Thursday, August 31, 2006
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
a small request
to the person who makes those little cone-shaped cups that are usually found at water coolers:
could you please make sure you actually seal that little point at the bottom of the cup that prevents me from setting it down so that the cup actually...oh, i don't know...HOLDS THE WATER?? and i don't just have a little paper funnel doing little more than directing a stream of water onto my shoe?!
thanks.
the one in which she slowly comes out of hiding
i know. i know. i've been awfully quiet lately. got some...stuff...going on. but i'm ready to start poking my head back out a little bit.
all i can say for now is...
*thank* *God* for the best friends ever. even the ones who downplay their importance but without whom i would be a very lost soul...
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
The Friday Five: August 22, 2006
The Name Game
July 28, 2006
1. Are you named after anyone? If so, explain.
i am not. i am just me.
2. Do you have your children's names picked out already? If so, is there any significance?
i don't think you can *really* do that until the opportunity presents itself. i do consider the names Meghan (what my dad wanted to name me) and Lauren (indirectly after my grandma's middle name of Florence) as girl names that i like but that's about as far as it goes.
3. If you were born a member of the opposite sex what would your name have been?
Luke or Zeke. also the names my brother Josh was supposed to be. i don't even know why my parents bothered picking out names in advance. i was supposed to be either Megan or Danielle.
4. If you could re-name yourself what name would you pick and why?
i used to wish it had been Megan or Danielle but to be honest, i'm pretty used to the one i've had for almost 30 years now. even if i *could* change it now, i don't think i would.
5. Are there any mispronunciations/typos that people do w/ your name constantly?
look at my first name. Dawn. you wouldn't *think* so. but i get a whole lot of people who call me or spell it 'Don'. i'm not a man, folks! i get even more typos & mispronunciations on my last name but i'm not very comfortable revealing THAT much information here.
August 4, 2006
1. How much time do you spend on the Internet daily?
oh Lord. let's not even talk about it. let's just say that i have cable connections both at work & at home so i am literally connected all the time.
2. What are your favorite 3 websites?
Bloglines. Blogger. Gmail.
3. Do you eat at your computer?
sometimes. more at work than at home because i eat lunch at my desk.
4. Pick one and why - Reading the news online or in a newspaper?
online. i can get breaking news right as it happens & my fingers don't get all black from newsprint.
5. How many people are on your instant messenger buddy list?
AIM: 27. Gmail Chat: 13 of which 7 are usually online during the day.
August 18, 2006
1. Do you really make wishes when you blow out the candles on your cake?
yes, i do. you don't pass up chances to make wishes...even if the way to actually get things done is to do it yourself. sometimes you just have to wish...
2. Have any of the wishes ever come true, if yes?
yes, they have.
3. How do you feel about birthdays? (e.g., love the attention, just another day, don't want anyone to know my real age, etc.)
it's just another day to me. i don't like excessive attention. i don't like when people make the waiters & waitresses sing to me. i do like attention from the people i care about. nothing extravagant though. and i couldn't care less who knows my age.
4. Tell us a favorite gift you've received, or something you'd really like for your next birthday.
i am never ever one of those people who talks about what she would like for her next birthday or for Christmas. i will if you absolutely drag it out of me, but i won't like it one little bit. the best birthday gift i have gotten to date is my Alison being flown in from CT to spend a long weekend at WDW with me--the best part was getting to show her The Magic for the very first time. you just don't get a better gift than giving that to one of your very best friends.
5. What flavor cake?
yellow with chocolate frosting. or chocolate with white frosting. or ice cream cake!
