While never in her demographic, I can’ get Natasha Bedingfield’s ethereal lyrics out of my mind. I’m 120% sure it’s about this dang deep freeze we’ve been mired in and not the overall cheery mood.

Last week, I read and shared wonderful Washington Post story about tiki culture. While the article didn’t stress the importance of ambiance and decor, the spirit emphasized how customers were transported to another world, the tiki world. Whether properly appropriated or not and whether it is a fair representation of Polynesia is up for debate. At one time, greater Chicago was home to classic tiki bars and restaurants of varying quality and “authenticity” and having worked above the most famous, I have strong feelings on the subject.

Back to the tiring, arctic freeze we’re in the middle of, I’d love to get away for a week or two in someplace blissfully warm and sunny. However, my current work obligations prevent me from doing so. None of this prevents me from dreaming of such an escape and while I look forward to the summer and attending numerous baseball game, I’m focusing on spring training in Arizona and Florida.

That I haven’t been to a Cactus League game since March of 2021 doesn’t mean that I don’t have wonderful memories and find myself drifting back to those days often. Most of my friends and relatives that travel to Arizona and Florida focus on one team and while I’ve spent countless hours in Mesa and west Phoenix, I’ve also enjoyed watching two teams I don’t especially care for because I wallow in the overall experience. Editor’s note: this is why the blog is called, I’d rather be sitting in a ballpark.

When I dream, I’m somewhere (not freezing my arse off), I don’t think of a particular Cubs or Brewers game in the sun, but rather an afternoon spent at Peoria Sports Complex (home of the Padres and Mariners). Typically, cactus league ballparks don’t have romantic names and on the surface Peoria’s ballpark is relative nondescript. Yet the sun shines and brightly there as anywhere in the Valley. I don’t remember any of the specifics of the game save for Aaron Poreda pitching for the Sox and discussing the Sox chances in the upcoming season with a loud Sox fan. I remember explaining that I didn’t have high expectations for the Padres that year either. Editor’s note: I didn’t think much of the Cubs chances either. If I ask 100 different Sox fans to list 100 pitchers from the last 40 years, I don’t think anyone would cite Poreda-as he never pitched for the Sox in a regular season game despite being drafted in the 1st round of the 2007 draft.

At some point, I tuned the guy out and closed my scorecard and enjoyed the beautiful blue sky, murmur of the crowd, slight breeze, crack of the bat and memories of a tri-tip sandwich and a couple cold ones from earlier that day.

It doesn’t take a week of subzero temperatures to evoke thoughts of my happy place(s) in balmy Arizona, but it certainly helps. It’s a lot cheaper and less stressful than dealing with airports.