Jaycie Greenberg Visits Section 36!

Section 36 has a new visitor! Jaycie Greenberg is a skin cancer awareness advocate, a talented twirler, and the current Miss

Liberty. I was thrilled that she was willing to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more.

So let's see what happens when Jaycie Greenberg visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate winning the Miss Liberty crown?

I celebrated with my family, directors, and the other titleholders! We all got dinner at Margaritas and talked about the exciting things we have to look forward to throughout our year. It was a great way for us all to get to know each other and start our year off right. 

What did you learn about yourself at the Miss Liberty competition that will help you at Miss New Hampshire?

Most of all, I learned that I am my most successful when I feel at ease and relaxed.  Competing for local titles can be stressful because it is a huge opportunity and stepping stone.  Women like myself put many hours and months of preparation into just those few hours of competition.  It is easy to let the nerves get the best of you, but I believe the judges are truly looking to learn about you as a person and it’s difficult to do that if you’re not relaxed. 

What are you most looking forward to about your time as Miss Liberty?

I am really excited for the chance to work with large organizations like the Melanoma Foundation, American Academy of Dermatology, and The Skin Cancer Foundation to continue learning about Skin Cancer and distributing educational materials.  The Skin Cancer Foundation has programs like “Your Skin is In” which target high school students and encourage them to avoid tanning beds for prom.  It’s pledges and curriculums like these that can have huge impacts on the lives of those most at risk for Melanoma. I hope to use the title of Miss Liberty to reach a larger audience and give real life examples of how skin cancer impacts the lives of many.

How did you select your social impact initiative “Skin Cancer Awareness & Prevention”?

I chose my social impact initiative because my grandfather died

from malignant Melanoma. He owned his own plumbing and heating business, and worked many hours outdoors. During this time, he was unaware of how his time outside was negatively impacting his health.  I want to be sure that no one goes unaware of the hazards of extended sun exposure.  My mother has also had cancerous moles removed and I feel it is extremely important to make sure that people know how best to protect themselves and spot possibly life threatening moles.  A large aspect of my social impact initiative is empowering young adults to choose the health of their skin over the short-term "benefit" of having a tan. 

You were a twirler at North Carolina State University. Does that experience help you when performing your talent during a competition?

It definitely does! I had the opportunity to perform for 50,000 people at Carter-Finley Stadium and even larger audiences for away games and Bowl Games.  I try to channel the booming excitement of a football stadium when I perform for any audience.  

What is your personal fitness routine?

Baton twirling helps to keep me fit, but I love to have a wide variety of activities when I exercise.  I typically start my morning with a walk and will go to different exercise classes like Body Pump, Barre, and hot yoga.  I try to set small but frequent fitness goals to keep myself motivated and on track!

Who is your favorite Red Sox player? Why?

Big Papi is and probably always will be my favorite Red Sox player.  He is a true legend!

Is there a feature or activity at Fenway Park you would especially like to experience?

It has always been a dream of mine to throw out the first pitch at a Red Sox game!

What were you doing when the Red Sox won the 2018 World Series?
I was surrounded by fellow Northerners in Raleigh, NC at the Talley Student Union watching on a giant projector.  There were Red Sox hats flying with excitement!

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That must have been so much fun!

As always, I want to thank Jaycie for doing this interview, and for sending along the incredible pictures. They really make the post a lot more fun to read.

As Jaycie continues her time as Miss Liberty, I encourage you to follow her on her official Facebook page. You should also follow her on her official and personal Instagram accounts. They’re all great ways to see what she’s up to during her year with the crown.

I also want to wish Jaycie luck when she competes for the Miss New Hampshire crown. It’s been quite a run of former visitors winning that crown, and it would be amazing to have another former visitor take home that title!

Thanks again Jaycie, and good luck!

2019 Topps Heritage High Number Blaster!

I know. I need to get in the habit of doing these posts sooner in the season. But, frankly it takes forever for me to find some of these, and even longer for me to come up with the post. So, you’ll have to deal with me talking about a set after you’ve probably already ripped all the packs you’ll ever care to see. Sorry.

So let’s see how my box of Heritage High Number went! 

As I’m sure most of you know by now, there are 8 packs in the blaster. 

The first pack sure made the opening experience peak pretty early. Not only did it contain one of the hotter rookie cards available in Vladimir Guerrero Jr, but it contained a hit! Of course, I use the term “hit” lightly. At one point in time a Justin Upton jersey might be something to get excited about. This is not that time.

The second pack produced a “Now and Then” insert. Not really sure what the point/theme is supposed to be. I guess relating an event in the “now” to something similar that happened “then”? In any case, this Paul Goldschmidt is a nice little card.

The next pack wasn’t great. If the best card is of a Yankee, that’s never a good sign.