Monday, August 21, 2006
and this is why i just can't pick between baseball & football
there's always *something* to look forward to. and i am SO ready for some of this.
but you have to actually *give* me something to believe in
i can't even talk about it. Schill. man of steel. man of bloody sock. pitches 2 innings & takes a one hour rain break and *then* comes back to pitch through the 7th & leave with his win number 15 tucked securely under his arm, as he tips his hat to the adoring fans of RSN. and then THEY come in & give it away. just like that. i hope they didn't give up any October plans because the bullpen is quite clearly done playing for the season. i can't even be mad. they have sucked all the ability to feel right out of me.
found some comfort--the vague sort like when ibuprofen takes the edge off the headache but doesn't make it completely go away--in reading "You know we've got to find a way: Red Sox 2006 Edition" and "That which doesn't kill you will make you stronger" from Feeding the Monster.
and with that, just like the 2006 Boston Red Sox, i think i've had enough. i'm drained & i'm ready to just lay down.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
survey says!
so had to borrow this from Krystyn!
1) Do you talk in your sleep?
yep. not a lot. but if i am in that semi-concious state & you ask me a question, i will carry on a relatively coherent question & answer session with you--enough so that you probably would think i was awake!
2) Ocean or pool?
couldn't care less. i likely won't put more than my feet in the water either way. =P
3) What's your favorite song at the moment?
"Ever the Same", Rob Thomas
4) Current Crush?
ummmmm...Mike Lowell?
5) What's your favorite color?
navy blue. red. silver. (ha! see current blog colors!)
6) Window seat or aisle seats?
aisle, unless i am a) sitting alone in the row or b) flying with someone i like
7) Ever met anyone famous?
nope
8) Do you feel that you've had a truly successful life?
when you love & are loved...how much more successful can you *really* be? =)
9) Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it?
twirl!
10) Ricki Lake or Oprah Winfrey?
i don't watch *any* daytime tv.
11) Basketball or Football?
football football football! the *American* version.
12) How long do your showers last?
anywhere from 10-20 minutes
13) Do you know how to drive a stick?
no. two different people tried to teach me. i just don't get it, or maybe i don't *want* to get it--i don't know.
14) Cake or ice cream?
what's cake without a scoop of ice cream?!
15) Are you self-conscious?
aren't we all to some degree or another? some of us just hide it better than others.
16) What color is your hair?
used to be brown with some blonde highlights...until my last appointment. now i'm blonde with some natural brown lowlights. =P
17) Whats 2+2?
a double date =)
18) Where do you wish you were?
well THERE is a long list! anywhere from out to CA.
19) Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?
thankfully, no
20) Can you tango?
i'm a stereotyipcal white girl. i so have no rhythm.
21) Last gift you received?
time with a very wonderful friend
22) Last sport you played?
played?! excuse me while i laugh. i lack a certain...grace required to play sports. most of you call it "coordination". =P i will watch though!
23) Things you spend a lot of money on?
i don't spend very much money on anything...
24) 24 hours ago?
watching the Angels game on tv & emailing
25) Last wedding attended?
my brother's in June
26) Do you play any instruments?
flute & piccolo
27) Most hated food(s)?
Spam. red cabbage. bananas. liver. bran muffins. hot cereal.
28) Can you sing?
keeping Krystyn's answer: Sure, but you wouldn't want to hear me.
29) Last person you called?
called? like, not for work? probably...Alison? yes, it's been *that* long.
30) What's your least favorite chores?
cleaning the shower. figuring out what's for dinner.
31) Favorite Drink?
ice cold water
32) Are your parents married or divorced?
yes, divorced from each other & married to other people
33) Are you a vegetarian?
*heck* no! give me meat!
34) Do you believe in Heaven?
*absolutely*
35) Have you ever come close to dying?
not that i am aware of & i would prefer not to know if i have.
36) Are you eating?
for once, no. i did have a bowl of coffee ice cream about an hour or so ago.
37) Do you eat the stems of broccoli?
mmmmm...broccoli
38) Can you dance?
i refer you back to question 20
39) Would you ever have plastic surgery?
not unless i was horribly injured or something of that nature.
