16 is probably less than what Mike would spend on his usual trips to the food concessions in the ballpark (not including beer).  So this is indeed an excellent value.  He was so full from the buffet that he didn’t get hungry again for many. many hours.

You can either order tickets for the buffet online, at the same time you’re ordering game tickets.  However, if you are undecided, fear not, you can decide when you get there, and they’ll sell you a special bracelet to identify you as someone who paid for the buffet.

Maybe I will give the Carving Station a try at our next game, that’s this coming Sunday.  Let’s just hope the weather will be nice, as advertised!

The tarp on the field is NOT something I like to see.  But at Sunday night’s Fisher Cats game, we saw said tarp, as shown above.  They played exactly one inning before the tarp went down, for a rain delay.

I was confused at first, I thought that they were calling the game.  But when I got up to take a leak, I saw that they were still selling food and beer,  I had heard that we could exchange the tickets for a future game.

After I took my leak, which I’d been holding in and was more powerful than the best Delta fauctes, I went to find out what was going on.  I went to the souvenir store, where they also sold tickets, and asked the guy there what was the deal.  He said that they were trying to get the game in, but no matter what happened, fans could exchange their tickets for any future game this season.

So I handed him our tickets and got seats for Monday night’s game.  Which will be a doubleheader starting at 5:30 PM, because the Sunday game never did get played.

I have a doctor’s appointment in Burlington, MA at 1PM.  But after that, we’ll be heading straight to Manchester, to beat the traffic, get a good parking space, and most important of all, score one of the Johnny Pesky bobbleheads that will be given away that night.  That will more than make up for not getting the stadium replica thingy on Friday.

Even if Monday gets rained out, as long as I get my hot little hands on a Johnny Pesky bobblehead, all is well with the world!

Obviously, I did not croak from a heart attack or anything else, because I am here to tell the tale.  But I was annoyed because I was made to stay in the hospital for almost too long…mostly because this other dickwad hospital I was in refused to fax over my records of previous cardiac tests, which were due to my thinking I was having a heart attack then.  Yah, this has been going on for a while.  I was on meds, but had to stop taking them due to having lousy insurance and all.  Plus, they did go away for a time, anyway.

The AM ER doc said that if only the other place had faxed over my old records, a cardiac stress test would not have been needed.  But they didn’t, so I had to stay overnight and have the thing done the next day.

Only they were going to let me rot there in that little cube in the ER until at least 3:45PM!  We had tickets to the Fisher Cats game that night (Friday), and I was determined to be there.  The previous ER  doctor had told me that the stress test wasn’t needed, that everything else looked fine, and I’d be getting out in the AM.

In the AM, a nurse came in and told me about the 3:45 PM stress test.  I was royally pissed, because I needed to get out sooner than that for the game, and that I felt that I was lied to by that doctor.  And why make me sit in that crummy cube in the ER all night and day, when it was needed for other patients?  Why not give me the test ASAP, and as long as they found nothing wrong, get me out of the place ASAP?

I swear, office furniture is more comfy than hospital beds.  My back hurts now due to that horrible bed, and this is still going on after sleeping in my own bed last night.

Anyway, I begged the nurse to PLEASE, if at all possible, schedule the stress test for sooner, so we could still go to the game.  I told her how much this meant to me, that the docs already said that my problem was panic  attacks and not cardiac related, that they wanted to do the stress test to just be sure.  I said that going to baseball games was good for my health, that I never have panic attacks at the games, so could she please help me if at all possible.

They came through, but only because there was a cancellation.  Turned out I passed the test with flying colors…good to know.  Nothing wrong with the old ticker.  But it was still a scary feeling when The Panic Attack From Hell was happening.  The whole thing actually subsided shortly after we got to the hospital.

Even so, by the time someone came around with my discharge papers, it was past 4PM.  Still better than a test that would start at 3:45 PM!

Mike was there, and as soon as I signed the papers, we were out of there.  I was in serious need of a shower (I was too sick on Thursday to take one).  Also, I needed to change my clothes into proper Fisher Cats gear.  When we got home, I was showered, changed, hair done and made up in 35 minutes…a record for me.  We were out the door by 5:35PM.

I knew that by this point, we had a snowball’s chance in hell of getting the stadium replica thingies they were giving away.  The traffic on I-93 North was hellish.  And when we did get there, parking was difficult to find.  We finally did find a spot, which was a bit of a hike from the ballpark, but it was worth it.

But dammit, I made it to the game, just hours after being released from the hospital!  If this isn’t true fan-dom, what is?

Directions – Rather than type them all out, I refer you to this page from the Fisher Cats’ website.

Parking – Once again, this page has most of the info that you need to know.  When they say GET HERE EARLY, they are not kidding, especially for weeknight games, or when there’s something going on at the Verizon Wireless Arena.  It would be a very good idea to click on that link BEFORE you leave home, so you can see if there is anything going on there, so you can plan accordingly.

