Fenway, Gaga, McCracken

• When I was a kid, I didn't appreciate just how awesome Fenway Park is, though Fenway's gotten better with age. The upgrades make it as modern as possible without losing the nostalgic charm. There is just no experience in baseball that even compares. Sold out every night with fans who are there as much for the game as they are for the party.

• Two Red Sox games, 1 Lady Gaga concert. To my surprise, I enjoyed Gaga. It was more Cirque du Soleil than Springsteen, but entertaining.
• After one of the Red Sox games, Jeff Lantz, formerly of the I-Cubs who now works for the Orioles, talked us into 1 a.m. bowling. It was here that I saw the autographs of my two favorite bowlers: former Iowa prep champ Roy Munson, and the one and only, Ernie McCracken, the Big Ern. What a thrill.