40) What do u wear to bed?
track pants or pj pants & a tank top
41) Have you ever done anything illegal?
i *might* have disobeyed a few traffic rules... ::looks away::
42) Can you roll your tongue?
yep
43) What kind of shoes?
no shoes in the house please! (and i am barefoot)
44) What is your eye color?
various shades of blue that are affected by my mood
45) Future kids name?
some i like--Boy: Jack. Aaron. Ethan. Girls: Emma. Meghan. Lauren. Claire.
46) Do you snore?
only if i'm sick
47) If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?
right now? CA =)
48) Do you sleep with stuffed animals?
i do not. i don't even *have* any stuffed animals!
49) If you won the lottery, what would you do first?
get some very good investment advice
50) Gold or silver?
silver please
51) Hamburger or hot dog?
either if they're cooked on the grill
52) If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
i practically do that *now*. =P probably pasta since there are so many different ways to fix it.
53) City, beach or country?
country. i love the quiet...
54) What was the last thing you touched?
right before typing this? the delete key. before that? my water cup.
55) What did you eat last?
like i said: bowl of ice cream
56) When's the last time you cried?
early Friday...but we're not talking about that anymore.
57) Do you read blogs?
LOL! do you need to ask? really??
58) Have you ever dressed like the opposite sex?
not counting clothes that are unisex? no
59) What's your favorite shampoo/conditioner and soap?
i've been using Herbal Essences lately; like the way it smells. and right now i'm using Skin Milk, which, surprisingly doesn't smell like vanilla! ;-)
Unconscious Mutterings: August 20, 2006
Week 185
I say ... and you think ... ?
Cruel :: the current Yankees-Red Sox series
Jive :: the "Airplane" movies
Weak :: spineless
Understand :: comprehend
Bum :: hobo
Stairs :: steps
Tone :: inflection
Quickly :: speedy
Moment :: memory
Beating :: pounding
one on repeat. one that's new.
Life ain't always beautiful
Sometimes it's just plain hard
Life can knock you down, it can break your heart
Life ain't always beautiful
You think you're on your way
And it's just a dead end road at the end of the day
But the struggles make you stronger
And the changes make you wise
And happiness has its own way of takin it's sweet time
No, life ain't always beautiful
Tears will fall sometimes
Life ain't always beautiful
But it's a beautiful ride
(from "Life Ain't Always Beautiful", Gary Allan)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Well you know those times
When you feel like there's a sign there on your back
Says 'I don't mind if ya kick me,
Seems like everybody has.'
Things go from bad to worse
You'd think they can't get worse than that
And then they do
You step off the straight and narrow
And you don't know where you are
Use the needle of your compass
To sew up your broken heart...
Well I've been deep down in that darkness
I've been down to my last match
Felt a hundered different demons
Breathing fire on my back
And I knew that if I stumbled
I'd fall right into the trap that they were laying
But the good news is there's angels
Everywhere out on the street
Holding out a hand to pull you back up on your feet
The ones that you've been dragging for so long
You're on your knees
You might as well be praying
Guess what I'm saying
If you're going through hell
Keep on going,
Don't slow down
If you're scared,
Don't show it
You might get out
Before the devil even knows you're there
Yeah if you're going through hell
Keep on moving,
Face that fire
Walk right through it
You might get out
Before the devil even knows you're there...
(from "If You're Going Through Hell", Rodney Atkins)
field of nightmares
well...9 walks in 5 innings. i guess that answered the question of which Josh Beckett would take the ball last night. in case anyone is wondering, that is the most walks allowed in a single game by a pitcher this season. Josh is *such* an overachiever. first, the pitcher with sole rights to the most home runs given up in 2006; now, the most walks given up in a single game. way to go, Josh. *so* glad we signed that big fat contract extension for ya.
how about some GOOD news. ding dong! the Doofy's gone! of course, the Lesser EZ gets brought up less than 2 days later... there must be some kind of EZ-clause stating the minimum number of active EZs on the roster at any given time. i will mind my criticism though, as i would rather this one than the one we finally shook loose of about 117 games too late.
i'd say something about tonight's game but...what's the point. i'll be watching the Sox lose, as is the norm these days. at least i (shhhhh...don't tell!) like Moose, so watching him win isn't quite so stomach-turning.
oh! one parting thought for Useless EZ: hey Javy! Wily Mo has something for you for the next time you get the nod to catch a game (which *thankfully* is NOT tonight and, with any sort of luck, not tomorrow either). he thinks maybe you need this even more than *he* does.
