Talk about battling some serious heat! The Mets players and C.O.O. strapped on firefighter gear to climb up FDNY ladders, battle a blaze, and rappel down the side of a building. Check it out:

And now some screenshots of the Metsies in action:

FDNY commissioner Sal Cassano with Mets pitchers R.A. Dickey, Mike Pelfrey, Dillon Gee, Bobby Parnell, and Mets COO Jeff Wilpon, who took part in the Firefighter For A Day Challenge

R.A. Dickey climbs up a ladder

"Firefighters" Bobby Parnell and Mike Pelfrey

R.A. Dickey rappels down a wall

R.A. Dickey and Big Pelf fight a car fire

FDNY Commissioner Sal Cassano talks with Mike Pelfrey

Looks like a cool team-building event for several Mets players, or as my girlfriend calls it, “Really smart thing to do right before spring training!”

RELATED: FDNY training an eye-opener for Mets [mets.com]

[This post originally published at MetsTalk.com]

And you’re looking it at.

This very site has gone through many different looks throughout the years, since I started blogging back in 2000.

What you see here is the design I am most proud of, not only because it is the most awesome one yet, but also because I was finally able to incorporate some of my favorite memories in photographic form.

A lot of important things in my life have changed in the past 2 years or so and more are on the way. I’m happy to bring them to you via this updated design.

Of course what brings you here (besides Google searches for “Conan O’Brien guests“, “definition of cynicism“, and “Citi Field ribs“) is my witty retelling of real life stories through the eyes of a New Yorker. And no worries, all of that is still here too and will continue to be.

If you have any suggestions about things I should write about in the future, or if you’d like to collaborate between blogs, drop me a line in the comments and let me know. I’d love to hear from you.

Until then, thanks for stopping by, from a New Yorker who doesn’t know when to quit!

They are brothers with very different personalities, but both of them are very intelligent and cute doggies, look:

Oh, I also love my cat, Cali, too!

And by “old photos” I mean elementary school photos that you may or may not remember. And there’s little to nothing you can do to stop it. Well, short of posting them to and making fun of them on your website.

The following are just some of the photos my former elementary school classmate Jessica Drozd recently uploaded and tagged on Facebook. [DISCLAIMER: Be warned, they are slightly embarassing and/or endearing.]

The best part of that last photo is that I’ve remembered playing football back in elementary school many times and then suddenly a photo of it pops up on Facebook decades later. I have to admit, that was pretty cool.

So it turns out that Facebook is great for reconnecting with old friends and for reconnecting with old photos as well.

And remember, those photos will probably turn up there whether you are on the social media site or not,  so you might as well be there to make fun of yourself in them.

Happiness is…

...a first photo together.

...a blue sky and the promise of a good day.

...playing around in the backyard with your dogs.

...watching someone doing something they enjoy.

...watching your whole family having fun together.

...the perfect sunset.

...a Mets game with Cow-bell Man!

...a perfect kiss.

Happiness comes in many forms… I’m just lucky I get to capture some of it in my photographs.