Another not so great pack followed. But, at least this gave a look at the Rookie Performers insert. Or, is it a "Rookie Performers Rookie” insert?

Two better cards in the next pack. There’s a nice shiny card of someone I’ve never heard of. There’s also the first Red Sox card in the box! Nathan Eovaldi sure looks ready to bring the heat.

The next pack was a nice little 2018 World Series reunion. Weird how two of the three are on a new team. It’s also a nice look at the Baseball Stars insert. Cody Bellinger certainly qualifies.

The next pack produced another odd insert with this Miguel Cabrera scratch off. Not sure how I feel about these inserts. The attractiveness certainly isn’t there.

Finishing up with a couple more fun cards. Christian Yelich shows up on an Award Winners insert set, while Jorge Alfaro is shown with his big trophy. Love the old style Topps trophy.

So, there you have it. Nothing spectacular, but lots of solid stuff.

What did you get in your box?

Playoff Sales are Good. Right?

It's awful, isn't it? The baseball playoffs are in full swing, and the Red Sox aren't a part of it. Even worse? The Yankees are! (For now.) It's a pretty annoying combination.

Need something to cheer you up? How about thinking about how amazing you'd look in some new Section 36 gear? Maybe think about that new tank top you've been considering. Or the hoodie you'll need for the cold winter ahead. Or maybe one of the many novelty items...bags, magnets, stickers...strike your fancy. Just the thought of all that wonderful gear is sure to bring a smile back to your face.

And if just thinking about new gear is fun, imagine actually buying some! Imagine buying some while it's on an amazing sale! Like...right now!!

That's right! Today through Sunday, the Section 36 store will be on sale! Don't miss this opportunity! 

So, head over right now and select something that you like. But, don't delay. Remember, the sale only runs through Sunday! Only a few days before prices go back to their regular levels.

Click Here Now!

And, as always, when you do get an item, send me a picture wearing it for me to share with the world! The blog, Facebook, and even Instagram! Not only would it be a great way to show the world your amazing outfit, but if you have a business or cause that needs promotion, it's an easy way to get a mention on Section 36!

Like Bridget did! (With some help from K. Garcia Productions)

This sweatshirt is on sale!

Or, like Bernadette did to show off how amazing this tank top looks on her.

This tank is on sale!

Or Phil did.

This tank is also on sale!

Or Holly did with her cozy new hoodie.

This hoodie is on sale!

Or Nicolette did with her great t-shirt!

This t-shirt is on sale!

Or like Allison did!

This t-shirt is on sale!

Or, like Sierra did!

This t-shirt is on sale!

But, first you need to buy something you like. There's a lot to choose from.

What will you get?

Audrey Getman Visits Section 36!

Section 36 has a new visitor! Audrey Getman is a world traveler, a history buff, and the current Miss Gate City. I was so excited that she was willing to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more.

So let's see what happens when Audrey Getman visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate winning the Miss Gate City crown?

The day that I won Miss Gate City 2020 I actually competed in two competitions on the same day. That meant two full competitions all packed into the time that we’d usually do one competition. Because of that, I was understandably exhausted! On my way home I grabbed some dinner, and then I actually went straight to bed.

What did you learn about yourself at the Miss Gate City competition that will help you at Miss New Hampshire?

One thing that I’ve found in my entire journey this season is that with talent specifically, and this sounds super corny, I have to believe in myself and believe in the song. When I felt myself getting nervous in the song during this competition, I powered through. Apparently that also resonated in the song and added an element of power and emotion to the performance, so that was something that I was able to learn how to do.

What are you most looking forward to about your time as Miss Gate City?

I’m really looking forward to promoting my social impact initiative

and getting to work on different service opportunities. One of my favorite things to do is donate my time to community service projects. I wasn’t able to do much of this during my time in college because of how hectic my schedule was. Now that I’ve graduated, I’m excited to start doing more community service!

How did you select your social impact initiative “Promoting the Value of History”?

One of the things I mentioned above that I’m excited about is my social impact initiative, “Learn the Past: Promoting the Value of History”. I just graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Classics. My love of history and classics has transformed into something bigger than I anticipated. I want to continue working with both fields and researching the different ideas that I have. That’s why I thought about this for my social impact initiative, because not only is it my entire life, but because I really believe that learning from history influences our future. There is the quote, “Those who do not learn the past are condemned to repeat it,” which is part of where my social impact initiative gets its name. History has been very cyclical, and the humanities have been extremely neglected. We don’t stress their importance as much as we should. I really enjoy learning history. I want to use my social impact initiative to help members of younger generations find enjoyment in it too. History isn’t just about learning and memorizing dates. It’s seeing how these big, great events have shaped the world we live in. I want other people to be able to see that too.

As a talented singer, what types of songs are your favorite to sing?