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Friday Fill-in: August 19, 2006
courtesy of Divine Reality
little bit of catching up...
August 18, 2006
My friends are, hands down, the *best* friends in the whole entire world & i am beyond lucky to have them in my life.
I was the first child born to my parents, and because of this i think i have a very strong sense of responsibility.
When I was 16, I had a boyfriend whose mother thought i was the devil incarnate & she went out on a movie date with us & sat in the middle and I'll never forget it!
Plans and schedules are wonderful tools, as long as they are written in pencil & have the built-in flexibility.
I'm happy when things are calm & peaceful.
This weekend, I'm going to do my laundry & the grocery shopping--what? you thought i was going to say something different?!
Augst 11, 2006
Laughter inspired by my friends is my favorite form of therapy.
I wish my blog was a little more cooperative at times, when i am posting, but other than that, i *love* my blog!
If you get my voice mail, you'll hear that i can't get to the phone right now.
My life would be so much easier if it just made sense...
I smell like Vanilla Bean Noel, of course!
Friday is the best day for staying up late.
August 4, 2006
It's a nice day for a .
Might as well face it, I'm addicted to email. LOL!
If I had a sandwich right now, I would eat it.
I need someone, somebody to help me figure this out...
I was thinking about the Red Sox and I was hoping they would have one at least one game yesterday.
And all the roads we have to walk along are so much easier when we realize we don't have to walk alone.
Friday's Feast: August 19, 2006
Feast One Hundred & Seven
Appetizer
What color is your car?
silver
Soup
If you could wake up tomorrow with full training in another occupation and a job in that field, what would it be?
manager of the Boston Red Sox. or half of the NESN Red Sox announcing team.
Salad
How many times in your life have you had the flu (or something similar)?
using Nichole's professional definition, i would have to say i've had the flu 3 or 4 times. i felt like i'd been steamrolled. and it took me a couple of weeks to finally stop moving around like i was 114 years old, my body ached so badly. i've also had pneumonia twice. it's not the flu, but it makes you feel just as close to being considered "the living dead".
Main Course
What is something that has happened to you this week that you didn't expect?
i did something i never should have been able to do & that i didn't think i ever would be able to do. and that i will *never* do again. that's all i am allowed to say about it though, because it it is gone now.
Dessert
How old were you when you had your first kiss?
15.
8 hours and 40 minutes of my life i will never get back
for the love of all that is good & righteous. i don't know what the Red Sox did to so grandly offend the gods of baseball, but the faithful & devoted members of RSN should not have been dragged along that excursion into the depths of hell. i'm not even sure how it was *possible* to lose that badly.
oh, wait. yes, i am.
it's called Jason Johnson & Rudy Seanez in the original 3 hour-55 minute horror flick. the one where the Yankees trounced the Sox to the tune of 12-4. in what warped world do Mark Loretta & Eric Hinkse ("who??", you ask. "not heard this name here before..." well, stand by. getting to that.) get 3 doubles *each*, yet are able to cross homeplate but ONE TIME combined?? and if Javy Freaking Useless Lopez could possibly ever just catch the damn ball, i would be positively THRILLED. i swear to God, Matt Clement could sit behind home plate & take more pitches than Javy the Dud. (that's *dud*, Nichole. not 'dude'. ::giggling::) to quote Chad Finn--i too vow never to take Tim Wakefield or Jason Varitek for granted again. the only two somewhat positive outcomes to this game are that Rudy Seanez pitched in a game that was already so far lost that any damage he did was no worse than continuing to beat a spider with a shoe after you've already squashed it dead...and finally there is mercy & after being pulled from the game & sent to the showers, Jason Johnson is no longer in the Boston rotation.
