I won't lie. I was really hoping that New Thing #197 was going to be "Going To The All Star Game At Citi Field."

From the day they announced that the 2013 All Star Game was going to be held at Citi Field, I wanted to go.

Then from the day I saw how expensive tickets were going to be, I wanted someone to get me a ticket.

And then my birthday came and went, and no one was ponying up the multiple hundreds of dollars.

So I'm watching the All Star Game on TV.

But I have the program.

This was the other piece of All Star Game merchandise I got for my birthday last week.

I told my wife when we were at the game that I might like the program - I can't believe it was $15 though. Yipes.

Usually, I wouldn't want a souvenir from a game I didn't attend - but I just love that the Mets' beautiful new ballpark is being showcased for the baseball world, and I want a memento, even if I can't be there.

I also like commemorative programs. I was at the game when the Mets played the Marlins in their first-ever game back in 1992, and they ran out of programs at Shea Stadium. People were mad and the Mets gave out an address where you could send money to order a copy. I did, and then I did it for the inaugural series with the Rockies that year. But I don't spend much time looking through those programs. And I read this magazine, but it'll just spend the rest of its time on my shelf, as I hope it becomes a collector's item that I probably won't ever sell.

It's a thick program - there are lots of different general articles about baseball, so that it's not time-sensitive. There's a section on the Mets, which I love, and as part of that a Q-and-A with David Wright as well as a guide to Citi Field.

One thing I don't like about the program is that it includes a regular-old scorecard. I like that it has a scorecard, but it's for the All Star Game - the one time in the year where guys are being switched out every other inning. Give fans keeping score a chance to not make a mess of their scorecard. (No, I'm not keeping score.) I suppose there's a little extra room, but it doesn't seem like much - there's 24 lines for players, but it still seems like it would get messy.

I don't know if Major League Baseball will be republishing this program now that the rosters are set and they know who will be playing in the game. (This one has lists of 'possible players' - essentially a copy of the ballot.) But I'm glad I have something to remember the All Star Game coming to Citi Field. (I'm very excited for the game, and the fact that David Wright and Matt Harvey are starters on their home field is icing on the cake.)

I haven't quite given up on going to an All Star Game at Citi Field. The way I see it, this is a twice-in-a-lifetime event. At the absolute worst, it will be 60 years before the game comes back. But that's not likely. It's also unlikely it will be another 50 years between Mets All Star Games. (The last time was 1964 at Shea Stadium.)

I figure it will be about another 30 years (partially dependent on the next time the Yankees get the game and New York City hosts again). And at that point in my life, hopefully, with three grown daughters, I'll be able to treat myself and spend the money on an All Star Game ticket.

Maybe I'll even buy a program.