The best and least expensive parking option is to park on North Commercial Street, away from the ballpark.  This is good for weekend games only, more on this in a bit.  The spaces on South Commercial street that are closer to the ballpark fill up early, mostly with the cars of ballpark staff.  It may seem a bit of a hike, but the good news is that the Fisher Cats, along with Auto City, offer a free shuttle bus from the parking out on North Commercial Street.

Granite Street (where the traffic lights are) is the dividing line between North and South Commercial Streets.

Another important thing you need to know, if you opt to park on the street, is that the City of Manchester is now charging for event parking, even on weekends, when parking on the street used to be free.

Here is some information about municipal (including street parking) for events such as Fisher Cats games.  As you can see, street parking is metered hourly until 8PM, which could be a problem for going to a Friday night game.  For weeknight games, I suggest seeking alternate parking in a lot or a garage, even if it costs more.  Remember, being towed is ALWAYS much more expensive!  For weeknight games, we just go for one of the several $10 lots on South Commercial Street, that are an easy walk to the ballpark.  But space is limited, so remember…GET THERE EARLY!

Metered parking on weekends is different.  This used to be free, but now the City of Manchester is charging $1.00 to park on North Commercial Street and surrounding side streets during Fisher Cats games and events at the Verizon Wireless Arena.  Not bad, but you should know ahead of time that these meters take only coins, or credit/debit cards.  No dollar bills.  I think it’s stupid to put a buck on a credit/debit card, so I make sure to always carry some quarters when I’m planning to park in that area.

For this weekend event parking, you put your money in the meter and it spits out a receipt.  You place the receipt under your front windshield, where it can easily be seen by passing cop cars.  Failure to do this will result in your being towed.

At the Ballpark – Now that we have parking out of the way…MerchantsAuto.com Stadium opens their seating area one hour before game time.  HOWEVER, if you took the advice and GOT THERE EARLY, you can get into the Sam Adams Bar & Grill up to two hours before game time.  This is a great place to have a beer and watch some batting practice, as it offers a great view of the field.  If your are hungry, you can take advantage of their All-You-Can-Eat buffets, there’s a different one each day of the week.  Tickets to the buffet can be purchased in advance, or you can buy a bracelet that entitles you to pig out right there at the restaurant.

Don’t want the buffet?  There are also ala carte menu items at the Sam Adams Bar & Grill, such as burgers, hot dogs, New England clam chowder, and more.

Click the Sam Adams Bar & Grill link for more info about the buffet and other menu items.  NOTE:  You must have a game ticket to be admitted into the restaurant.  All tickets are welcome, even the cheap seats!

Lodgings in Manchester – If you are coming for this whole upcoming weekend series, you probably have a hotel or motel room by now.  The only place in town where I have ever stayed is the Hilton Garden Inn that is right next to the ballpark, but I’d bet the rent that it is fully booked by this time.  You might luck out of someone cancels at the last minute, though.  I can recommend this place not only because it is close to the ballpark, but it’s also a very nice hotel for a reasonble price.

If you’re late to the game and are still looking for lodgings, your best bet is to check out TripAdvisor.com.  You can see what hotels are available, check for any special deals, and book right from there.  Most importantly, you can also read reviews from real people about these places, so you can avoid the ones that suck.

Dining – You will no doubt do most of your eating at the ballpark, be it in your seats of at the Sam Adams Bar & Grill.  But I can suggest a few places in town to go, perhaps for a pre or post-game meal.  NOTE:  This list is limited to places in which I have personally eaten.

• The Wild Rover Pub – A traditional Irish pub type place, and the menu reflects that.  Pub grub includes fish & chips and bangers & mash.  That’s what we had the last time we were in there…I had fish & chips, Mike had the bangers & mash.  Both are excellent, as are the other menu items we’ve tried.  Also, lotsa great beers on tap!  We absolutely love this place.  All ages welcome, but if you are bringing the kiddies, sit on the dining room side.  There has been known to be much swearing and cussing over on the bar side (where we like to hang out).  Visit the Wild Rover Pub’s website for location and more info.  On the weekends, you can park free in the big garage across the street from the place.
• JD’s Tavern -  This is in the Radisson Hotel.  Good food, large portions, although sometimes the service is a bit slow.  Check out the Manchester Radisson’s web page for location and more info.  Easy walk if you are parked on North Commercial Street and got back to your car on the shuttle.  If you are in any of the lots, sorry, you have to move.  But you can then park on the street nearby and walk, once the game is over.
• The Patio – This is the restaurant in the aforementioned Hilton Garden Inn, that faces the ballpark.  You do not have to be a hotel guest to eat there.  They feature an outdoor bar with several good beers on tap.  The food is pretty good, too.  Visit their website for more info.
• Margarita’s – Mexican restaurant on Elm Street, not too far from the ballpark.  It’s good and it’s cheap.  Parking is on-street only, but on weekends you can park in the garage across the street from the Wild Rover, and walk from there.  Visit their website and click on LOCATIONS tofind the address, and for more info.