so fine. they dropped the first game. did i really expect to win a game that JJ started? no. why would i? he did not have one single solitary win as a Red Sock.
i never ever thought there could really be a sequel though. and the Red Sox came out strong, scoring runs in each of the first 5 innings in the night game. i am so confused by the pitching that occured in game two though. what has happened to the once 5-0 rookie sensation?? i know he's only 22 years old & that he has very little experience under his belt & that there will be growing pains, but for cripes' sake! could he just throw a strike every now & then?! it's as if he forget how to locate his pitches all together! or in some more words of Chuck Finn: "Listen, kid: Throw. Thefrigginball. Over. The. Plate." and i am so baffled by the once fearsome Mike Timlin, who of late has apparently spent too much time talkng to the EZs while they hang out in the bullpen, because he sure can give up runs & lose some games these days. i was sufficiently impressed with one Ugly EZ, who must be scared or at least a little shaken up after watching JJ's head roll, because he may have been the most impressive reliever Boston used all day. no, really: 2.1 innings giving up only 2 hits, NO runs, walking 1 but striking out 2. and while he is nowhere near the formidable pitcher he was in 2004, it was good to see Keith Foulke step out onto the field & do some pitching, not giving up any ground to the Yankees either. it was a rough welcome-back outing, but his performance is nothing to be ashamed of. now if only he won't come up with back spasms today... the one other positive from game two? i think Joe Torre used up his entire bullpen in that game. i fact, some of them were called out in BOTH games. maybe they will be too tired to shut the Sox down by the end of this series.
and let's not forget that they couldn't make this a quick kill to mercifully end the misery. they decided to take the encore presentation a full 4 hours & 45 minutes in length, making it the longest 9-inning game in MLB history. brings new meaning to "slow & painful death".
so. 2 games lost already out of this 5 game series. the Red Sox fall to a distasteful...oh, who am i kidding...*painful* 3.5 back in the AL East. i am scarred & beaten down & pretty close to hopeless right now as a fan. and we get to do it all over again barely more than 12 hours after the last game ended. not to mention, i'm scared of today's matchup. who knows which Josh Beckett & Randy Johnson will show up to pitch today?? i have to say, i don't have much confidence that the gods will smile on Boston today after what transpired yesterday.
one *very* good thing that i promised earlier to come back to:
welcome to Boston, Eric Hinske! you've secured your spot in the hearts of RSN with quite a debut. we don't standing-O just anyone on their third ever at-bat in a Red Sox uniform. but i'll tell you right up front: you look like you belong here, you act like you belong here, heck your name even *sounds* like you've always been here & i am as happy to have you on this team as you are to be here. welcome aboard...and please *please* help us start bailing water out of this sinking ship...
since no one will shoot me (and believe me, i've asked...hell, i've *begged*), i will be the one watching the game as follows. someone tell me when it's over...
Friday, August 18, 2006
sharing du jour: August 18, 2006
song of the day: "Ever the Same", Rob Thomas
quote of the day: "Love me when I least deserve it, because that is when I need most." (Swedish proverb)
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Dawn's Thursday Thirteen, edition 11: Randomness
1) i drink anywhere from 75-100 ounces of water a day.
2) i have a "baby" brother that is almost 22 years younger than me.
3) both of my parents are on their third marriages.
4) for the first time in my adult life, i *love* my job. LOVE.
5) i have a folder in "my Favorites" called "morning". i visit these bookmarked sites every single day while i eat my breakfast.
6) i have never been further west than Louisiana; my grandparents visted all 48 of the contiguous United States.
7) i prefer to write in black ink. i carry 2 pens with me. if someone hands me a pen with blue ink, i will use one of my own pens. unless i start writing before i realize the ink is blue--can't write in 2 different color inks on one page!!
