Posting Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In keeping with the pink theme for the month, I wanted to talk about this card.

2023 Topps Chrome Pink Refractor Triston Casas.

I'll admit, I'm only mostly sure this is the pink refractor. It could be pink. It could be magenta, it could really be most anything. But, we're going to call it pink. 

As a Casas collector, I've been slowly putting together a rainbow of this card. I think it's a great image catching the follow through of another home run. While the headshot is a bit goofy, it honestly encapsulates him pretty well. All in all, a nice offering from Topps.

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If you can, this month (and every month) I would like you to consider donating to the American Cancer Society to support their breast cancer research efforts.

“You help us fund breakthroughs that accelerate cures and save lives.  And we know that a breakthrough only counts when people can reach it. Your gift to the American Cancer Society helps move research forward and connects people facing breast cancer with the answers, care, and support they need — wherever they live and whatever stands between them and treatment. This October, please join us in helping end cancer as we know it, for everyone.”

Abby, from Sunday Sets, Visits Section 36!

Abby is the founder of Sunday Sets, a clothing line for travel, slow Sundays, and stadium nights. I was thrilled that she wanted to visit with us and talk about her business and why it should become your new favorite brand. I'm sure you'll love to hear what she has to say.

So, let’s see what happens when Abby visits Section 36!

What made you decide to open “My Sunday Sets”?

My Sunday sets was inspired by my love for football. The cheering, the crowd atmosphere, the hype, the tailgate before a game, I love it all. Like many others do too! 

It goes back to attending football games during high school, and NFL Buffalo Bills Games with my father. I absolutely LOVE a nice fall morning, making snacks, dips, and having friends and family over for football. I wanted a comfy set I could enjoy to watch football in. But not just for football, I actually love attending all different sports! I grew up in Syracuse NY. Going to crunch hockey games, SU basketball games at the college dome, and SU football games. I wanted to create multiple sets for multiple sports to watch your team win in high-quality comfort clothing. 

Do you do the designs yourself?

I do! I grew up very artsy but never pursued it. I love drawing, painting, and sketching. But I haven’t done those types of hobbies in YEARS. It’s funny actually, when it came to a design, I hand sketched them myself on Snapchat. But, I like the look and feel of a consistent embroidered brand that feels real with a passion for the love of sports.

How do you decide which products to carry?

GREAT QUESTION. I did my research on this one. I didn’t want my brand represented by some cheap material or the cheapest bang for my buck set I could find. No. I wanted a HIGH-QUALITY name that people can see and feel. I went with Independent Trading Co for now. They have been around since the 80’s, and it’s funny my favorite hoodie I own, I looked at the tag and it said independent trading co. My boyfriend’s favorite hoodie back home from New York was from the same brand too, what a coincidence. I researched them, did my due-diligence, and knew my brand needed to be represented by nice material. For baseball, I wanted to have cute tank tops and shorts for women, and a nice hoodie and athletic shorts for men. Although some tanks and women’s shorts reflect different material besides independent trading co, the material is still amazing and comfortable. Felt more, springy. For football, that starts around fall, I wanted a hoodie and sweatpants set to enjoy and be cozy in the cool crisp air.

What has been the most pleasant surprise since opening Sunday Sets?

The most pleasant surprise has been that everyone I’ve reached out to about collaborating, or receiving a free set or article of clothing to represent my brand has been so positive and has wanted to wear the clothing right away! I’ve received such positive and kind feedback, much more than I thought I would’ve these past 4 months since starting in April! 

What is the biggest challenge with the brand?

My biggest challenge has been getting the brand name known. I know it’s hard for new clothing brands to become well-known, so I am going to focus heavy on marketing for the next year to increase awareness. 

What are your immediate brand related goals?

This is my favorite. My goals for this brand. Growing up, I was more than privileged with being in a great school system where we had nice access to fields, jerseys given to us, athletic support, etc. I want to donate portions of my profits to support school sports for children that are in school districts that may not have access to such funds. My brands goal is to help as many schools athletic programs as possible to support the school sport programs. I want every child involved in sports to be able to have access to jerseys, cleats, sneakers, etc to be able to have fun on the field in whatever sport that may be to chase their dreams and ambitions. 

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Those are some really great goals!

As always, I want to thank Abby for visiting with us, and for sending along the picture to accompany the interview. 

I'm sure you’ll all want to check out Sunday Sets on your own and find the best way to improve your wardrobe. I'd go here:

Website

Instagram

Thanks again Abby and Sunday Sets!

A Moment I’ll Never Forget: Singing the National Anthem at Fenway Park

 By Jasslyn

7:00 PM on August 4th was truly one of those moments in my life that I know I will carry with me forever. I had the incredible opportunity to perform the National Anthem at Fenway Park, and even now, it feels surreal thinking about standing there, looking around the stadium, and realizing that I was actually living a moment I had worked so hard for.

Performing in a stadium is completely different from performing on a regular stage. One of the biggest challenges I experienced was dealing with the feedback and sound throughout the stadium. Hearing my voice come back to me while trying to stay locked into what I was singing was definitely difficult, but it reminded me just how important focus, concentration, and preparation are as a performer. Instead of allowing the sound to distract me, I trusted myself, stayed focused, and kept going. All the practicing, performing, and experiences that brought me to this point helped prepare me for that exact moment.