Other stuff to do while you’re here for the weekend – You mean there is life in Manchester beyond the Fisher Cats?  LOL!  Anyhoo, if you are looking for stuff to do in town when baseball is not being played, the City of Manchester is happy to help.

I hope you enjoy your visit to *ManchVegas*, and have fun at the Fisher Cats’ beautiful ballpark!  If you have any questions, please leave a comment and I will answer it here.

BTW, the Fisher Cats will be visiting Portland in a few weeks to play the Sea Dogs at their ballpark, Hadlock Field.  So check back then for a similar guide to Portland!

Are you in the Manchester, NH area?  Would you like to take your family or friends out to see the future Red Sox play?  And are you looking for a way to save a few bucks?

Well, do I have a deal for you!  The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (class AA Toronto Blue Jays) will be hosting the Portland Sea Dogs (class AA Boston Red Sox) for a four-game series this weekend.  We’ll be there on Friday and Sunday nights.

This special limited time offer is available for the game on Monday, June 29.  From noon tomorrow, Tuesday, June 23, until noon on Wednesday, June 24, you can purchase three tickets to this game, and get a fourth one free.

From the Fisher Cats’ website:

Don’t miss out on this 24-hour ticket special that runs from noon on Tuesday, June 23, until noon on Wednesday, June 24. Click HERE and enter the promo code “buy3get1″.

Jonathan Papelbon, Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia all played in Manchester on their way to Fenway. Catch the Red Sox of tomorrow in New Hampshire today with this special Buy 3, Get 1 Free 24-hour Ticket Special for the 7:05pm game on Monday, June 29th.

The first 2,000 fans through the gates that night will get a Johnny Pesky Bobblehead, courtesy of Northeast Delta Dental, and it’s the Fisher Cats Kickoff to Summer Luau.

Remember, there’s only 24 hours to take advantage of this special offer. Click HERE anytime beginning noon on Tuesday, June 23, through noon on Wednesday, June 24, and enter the promo code “buy3get1″.

I SO want one of those Johnny Pesky bobbleheads, but Mike might be returning to work that day, and therefore we wouldn’t be able to go.

If you have never been to a New Hampshire Fisher Cats game, you are in for a treat.  They hgave a great ballpark, and everyone always has fun there.  So, if you are so inclined, take advantage of this offer while you can!

The switchover from analog to digital TV took place on Friday, June 12, over a week ago.  Despite all of the heavy advertising about this, millions of people are still unprepared, and therefore are unable to watch TV.  But it is still not to late to remedy this situation.

I’ve blogged about this issue many times, on my various blogs.  Basically, I told people the true facts about the switch, and what is REALLY needed to be prepared.  People needed to do one of three things in order to keep getting a TV signal after June 12:

• Purchase a converter box, which will enable you to continue using your old analog TV after the switchover.  The government was giving our $40 coupons to be used towards the purchase of these.  They ran out of money for a time, but now I think they are offering them again.  Go to DTVAnswers.com for more info.
• Purchase a new TV with a digital tuner.  These used to be pricey, but I’m seeing that the prices are starting to come down.  And if you can find one on sale, all the better.
• Subscribe to cable or satellite TV.

Now, the cable companies will have you believe that THEIR way is the ONLY way, and will try to hide the fact that you can still get free, over-the-air TV without payng for their services.  Comcast is a prime example of this, I have been annoyed over their scare tactics to get people to get cable service that they can’t afford, making them think that if they don’t, they can never watch TV again.

I got a rather official looking mailing from them today, with a big red box on the envelope that says Urgent:  Regarding changes that occurred June 12.  It did not have the Comcast logo anywhere on the envelope, not even in the return address.  However, the return address simply read One Comcast Center, Philadelphia, PA  19103-2838.  Duh!  Not too hard to figure out who sent it!  Unless you are one of those stupid people who have been living under a rock for the past two years!

And this is exactly who Comcast is going after…the stupid.  Inside the envelope was their usual advertisement about free basic cable for a year if you sign up for their phone or internet service, or $10/month for a year if you don’t.  They are leading people to believe that this is the only way to watch TV again.  And yes, the prices go up after a year.

On the other side of the ad, at the bottom of the page, in VERY small print, it says that you can also be prepared by buying a converter box or digital TV and not subscribe to cable.  And it also discloses that there is an additional fee not only for the installation, but for taxes and other crap.  And if you cancel before the year is up, it says in microscopic print, you will be billed at a much higher rate for the time that you did keep the service on.

