G'day!
The past little while has seen excursions to the beach, visits to downtown Melbourne, and much time spent around the baseball field. I have also had a chance to catch up with some great people involved with a Christian church in Melbourne. I cannot be thankful enough to meet up with Christians in the land of down under. It was something that I hoping to find and thanks to a good friend from the states - Matt Hamaker - I have been able to do this. Matt was a good friend from Virginia Wesleyan who studied abroad in Melbourne for the past few months before leaving days just before I arrived on December 30th. Thanks Matt for steering me in the right direction!
The beaches down here really are amazing. I went to Torquay Beach with a friend from the team and saw some amazing sights. The formation of the rocks on the beach is unlike anything I have ever seen in the states...something completely new and unusual. I had a chance to witness a huge brawl on the beach (out of control!) and ate some fish and chips on the way back. Chips are not what we think they are in the states as "chips" are the name for french fries here instead of "potato chips". Weird, I know.
The team has hooked me up with a sweet set of wheels out here. It's crazy how things have worked out that I am here in Australia and now have the car that I have always dreamed of getting. As many of you know, the Lexus Rx330 was the car I had always wanted. Guess what car the team has given me to drive out here? Lexus Rx330!
As for baseball, I think that I have finally found my sinker again. I was really getting worried that I had forgotten to bring it over from America but it seems after throwing it a bunch, I have rediscovered it. It's my bread and butter pitch that I can rely on in all situations and not having it was a little frightening. Good news is that it's beginning to be seen again, which is a good indicator of the direction I am heading in. I'm throwing live tommorow and look to be scheduled to start the opener of the second half this Sunday against Newport.
I've been really determined lately of making sure that this is the year that I get picked up by an affiliated team. I find myself thinking about it all the time - even to the point where I have trouble sleeping at night. I want it more than anything in the world and am going to do everything and more to better my chances of it happening. Baseball doesn't make me, it just defines the type of person I am.
Good night everyone. As I finish up this post, I findmyself going to bed listening to the tune, "God Bless the USA" by Lee Greenwood. Being in Australia so far has taught me alot about being native to your roots and although I love it here, I am an American. It really is the land of the free and I'm really missing everyone back at home.
I've never been more proud to be an American.
