No Matter How It All Turns Out, We Still Play The Game

25 10 2011

Last winter I sat in a friend’s living room floor pouring over a baseball schedule. 3 newly acquired friends and I were committing to attend 10 baseball games together, and finding 10 that wouldn’t conflict with our busy lives and schedules seemed a daunting task.

Fast forward almost 9 months and we’re now the kind of friends who finish the others’ sentences. We’ve also seen about 30 games together. Turns out, that once the season started, our schedules were a little more flexible…and baseball was a far more addictive pastime than anticipated.

We were there for good moments and bad: for complete game shutouts, player injuries, the death of a fan, 2000th hits, homestand sweeps, rain delays, chants of player names that give you chills, and the birth of a facial hair fanbase. We’ve met players and their families, been yahoo’s photo of the day, acquired more SWAG than is necessary in life, and gathered together to make posters, banners, cupcakes and away game crafts. We were good luck charms for the team, and they won more than 80% of the games we attended – including ALDS, ALCS & World Series games.

I’ve gone from being a casual Rangers fan who accepted the summer slump and owned 1 Rangers shirt, to a girl who could tell you the complete bios of most of the roster, tweets about little else, has an entire multi-season baseball wardrobe and expects her team to win. Some days I think I don’t really know myself. Some days I think I don’t really know my Rangers.

Sunday night was my last game to attend at the Ballpark in Arlington for the 2011 season. We witnessed Derek Holland achieving greatness and baseball immortality by pitching 8 & 1/3 scoreless innings of World Series baseball. Of course, the win wasn’t all that surprising…our trusty Dutchstaches (worn every time Holland’s pitched since July) are 7-0 when in attendance.

My Texas Rangers are one win away from winning the World Series. And they have two chances to do it. It’s surreal. Bizarre, in fact. It hasn’t sunk in yet, but there’s a part of me that can’t imagine the fairy tale that’s been this summer ending in any way other than a world championship. Of course, there’s a part of me that knows enough about sports jinxes, and knows enough about her team to know not to take anything for granted.

The fact of the matter is that win or lose 2011 will forever live in my mind as the year of My Texas My Rangers…when life’s dress code was red, white, & blue…when friendships were forged in the cheap seats.

That said, I really hope they win. #Rangersin6

the baseballmojo girls

The Baseballmojo Girls supporting Derek Holland in his 2011 World Series win


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Categories : Adulthood, Childhood, Entertainment, Life in General, Relationships

You’re Gonna Find Out That Love’s Your Friend

8 09 2009

Dear eHarmony,
Your commercial for the past few days to publicize your free weekend has said “what if the person you’re meant to be with is out there waiting for you?” All due respect, eHarmony, but I know for sure that the man I am meant to be with is NOT out there waiting for me.
I’m not saying he’s not on eHarmony. Heck, more than half of my single friends are on eHarmony, so if they’re any indication, the odds are good.
I’m also not saying that there’s not someone I’m “meant to be with.” While I feel like as Christians there’s a valid argument on either side of the one-person-for-everyone debate, I’m not going to take it up with you. It’s part of a bigger argument that really devolves into a whole predestination versus free-will debate, and I’m fairly certain you were trying to be romantic rather than ideologically profound.
It’s the “out there waiting for you” part I find objectionable. Really? “Out there waiting for you?” As if all single people are sitting around waiting to find a mate so that our real lives can start? I know that’s not how you meant it. I also know that those kind of single people do exist. We all know they exist. They’re giving the rest of us a bad reputation. That’s not really what I take objection to, either.
It’s just that if (and we’re back to that whole free will vs. predestination thing again) there is a man out there who’s meant for me, he’s not out there waiting for me. If he’s sitting around waiting at all, he’s not meant for me. If there’s a man out there meant for me, he’s making the most of this time we’re not together. He’s living his life to the fullest. He’s embracing all that life affords him. He’s fully cognizant of how God’s using him in this time of singleness. Someday, when and if we find one another, he’ll appreciate that I’ve been doing the same.
So eHarmony, I reject your premise that “the person I’m meant to be with is out there waiting” for me. If he’s out there waiting, he’s not for me. Your advertising team is going to have to come up with some other form of propaganda if you’re going to acquire my business.
Thanks for what you do. I have many a friend who’s come home with quite the tale after an outing with someone they met through you. You’ve provided quite the conversational fodder. So thank you for providing that service, if nothing else.
Most Sincerely,
Loni Fancher