It pisses me off because they are going after people who are least likely to afford yet another endless monthly payment.  In these difficult economic times, it is NOT a good idea to sign on for ANY contract thingy if it is not 100% necessary.   What if you lose your job and can’t pay the bill?  Well, not only are you back to square one, as in NO TV signal, but you will also be penalized for breaking the contract…at a time when you can least afford it!

That is why I think it is better to either go with the converter box, or a new TV.  You may also need a new antenna, too.  These are all one-time purchases, or at least until they wear out and need to be replaced, but that will be many years from now.  In the meantime, no monthly payments!

If your old TV is dying, and you are in the market for a new one, this is an excellent time to go shopping for one.  I found a Samsung 24″ LCD HDTV (pictured above) for under $300.  It can also be used as a computer monitor.  It’s gotten some good rathings from users, and looks to be an excellent value.  If I were in the market for a new TV right now, I’d pick this one up from Buy.com…espcially since they also offer FREE SHIPPING!

Just about all free broadcast stations here in the Boston area are broadcasting in HD now, so forget about this nonsense that says you can only watch HDTV with cable or satellite.  If you don’t have cable now, but choose to get it in the future (when things are more stable financially for you), so you can watch the Sox on NESN, you’ll be all set to enjoy their HD broadcasts with this TV.

If you are watching over the air TV, though, be aware that another necessary, one-time purchase may be a DTV antenna.  The old rabbit ears just don’t work well with the new digital signals.  I have the Audiovox TERK TV5 Low-Profile Indoor Amplified Television Antenna, have had it since before all of this talk about analog-to-digital transitioning, and it works great.  It may not work for everyone, so you should check out AntennaWeb to help determine which model is best for your needs.  And then, be sure to come back to Buy.com to get it at a rock-bottom price, complete with FREE shipping!

Don’t get ripped off!  Consider all of your options, and decide what is best for you, and what you feel you can comfortably afford!

But I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks that perhaps the Sox paid too much for this guy?  I dunno, maybe he’ll make a comeback, but it’s still way too much money for a guy who just hasn’t produced this year.  Hell, even Big Papi has come out of his slump.
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We went to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats game today.  I was so sure that it would end up being called due to rain, but they played it through, all ten innings of it.  Maybe it might have been better is the big downpour came right after five innings, when the Fisher Cats were still winning, 4-0.  But no, they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, when the Erie SeaWolves tied it in the 9th, and then scored five more runs in the 10th.

Ugh.
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Also, this is for the bimbo sitting in front of us, in Section 107, row R, seat 2. Thanks for being a bimbo, putting your head on your husband’s shoulder, and letting your long hair almost dip into my beer, which was in the cup holder attached to the back of your seat. Luckily, I salvaged it just in time before your hair got into my $5.75 Sam Summer Ale.  But still…you see cup holders in front of you, you and your husband were using them.  So doesn’t it stand to reason that there are also cup holders BEHIND you?
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I also got a laugh over this very annoying woman, who was in our section as a part of a large family group, who went in search of a beer in the 8th inning.  As she left on her quest, I almost told her that beer sales ended after the middle of the 7th inning, but held my tongue.  She was loud and annoying, so I figured I’d get an inning or two of peace as she stopped at every concession stand in the ballpark in search of a non-existent beer.

I was right.  She came back and complained that no one would sell her a beer, anywhere in the entire ballpark.  I guess she was too dumb to go into the Sam Adams Bar & Grill, which sells beer through the entire game and beyond…the only thing is that you have to consume it in the restaurant, you can’t take it out.

But hey, an inning and a half of not hearing her loud mouth…priceless!
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Due to field conditions (it rained on and off all day), the Fisher Cats had to cancel the “kids run the bases” thing.  I need to check the team’s Facebook page and see if some dumb-assed parents wrote on their wall to complain about this, about how disappointed the kids were over not being able to run the bases.  Hell, some parents wrote whiny stuff on the wall of the Brockton Rox Facebook page when a game that their kids were supposed to go to got rained out, they acted as it the team was supposed to *do something* for these kids.  Yeah, as if these teams can control the weather!
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I do hope the weather improves this week, though. The Fisher Cats go on a brief road trip this week, returning on Friday for a four-game series vs. the Portland Sea Dogs.  We already have tickets for the Sunday game, via our season mini-plan.  But on Friday, they are giving away little replicas of MerchantsAuto.com Stadium, and I WANT!  I got us tickets, and we will be getting there wicked early.  We have to, on a weekday, because the traffic coming out of Boston on I-93 is pure hell.  We’ll get there early, hang out, go to the Sam Adams bar when it opens at 5PM, and then be among the first to get the freebies when the actual stadium opens at 6PM.

It shall be mine!