On the road again: Austin, day 3

Via the kindness of some folks with whom my company works, I got to spend the evening at the Dell Diamond ballpark, the home of the AAA team, The Round Rock Express. A group of four of us enjoyed the treat of being "owners for a day," a package that included meeting most of the staff, touring all the places, such as the clubhouse and the production control room, that one normally doesn't get to see, eating in the very nice Intel Club, and sitting on the front row right next to the Express' dugout. The evening was perfect for baseball, and as the sun was setting on a perfect Texas spring day, the sky turned a magical burnished deep blue that made you glad to be in a ballpark and left you wishing your friends and family were there, too.

What particularly struck me about the experience, however, was the genuine love of the Express staff for their jobs. From the general manager down to the part-time interns, everyone loved what they were doing. They knew they were in the customer service business, and they liked it. I can't recall ever seeing a group so uniformly passionate about their jobs. It was a joy to behold.

If you live near Austin, even if you're not a baseball fan (and I should note I am not), I have to recommend taking in a game. The park is beautiful, and at least until the weather turns really hot, you'll find it a delightful way to pass a spring evening.