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Categories : Adulthood, Paradox, Relationships, Snark

That is the Elephant in the Room

16 07 2009

I have lots of gay friends. Lots. My whole family does, actually. Some people find that weird because we’re all also pretty radically ministry oriented Christians. My homosexual friends almost all walk on eggshells around me for a couple of weeks after they find out that not only do I love Jesus, but I’m Baptist and in seminary. (All of those things stereotypically add up to hating gay people, FYI.) My Christian friends, on the other hand sometimes judge me as if loving these friends means that I’m somehow not very good at loving Jesus, being Baptist, or going to seminary.

I had a pastor and friend say to me once that homosexuality will be the defining issue for the church in the early 21st century. We’re almost a decade in and I’m still not sure if he’s right or wrong, but I do think he has a fair point. A few weeks ago, some friends and I went out after work. During the course of the evening, one of my guy friends (who happens to be in a monogamous relationship with another guy) asked me what I think about gay marriage. I felt the table grow quiet and all eyes turn to me, and I’d be lying if I could tell you I remembered everything I said. What I feel, though, is that for Christians at least, it should be a non-issue. Our agenda, as directed by Christ himself, is to love God, love others, and share the love of Christ with others so that they may come to know him.  Debating gay marriage, from one side or the other, damages that agenda for all Christians.

I’m not saying we’re not obligated to take a stand. Jesus was pretty clear to the contrary. The only times He ever took a confrontational stand to anything, though, was with those who considered themselves religious, and he NEVER let that impede his ministry. Can we say the same? Whether gay marriage, or alcohol, or R-rated movies, most of us are better at showing the world what we’re against than what we’re for.

Derek Webb is one of my favorite artists, Christian or otherwise. There’s a song on his new album that’s so controversial that his studio is releasing a version of the album without it. I think it’s a message that Christians not only need to hear, but to listen to and internalize.

This isn’t my favorite Derek Webb song ever. It doesn’t have his usual folksy style and the video is distracting. I deliberately picked the version that’s just audio, but if even that’s too much for you, at least read the lyrics by clicking on “more info” on the youtube page itself.

I’m not saying you should wholeheartedly agree with this song; I’m not sure I do. I’m challenging you, though, to pray about and ponder your own reaction to it.


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Categories : Controversy, Faith, Music, Relationships

But if I Know You, I Know What You’ll Do

11 07 2009

My friend Allison and I were discussing our love lives this week. Mine is virtually non-existent with some interesting twists and turns, while she has recently acquired a boyfriend. I’ve only met him once, but he seems cute and delightful and perfect for her.

Allison is a work friend, so we see each other all the time and she’s quickly become one of my favorite people. Part of the reason for this is that she’s one of those people who doesn’t act her age. She’s 24 and unashamedly adores Miley Cyrus, American Idol and all things teen-pop. If something is happening in the world of pop culture, chances are Allison not only knows about it, but she already has tickets to the concert.

This week Allison made me a playlist, called Loni’s MoJo, to motivate me out of my romantic slump. It’s a fabulous playlist and I’ve listened to it countless times this week – not because it’s my kind of music (most of it’s not) but because every single song reminds me of Allison and her innocence and optimism. I can almost hear her thought process as she selected and placed each song in just the right spot. Listening to it makes me smile.

It occurs to me that that’s the thing about playlists (or mixed CDs or mixed tapes – depending on your generation’s media of choice): most of the time they really say more about the creator than the do about the music. I mean, yes, the songs on “Loni’s MoJo”  have a fairly overt lyrical theme, but in listening to them I can’t help but wonder how different my high school life would have been if I’d had an Allison in my corner encouraging my “mojo.” I have a couple of road trips coming up later in the summer and Allison has promised to make me a road trip mix. I can’t wait to see what that entails.