8) as much as i love football, i have never attended a live NFL game & i don't ever want to. i would much rather watch from the comfort of my own home, where i can see everything up close & there's no one spilling beer on me or trampling me in a drunken haze.
9) i haven't taken a single photo since August 5th.
10) i hate shoe-and-purse-shopping. (i know! i know!)
11) i am a creature of: habit. ritual. tradition. organization.
12) if you want to make me really cranky: disrupt my schedule. write on my calendar. mess with one of my lists.
13) this is NOT to say that i cannot be: laid back. spontaneous. flexible.
Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
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Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Ten on Tuesday: August 15, 2006
10 Things I Hate Doing
1. saying goodbye
2. cleaning the shower
3. throwing up
4. feeling like i am not in control of myself
5. HazMat reports
6. crying in front of (almost) anyone
7. disappointing people
8. being late
9. accepting help
10. riding any sort of amusement ride that involves dropping or the simualtion thereof
Are You More: August 15, 2006
more meme catching up...just because i feel like it. ;-)
Week 88
Are you more...
01) Pleasantly surprised that I got another AYM out today or disappointed that I left it go for too long? pleasantly surprised (yet look how long it took me to get to this lol...)
02) An investor looking for quick, big gains or an investor looking for good performance over the long haul? good performance over the long haul
03) Sand trap or water hazard? lalalalalalalala...no golf...lalalalalalalala
04) One who prefers that the hot dog wiener be the exact same length as the bun or one who prefers that the hot dog wiener be a little bit longer than the bun? it all tastes the same to me but i guess the same length
05) A fan of Superman or a fan of Batman? Batman
06) Into working out in a gym or working out in your home? in my home please
07) An underwater swimmer or an above water swimmer? no swimmer! i am so not a water person. i can swim if i must but i would much prefer not to.
08) More likely to go and see a play/musical at a theatre or more likely to go and hear an orchestra at a stadium/music hall? theatre!
09) Ruthless or spineless? spineless for a long time...but it turns into ruthless when i am pushed too far
10) A person who takes vitamins/supplements every day or a person who relies on getting your vitamins/minerals from your food alone? i mostly eat pretty healthy so i don't take any vitamins or supplements. i did when i worked in daycare though.
Week 89
Are you more...
01) One who feels the sound of the song should garner an emotional reaction or one who feels the message of the song should garner an intellectual reaction? i am all about the emotion when it comes to music
02) A person who'll spend $10 to see a blockbuster movie on the big screen now or a person who'll spend $5 to see a blockbuster movie at home when it comes out on pay tv/dvd? i *would* see a movie in the theatre but i never seem to see it till it comes out on dvd
03) Lord Of The Rings or The Chronicles Of Narnia? never saw any of the movies, but i did *read* The Chronicles of Narnia & loved them!
04) Bubble wrap for package protection or foam peanuts for package protection? bubble wrap! bubble wrap!
05) Plastic wrap (the clingy kind) or waxed paper? plastic wrap
06) Drinking water from a glass or drinking water from a bottle? i will drink from either & do!
07) Someone who would refuse to do business with a hate-oriented group or someone who would do business with them but hold your nose while doing it? refuse. we have enough problems without piling on hate.
08) A believer in freedom of speech or a believer in freedom of association? speech
09) One who loves labels or one who hates labels? depends. labeling boxes? love it. labeling people? hate it.
10) Chronically early for parties or chronically late for parties? early. i like to help out with whatever needs to be done. =)
Week 90
Are you more...
01) Macho or swishy? swishy? *swishy*?? i have no idea what that is supposed to imply. but i am certainly not macho either!!
02) Talker or listener? listener
03) Intelligent or artistic? ummmm...artistic maybe?
04) Carnivore or herbivore? i am an equal opportunity eater ;-)
05) A recycling nut or one who doesn't recycle much if at all? ::hangs head:: not much at all. not since moving to FL anyway. they made it so much easier in CT.
