Eric rules!

Eric graduated from “sergeant school” (or whatever the official term for it is) today! Years ago, back in the academy, everyone had the privilege of getting maced – I think the idea is that once you know what it feels like, you’ll be less likely to go around macing people willy-nilly. And afterwards, I believe Eric said it felt worse than the time he broke his leg on a ski slope. But they step things up a notch for the sergeants – apparently sergeants are allowed to carry tasers. And since nobody wants any willy-nilly tasing out there on the streets of Chicago, someone thought it might be a good idea to taze the prospective sergeants. I think it was a volunteer thing this time, but Eric has never been one to shy away from a challenge. He now has a new appreciation for the “don’t taze me bro!” guy… I believe he said he’d rather dip himself into an entire TUB full of mace before ever being tased again…

But he survived, and now he is officially Sergeant Eric. Congratulations, Eric! I’m assuming you’ll be taking us out to dinner somewhere really nice next week to celebrate. That’ll be great. Thanks. (Love you, Eric!! :))

Mom and dad flew up to Chicago for the graduation ceremony, but Rick and I had already planned a trip up north for next week before we knew Eric’s schedule. We’re heading up to New York City on Sunday, which I’m very much looking forward to. It’ll be a little strange, though, to be staying at a hotel and not in the guest room at mom and dad’s house, or in the extra room over the garage with the computers and all of dad’s random “stuff.” This will be the first time I’ve ever been to the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area and NOT gone to visit mom and dad.

But I HAD to go up to NYC this year so I could go to one last Yankee game at the old stadium. This is it – the final season of baseball played in Yankee Stadium. And if what I’ve heard is true, they’re planning on tearing the old stadium down once the new one is completed. Which seems like some sort of baseball blasphemy to me… how can you tear down Yankee Stadium??? So I couldn’t let this baseball season go by without making one last pilgrimage to the site of my very first live baseball game… the place where I decided I’d be a Yankee fan for life… the place where I realized I liked knishes… yum… knishes…

And then after a few days in NYC, we’re heading over to Chicago, so we can celebrate Eric’s taser survival with breakfast at the Pancake House and several trips to the Ghirardelli chocolate store. Eric’s paying, of course. (Thanks, Eric – it’s so nice of you to offer to pay for everything!) Eric’s the best… :)