FYI – here’s the “Loni’s MoJo” playlist:

  1. He Could Be The One – Hannah Montana
  2. Dream Lover – Mariah Carey
  3. Love Song for No One – John Mayer
  4. I Want You – Kelly Clarkson
  5. I’d Lie – Taylor Swift
  6. One in a Million – Hannah Montana
  7. Crazyboutya – Dave Barnes
  8. Invisible – Taylor Swift
  9. Things I’ll Never Say – Avril Lavigne
  10. The Two of Us – ‘N Sync
  11. If We Were In A Movie – Hannah Montana
  12. Right Stuff – New Kids On The Block
  13. Mmm Papi – Britney Spears
  14. Let’s Get It On – Gavin DeGraw

If/when I’m making a mix for someone lately it almost always includes something by Pink Martini, M.Ward, Bob Dylan, Ryan Adams, Warren Haynes, and some various others because that’s what I’m listening to most often these days. If you were to make a “MoJo” playlist for someone, what would be on it, and what would that say about you?


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Categories : Music, Relationships

One Bad Apple Don’t Spoil the Whole Bunch, Girl

2 07 2009

You know when you’re little and you play stupid little fortune telling games? Think MASH, cootie catchers, etc… (Okay, if you’re a guy, maybe you don’t know. Long story short – girls are silly. Surely you’re not just now catching on to this.) Anyway, one of the more ridiculous fortune telling games involved saying the alphabet while you twisted off the stem of an apple. Whichever letter you’re on when the stem pops off is the initial of the person you’re supposed to marry. The apple game is the most flexible of the totally ridiculous and meaningless fortune telling games because you can manipulate the initial to stand for whatever you want. Oh…wait…the stem came off at G? Is ‘G’ the first name, last name, nickname? It can vary from apple to apple.

I’ve been eating a lot of apples lately. A LOT of apples. 2 a day most days. I think it’s just a weird phase I’m going through. This week, though, I’ve found myself saying the alphabet while twisting off the stems. It’s not a conscious thing at all; in fact, most of the time the stem has popped off before I realize I’m thinking the letter ‘c’ or ‘d’ or ‘i’ or ‘f’ or ‘l’ or ‘p’ (I rarely make it past ‘p’.)

Evidently, the ridiculousness of childhood sinks in deeper to our consciousness than we’d like to admit. I can speak eloquently about Kant and Marlowe, I can read Hauerwas and understand what he’s talking about, I know Bob Dylan lyrics, I can quote copious amounts of scripture, I’m totally content and happy with being single, and evidently – in the recesses of my brain – part of me is putting stock in apple stems. I’m learning to live with the paradox that is me.


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Categories : Paradox, Relationships

Never Compromise, Accept No Substitute

2 06 2009

(caution: the fashion metaphors/references running through this post -and the title above- are pretty thick…I may have been at my job too long.)

I found out this week that I’m someone’s backup, which I think is supposed to be flattering, but in reality is a concept I’ve never really comprehended. “Hey, we don’t really like each other enough to date, but at the same time we don’t drive each other beyond crazy so if we’re really desperate by the time we hit our scary age – we should get married.” Really? This is how life works in my generation? Ugh.

Anyway, I didn’t actually have that conversation. His mom told my mom. No, I’m not kidding. I’m pretty sure his mom is now praying that he doesn’t find a significant other in the next five years (his scary age, not mine) because she loves me. All mom’s love me…which is, as it has always been, both a blessing and a curse.

The whole “backup” revelation has me thinking about this guy in particular (which is weird because I haven’t seen/talked to him in almost a year and we haven’t gone out since high school) and all guys in general. This guy, we’ll call ‘X’.

X is delightful. In a fashion metaphor (which you were warned about), X is the perfect cocktail dress. He’s eye catching, flattering, garners compliments from all my friends, makes me smile, loves my curves, skims over my flaws, is ideal for a night out, and makes me feel downright sexy. What’s not to love, right? The thing about cocktail dresses, though, is that they’re just not the same in the daylight hours, and they generally come with special care instructions. Wearing them everyday is less than practical.

If we’re comparing guys to dresses (and I’m fairly certain every advice columnist ever will tell you that’s a “don’t”), I think what I’m looking for is more of a wrap dress. To that same list of pros from above we can add season-less, durable, perfect for traveling, appropriate for almost any occasion…

The only downside to wrap dresses is that they can be a hassle when life gets blustery. Really, though, to whom doesn’t that apply?


Comments : 3 Comments »

Categories : Fashion, Relationships, Snark


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