I had the opportunity this week to visit Target Field in Minneapolis, MN. The Twins played my favorite team, the Chicago White Sox! Now… before I get into how much I enjoyed the field… a quick family history.

I was born in Minneapolis. My mom’s side of the family is from Minnesota and I have always liked the state. My mom, sister and I moved to Illinois in 1991 and I have definitely grown up as a Chicago boy. So… I’m a White Sox fan. Much to my mother’s dismay. Actually we are both very respectful of each others favorite baseball team. I like to say that we are baseball fans first… and team fans second. Okay… enough of that.

My mom and I went to Target Field to see the Twins host the White Sox. I want to say how much I love U.S. Cellular field in Chicago. I think it is an excellent ball park. Target Field however… was simply amazing! Built right in the heart of Minneapolis. Blocks from Nicollet Mall. I think it is simply amazing how the designers managed to put a ballpark of this magnitude in the middle of the city with everything around it already built up.

Here are some pictures…

1. This is coolest gate in the entire field! Gate 34 for Kirby Puckett. It’s the gate our car happened to be closest to when we parked. The feeling you get when you enter through this gate is indescribable. As you can see… people are just hanging out and having a good time sitting on the wooden benches under the large-scale baseball bats.

2. This picture shows the vastness of the filed.

(more pictures after the jump)

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I have a couple of friends who have lived or are currently living in a third world country and therefore have experience with the 3rd world style of living. They have learned how to be comfortable where the comforts of home are few and far between. I can’t imagine what it would be like to go through a summer without air conditioning, walk the 6 miles to work every day, not have a warm bed to sleep in each night. My most recent frustration is that our fridge no longer dispenses water from the door. We have resorted to keeping a pitcher of water inside the door. Oh the humanity. I have lived in Naperville, IL for most of my life. I’ve grown comfortable in my community. Three Starbucks withing a two block radius does not phase me. The Porsche population is in the triple digits and I don’t bat an eye anymore when one drives by. I am comfortable.

But I am not naive.

I know that there are millions of people in the world that do not know what conditioned air feels like. I know there are people that walk miles upon miles each day just to get water. I know that many throughout the world do not have the proper back support when they sleep. I know that knowing isn’t enough.

Do we need to feel discomfort to really make a difference?

What makes you uncomfortable?

Pretty much…