I love a good female ballad, I find them very empowering. I used to

sing a lot of Adele because her songs are super powerful and meaningful. I also love Disney music, and the occasional showtune. I pretty much just sing whatever pops into my head.

You’ve been able to do quite a bit of traveling. What your favorite place that you’ve visited?

The best place I’ve been to so far has been Athens, Greece. It was my first of two study abroad experiences (the second was a short 10-day January term trip to Rome). I was there for five weeks in the Summer of 2017. One of those five weeks was a travel week across various ancient and historical sites near Athens. Greece is my happy place and every single day I dream of going back. Hopefully I can study there in graduate school!

Who is your favorite Red Sox player? Why?

This may sound a bit weird because he’s such a rookie, but I love Michael Chavis. I think he’s outstanding and I’m just really excited to see where he goes in baseball, and I really hope he stays with the Red Sox. Mookie Betts is a close second, and before Chavis came on the team, Mookie was my favorite.

Is there a feature or activity at Fenway Park you would especially

like to experience?

 I’ve never sat on or been to the Green Monster, but I would really

love to someday. I think it would be such a fun experience!

What were you doing when the Red Sox won the 2018 World Series?

I was in a restaurant in my college town because they had a bunch of TVs and I had just finished a weekly student government meeting. A bunch of the members of student government got a big table at the restaurant and we ate and watched the game. It’s a relatively small restaurant, so we were able to get there before it got completely crowded. I have videos of the last at bat where Manny Machado went down on one knee after swinging, and the entire place just erupted. After, everyone poured out onto the street and sidewalks. Everyone was singing Sweet Caroline at the top of their lungs, and it was just such a great way to ring in my senior year.

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That must have been amazing!

As always, I want to thank Audrey for doing this interview, and for sending along the fantastic pictures. They really make the post a lot more fun to read.

As Audrey continues her time as Miss Gate City, I encourage you to follow her on her official Facebook page. 

I also want to wish Audrey luck when she competes for the Miss New Hampshire crown. It would be wonderful to have another former visitor take home that title! Could it be three in a row?

Thanks again Audrey!

Spoiler Alert: Things Cost Money

The Red Sox announced recently that ticket prices would be going up next year, on average. Some tickets would be going up, and some would be going down. But overall, it would result in an average increase of just under 2%.

I'm going to let you guess how fans reacted.

They went bananas. 

How can they raise prices after not winning the World Series? How can they raise prices even if they decide not to give Mookie $400 million? How can people be expected to go to games now? They're pricing out their fans!

It's the last couple of ones that bug me. 

Let's be clear. I want people to be able to go to games. I've said before that I'm amazed teams don't give away more free tickets. (It appears that the Sox have finally listened since they said they plan on having more heavily discounted or even free tickets available to some games in the future.) But, that doesn't mean all tickets need to be free. And it's not something that the Sox alone are guilty of. Taking an outing to any activity has an associated cost. Sure, a Tier 3 ticket in Section 36 will run you $37. Going to a museum? Expect to pay between $20 and $40. Going to a Broadway show? Triple that. At least. Compared to other family type outings, the Sox aren't out of line. In fact, considering the amount of time you spend at those other places compared to the length of a ballgame, the Sox are practically a bargain. So, how come people don't storm Twitter complaining about the prices of the Children's Museum?

Maybe it's because people don't post things like this.

This shows the “fan cost index” this location came up with for baseball games. People were outraged! How can I be expected to take my family of four to a game at those prices? $355?!?!? Baseball is ruining the family experience.

But, this is where it gets interesting. What costs are included in this index? Here you go.

Expensive tickets, beers, food, drinks, parking, programs, and hats. That's the bill that people are complaining about. Other places have standard cost indexes as well. Retail stores, for instance. But nobody complains that Target is too expensive because the cost index shopping cart is too expensive. You don't have to buy a gallon of milk and a bottle of spray cleaner every time you enter the store. You can go in and just buy a pack of baseball cards if you wish. But, I actually had people arguing with me that you can't expect people to go to multiple games at those prices. If you're buying a new hat every time you go to that game, that's really your issue. The Red Sox can't help you there.

Which is also the larger point. If you're including shopping and food, every outing is expensive. If you add the cost of the outfit you're wearing and the food you eat beforehand, even walking the dog is expensive. And more important than that, there's nothing the Red Sox can do to help you. 

Even if they gave you free tickets, if you're still eating dinner, and drinking, and buying clothes, and buying magazines, and parking in expensive lots...you're spending a fortune on things that aren't theirs to control. You're still in for an expensive night.

So maybe, just maybe, the Sox aren't out to price gouge you. Maybe the Sox aren't pricing out their fans. Maybe fans are just making too much out of a day at a game.

And there's really nothing the Sox can do to help that.