06) Nature-lover or cleanliness-lover? what?? what do these have to do with each other? i am going to go with cleanliness though. certain past experiences have made me a little OCD...
07) Elvis or The Beatles? Elvis, i suppose
08) The Brady Bunch or The Partridge Family? Brady Bunch
09) Gilligan or the Skipper? hehehe Gilligan!
10) A seeker of truth no matter how ugly or a seeker of beauty even if it's false? truth please. always truth.
Week 91
Are you more...
01) Banjo for the fun, danceable sound or violin for the soulful, spirit-lifting sound? violin
02) Bus/subway for cheapness and ecological responsibility or cab for door to door convenience? how about neither! i always seem to drive myself!
03) Paper grocery bags for the capacity and biodegradableness or plastic grocery bags for the convenience and reusability? plastic please. they double as garbage bags for my office & bathroom trash cans.
04) Liking fruit that you peel (bananas, oranges, etc.) or fruit that you don't peel (apples, pears, etc.)? don't peel! ::shudder:: bananas...yuck
05) Expensive 3-ply kleenex or discount 2-ply kleenex? 3-ply! my nose thanks me!
06) Super soft toilet paper to be cushy on your widdle bum or rough, no-nonsense toilet paper to be sure to get your dirty asshole clean? super soft Quilted Northern...and i'll spare why i have this preference =P
07) Watching fake wrestling (WWE, for example) for the kitchy drama or watching real fighting (boxing, UFC, etc.) for the realness? none! if i want violence, i'll watch football!
08) Coy about telling people what you want when asked ("Oh I don't need anything.") or upfront about telling people what you want when asked ("I would LOVE a new watch.")? i don't know that i'm coy. i just hate being asked at all! not to be confused with the relaxed & happy answer of "whatever..." =)
09) Believing NASA is amazing for inventing the Space Pen (works in no gravity) or believing NASA is stupid for not doing like the Russians who just use pencils? amazing! sometimes it's good to push the envelope! plus...i have a thing for good writing implements.
10) A Spanky fan or an Alfalfa fan? i have zero preference at all. i didn't watch much Little Rascals.
sharing du jour: August 15, 2006
song of the day: "Interstate Love Song", Stone Temple Pilots
quote of the day: "Love comes when manipulation stops; when you think more about the other person than about his or her reactions to you. When you dare to reveal yourself fully. When you dare to be vulnerable." (Dr Joyce Brothers)
not so sure what THAT was supposed to accomplish...
...except maybe an exercise in how NOT to play a baseball game when you're trying to stay in the pennant race. =P
i think i will just make some direct notes to some specific people & leave it at that. not really fair to direct your fury at innocent parties...
1. dear Josh: ya know...just because you got a contract extension does *not* mean that you can just let your pitching go all to hell. get your GAME on boy! figure out what your freaking control issues are, hit your location & stop with the fast ball already! they know it's coming. yes, they do. you can't win a game doing nothing but attempting to blow heat by them because when they connect, they're killing you. i know that you see people like Matty, sitting around & getting paid anyway, but you have to take a ball in the head before you can do that without people taking it poorly...and then there are JJ & the EZs, who continue to get paid to lose games for us, but for crying out loud Josh! you're supposed to be the ace when Schill retires...and this is not stepping up, my friend.
2. dear Tito: listen, all of RSN was stunned to see Rudy pitch a great first relief inning. that being siad, NO ONE thought he should come back out & tempt fate with another. we all knew it was a fluke. how come you can't figure this out?? one good inning from an EZ is a gift. sit him down & bring in someone else. there was no chance he could pitch two innings without burying the team in a bigger run deficit. for crying out loud. i keep asking if Javy Lopez was ever a ML catcher before this, but i'm starting to wonder--did YOU ever manage a ML team before?? my request: please remove your lumpy head from the orifice in which it hides during a game & make a SMART decision when calling on your bullpen. PLEASE.
3. dear DeMarlo: MANNY CAN'T FREAKING RUN!! even *he* thought you were crazy.