Of course, the nerves were THERE! It's Fenway Park! But underneath those nerves, my emotions were filled with so much joy, excitement, and gratitude. Knowing that my family was there watching and supporting me made the experience even more emotional. Looking out into the crowd and feeling that support was something I can't fully put into words. The Red Sox staff also treated me with so much kindness throughout the entire experience. They made sure I felt welcomed, comfortable, supported, and taken care of from beginning to end, which made such a huge moment feel even more special.

Once I finished singing, I finally felt like I could breathe again! The aftermath was honestly a breath of fresh air, the nerves disappeared, and I could finally take everything in and realize, "Wow, I just did that."

What happened afterward made the experience even more beautiful. Having people come up to me, congratulate me, show me love, compliment my performance, and genuinely support what I had just accomplished meant so much. I was also able to network and make new connections with people who were interested in my music and my personal projects. As an artist building my own career, moments like these remind me that performing isn't only about what happens while you're on stage. It's also about the relationships you build, the people you meet, and the opportunities that can come from simply putting yourself and your talent out there.

After everything was over, I got to enjoy my very first Red Sox game at Fenway with my family. Being able to sit together, relax, laugh, watch the game, and celebrate what had just happened was such an intimate and genuine experience. It wasn't just about performing anymore; it became a memory with the people I love.

And to make the night even better... the Red Sox WON!!

I walked away from Fenway feeling proud, grateful, relieved, inspired, and ready for whatever comes next. It reminded me why I continue to push myself as a performer, even when I'm nervous or faced with unexpected challenges. Sometimes you have to trust your preparation, trust your talent, stay focused, and allow yourself to enjoy the moment you've worked so hard to reach.

Singing at Fenway Park will forever be one of those moments for me.

One performance. One stadium. One unforgettable memory. 

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Where to Find Jasslyn

Instagram

Spotify

Apple Music

YouTube

Section 36 Music

 

A Magnificant Model from Chisel and Mouse

Section 36 world headquarters sometimes starts looking like.a Red Sox museum. Or, at the very least a cluttered collectibles store. Things I have amassed over the years fill the shelves and hang from the walls. There are baseballs, and jars of salsa, and bobbleheads, and even replica Fenway Parks. So, when the good people at Chisel and Mouse asked me if I'd like to add one of their architectural models of Fenway to the display, I couldn't say yes fast enough.

I wasn't 100% sure what to expect. But, whatever those expectations were, they were definitely exceeded.

First, I need to talk about the shipping. Not only was it fast, but it was in the strongest cardboard box I think I've ever seen. Clearly they took the extra effort to make sure my item arrived in perfect condition. It's refreshing in a era when some companies try to skimp and hope for the best.

Now, for the piece itself. It is a true work of art. It is a plaster model of the Jersey St. entrance to Fenway. A classic view of the ballpark. The weight of the piece is the first thing you notice. I don't know why I imagined plaster to be a flimsy material. But, this is a solid piece with some weight and heft to it. 

Look how intricate the detail work is.

The second thing you notice is the absolute attention to detail. I suppose I should have expected that from something called an "architectural model", but my mind didn't go to this. Even thought the entire model is white, every detail somehow just pops. As you turn the piece, it moves with you as shadows expose every carving. The "1912" date stamp at the top. The Fenway Park nameplate. The brick mosaic design below that. The windows and doors are cutouts adding to the depth of the piece. It all just leads to the word "magnificent". 

The model now holds a place of honor in Section 36 HQ, right above the desk so that I see it all the time.

Chisel and Mouse has models of many other buildings, and other formats as well. I have found myself wondering what a whole cityscape would look like next to each other. It's fun to dream.

Do yourself a favor and check out Chisel and Mouse for yourself. You can also find them on Instagram!

The model can easily be hung on the wall for display.

Side view of the model.

The detail is like that everywhere

All around the model.

Simply beautiful

Singing the Anthem at Fenway!

By Sammy Lauren

This all came to be because in early June, Berklee career center had a link on their Instagram to submit videos singing the national anthem for a chance to sing at Fenway. I submitted a video and didn’t hear back for a few weeks so I didn’t think much of it. 

However, a few days before I was preparing to fly from LA to Boston, I received a video with an invitation to sing the national anthem at the Red Sox vs Orioles game on July twentieth. I quickly changed my flights and all my plans because I did not want to pass up this once in a life time opportunity. To make things feel even more special, I was set to sing it on my mom’s birthday and she flew out all the way from California just to watch me perform. 

The twentieth came and it was a perfect day, the weather was amazing and the energy of the stadium was like nothing I have ever experience before. The park was packed since it was set to be the Red Sox’s fourteenth game on their historic win streak. One of the best parts was when I sang “oh say does that star spangled” the Orioles have a tradition of yelling “oh” which only heightened the energy of the experience. The Red Sox ended up winning and it was a great game all around and I don’t think it could have gone any better. 

Early the next morning I hoped on a plane to LAX to work on music as well as visit my hometown family and friends. This whole experience felt like a full circle moment because during my first few weeks at Berklee, I went viral on tik tok for a video of me singing the national anthem at my high school’s volleyball game and many people online were tagging @mlb because they wanted me to sing at an mlb game. Now that two years have gone by, it seems like that dream has come true. I have felt so much love and support from friends and family both in Boston and back home in California and it feels special to know I’m the first person in my family to do anything like this. 

I am excited for what the future holds and I hope to one day be sing for the Dodgers back in LA because that is my home team, but I am still in shock that I got to sing the national anthem for one of the most iconic teams in one of the most historic baseball stadiums in America.

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Where to Find Sammy Lauren

Instagram

Spotify

Apple Music

This story has been posted simultaneously here and on the Section 36 Music blog.