Thursday, February 7, 2013

Billi Pod and His 2013 Yankee Plans


Thursday==>In yesterday’s posting I promised you loyal and faithful readers and followers an update on Billi Pod’s plans for the upcoming Yankee season.

For those of you readers and followers new to this blog ... I have been a partial-season ticket holder since 1999, with 41-game packages (Opening Day and then every other home game) for the past 3 years. Last year I saw a total of 44 home games, including the postseason.

When the season was over I began a rather involved mental review of how I really felt about seeing every other home game, a rather rigid schedule with a now pretty dismal exchange policy.

Yes, last season I have to admit to having several ... "Oh God, is it out to the stadium time again?" moments ... and that ain't good.

My seats were always in the Main Level in the $90 per game section(s). Last year I became painfully aware that the seats in the row(s) directly in front of me were often available on StubHub in the $25-45 range. WTF?

I was/am also still seething over the decision Management made two years ago to substantially reduce the postseason privileges for my season ticket package.

About a month ago I came to the conclusion that I basically wasn’t getting that much of a bang for those big bucks (do the math ... $90 x 41 = a lot of moolah). I also, reluctantly, concluded that I didn’t like the direction the Yankees had been heading for the past 3 years.

Now, don’t panic ... I am still a major Yankee fan ... what I am doing is restructuring how and why I am gonna spend my entertainment bucks and my time ... so ...

When the renewal package arrived about a month ago I emailed the ticket representative I have been working with for the last 3 years that I would not be renewing my 41-game package but that I would, later, get one of the lesser packages. I asked him not to call and attempt to pressure me, and he agreed. He has abided by his agreement.

Man ... was this a huge step ... 

So ... last week Billi Pod took a very deep breath and purchased ...

12-GAME PLAN #1
“The 12-Game Plan consists of the same seats for all twelve designated weekday games, including Opening Day against the Red Sox and games against the Mets and Dodgers. Licensees will have an opportunity to purchase tickets for  postseason home games, prior to any public sale.”

The games are allocated as follows:

April - 3
May - 2
June - 3
July - 1
August - 2
September - 1

My seat will be about halfway between first base and the right field wall, basically in the same area that my 41-game package had been.  And ... yes ... it is well under an overhang.

Now ... take another deep breath everyone ... and relax a bit ... because ... you can rest assured that I will purchase additional tickets through StubHub (don’t get me started on Management’s decision this year to end its partnership with StubHub - tickets will still be available through them, just not quite as conveniently) as the season develops.

So ... my loyal and faithful readers and followers ... there you have it in much more detail than I know most of you, except for Marty, wanted.

Moving on ...

Well, Winter weather has returned to The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World. It was only 27º at 8:30am, but the big news is ... tada ... light snow for this evening and then for Friday a Nor’easter hits the area bringing with it rain and heavy snow. The weekend will be slushy and icy conditions.

Luckily all of my scheduled upcoming entertainment events are in venues that will require only minimal exposure to the elements going to and from.

Yesterday’s entertainment doubleheader was diverse and interesting, so ... this is will be Billi Pod’s report cards ...

FOREVER DUSTY, about the life and times of worldwide superstar Dusty Springfield==>B

Excellent vocal performances saves a rather weak and uninvolving story line. I really wanted to like it more. The audience appeared to be equally divided between lots of clapping and virtually none.

Is it worth seeing? Yes, but only if you like the Dusty Springfield songbook and have a discounted ticket

Then for the evening was ...

ISAAC’S EYE, about the real and imagined interaction and relationship between a not-yet-famous Isaac Newton and the renowned scientist Robert Hooke==>A

Thought-provoking story line and excellent acting makes for an enjoyable evening despite the not-for-the-squeamish scenes involving a real needle and an eye(s).

The overall theme is that Isaac Newton was a brilliant but basically unlikeable and unapproachable person.

The house was about 3/4 full, with a lot of mid-20s people who appeared to be “theater-involved.”

It runs through Sunday, February 24th.

Billi Pod says==>see it.

Moving on some more ...

Well, in the name of fair and unbiased reporting, Billi Pod has to reveal that he has yet to schedule an entertainment event for tonight.

Oh, there are a lot of choices on his ticket services, but nothing that really appeals to him thus far ... so ... unless something shows up at the last minute ... it will be, finally ... a movie ... either LIFE OF PI or SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK.

Time to close this way-too-long posting so ...

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>4.23 miles (or, 9,247 steps)

Total mileage since 7/1/12==>1,119.03 miles

GO GATORS AND GO YANKEES!!

Billi Pod
“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

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