Do you remember how they used to have intermissions when you went to the movies?
Yeh, me neither. But, I’m told they did.
What a brilliant idea!
And, what a wonderful way to spend an intermission – head out to the lobby for something popcorn-y or chocolate-y or chewy or sweet.
Why can’t I get daily intermissions like that?
Don’t we all need a break in our day? Don’t we all need to head out to the lobby for a treat?
Here’s where sports excel. Extremely civilized break time.
Baseball’s Seventh-Inning Stretch … sure, a bit paltry. But, a nice idea. Love “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” (almost as much as I love the “Let’s All Go To The Lobby” jingle).
But … here’s a random aside, as long as we’re talking baseball.
I may bleed Orange & Black for the Orioles, but I can’t think of a more miserable way of spending my seventh-inning stretch – my delicious break time – then standing around while they play “Thank God I’m a Country Boy”. (I am, for the record, neither “country” nor “boy”, so I’m not sure why they insist I sing it at every game.)
And, while we’re on the topic of baseball’s seventh-inning stretch, rumor is that the Yankees include a long, ponderous version of “God Bless America” during their stretch just to make the opposing pitcher sit and wait a little longer. I’d like this a lot better if the Orioles had thought of it first.
Anyway, I hope your team has a better stretch time (and I invite you to tell me all about it in the comments).
Half-time at basketball and football games are ok, but still a bit chintzy.
Hockey does all right. Two luxuriously generous breaks between periods, and nothing to do but watch the Zamboni slide around, suck up the blood, and smooth up the ice. Very Zen.
So, anyway, I wrote up my to-do list for this past weekend. The stupid thing was three pages long. THREE pages (double-spaced, but still!). That list didn’t even mention Christmas and all the additional things that are expected of one during this “peaceful” season. So, not only did I not decorate, or write cards, or wish anyone “Merry Christmas” … I didn’t even have time to put those tasks on my list.
Needless to say, I got very little on the list accomplished. So, I’m far behind, tired, and yes, a little annoyed by doing too much and achieving too little.
And, that’s what brings me back to the need for daily intermissions.
Yoga is great in that respect. We sit and breathe. Think of it like sitting and watching the Zamboni slide around (but without any hockey bloodshed).
Sit. Breathe.
That’s it.
That’s the daily intermission. One minute. Two minutes. Five minutes. Whatever you got.
Breath goes in. Breath goes out.
You can try it now. It’s pretty easy.
Or, you can take the next 39 seconds and watch this video and one of the greatest songs of all time … and, yeh, go get yourself a treat. You deserve it.
Oh, and by the way, writing something for you WAS on my “to-do” list this weekend. I’m a day late, but I’m checking it off the list anyway.
Breath goes in. Breath goes out. Breath goes in. Breath goes out.
The Baseball Bloggess 
Too true; you made me smile and think about the big box of nonpareils once upon a time….
Lynne
My Dodgers don’t sing something else…they just sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” twice, which is the best! I think they want to start doing another song after that but they usually cut it off or else they haven’t decided…I think just the song alone will suffice instead of all the extra songs. I’m surprised they don’t do the John Denver song here in Colorado…
There’s a Single A team in Frederick, Maryland — the Frederick Keys. During the 7th Inning Stretch you jingle your car/house keys while you sing a song. That works for me. I’m so untraditional about most things, but when it comes to baseball, I find tradition comforting. Singing “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” twice is brilliant. Plus, you have Vin Scully, who always makes me smile.
There’s a long tradition of playing “Thank God I’m A Country Boy” in Baltimore, but it just seems a bit stale. But, maybe it’s because I don’t never liked the song. Maybe “The Baseball Project” could just come and play at 7th Inning Stretches at parks all across the country … so much for tradition, but what a wonderful thing!