4. dear Javy: this is a catcher's mitt. this is a baseball. we need you to catch the baseball in the mitt when the pitcher (that's the guy on the pile of dirt over there) throws it to you. are you *sure* you've done this before?
5. dear Doofy Seanez: WTF?! are you wearing pinstriped underwear or something? jeeeeez...
6. dear Papi: i say this with much love & adoration because you have saved us *so* many times. but Big Guy Whom We Love, your day off was Sunday, not Monday. please show up to hit tonight. *please*.
sincerely,
RSN-FL (face down in the desk where she landed after the final *thud*)
Monday, August 14, 2006
Monday Madness: August 14, 2006
brought to you by Monday Madness
Monday, August 14, 2006
1. How many "people" pictures do you have displayed in your house?
right now? two. both of the ever adorable Little Miss Baby Girl. there will be more. eventually...
2. How many times a month/year do you rearrange your furniture?
i just moved! not at all! LOL
3. Do you check your email every day? If so, how many times a day?
::picks self up off of floor from laughing:: it is open. all day long. i check it every time it tells me there is a new message. which is...a LOT.
4. How often do you generally look at a clock/watch on any given day?
ummmm...probably once during every waking clock hour at some point. a lot of my job is dependent on the clock. when i am looking forward to something, i tend to check every 10-15 minutes. and when i am enjoying myself, not at all...
5. How do you handle telemarketer phone calls?
here is where it is good to have the receptionist hat. i can actually make up excuses about why *I* can't take a phone call!! LOL and i have the special privilege of fielding telemarketer phone calls at work too. i tell you...nothing is sacred.
i wouldn't trade being a Sox fan for the world
the Sox are out of it. they're 3 games back from first place in the AL East & their season is over now. pack it up. might as well go home. right? RIGHT??
HA!! my boys. back they come. one game at a time. they sure are scrappy. i like that about them. they go out there, bruised, bleeding, criticized & beaten down...and they keep on playing. they know that there will be slumps & that the only way out of it is to keep playing through it. i would rather have them "slump" (and by "slump", i mean take a 5 game losing streak while plagued with a heap of key injuries) & get it out of the way than to have to worry about it the closer we inch to the post season. because it always comes...
i know it's "just" the Orioles, the lowly 4th place AL East rival, who have struggled for something like their last 17 games against the Red Sox, winning only one. but Boston just swept them & got their game on at home. what better way to go into a series against the Tigers, right?! high off a hard-earned victory & a beautiful comeback at that. (for anyone wondering right now, these two teams faced each other one other time in 2006, in Detroit, and the Sox took 2 of 3.) after that comes the 5-game home stand against the Yanks. and remember, no matter what happens between now & then, all bets are off when those two teams square off. (wondering now who has the edge for 2006? well both teams are 2-2 at Fenway & 3-3 in New York. yep. dead even.)
but all that is looking ahead & we know that isn't possible right now, i am going to bask in the glow of a sweep. and a game yesterday that showed the character of the 2006 Red Sox: don't count 'em out till the last out is called because they are notorious for clawing their way back out of a hole to leave you standing there with your mouth hanging wide open, wondering what just hit you.
speaking of hits? how better to enjoy a win than on a Lowell grand slam, a 3-run Youk long ball & Dougie's third solo shot in 3 consecutive starts (over 4 games though because he didn't play on Friday; Javy did).
and after a nail-biter of a 9th inning, Mike Lowell (whose performance, i believe, some people were worried about?!) grabbed a game-ending Melvin Mora hit. i love Papelbon's appreciation for his infield getting him out of a huge jam. i love the way this team appreciates each other & works like a perfectly tuned machine (as long as you don't bring in JJ or a bullpen EZ!)
ahhhhh...there is very little more exciting than being a Sox fan. i wouldn'
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Unconscious Mutterings: August 13, 2006
Week 184
I say ... and you think ... ?
Kim :: Basinger
Designate :: -d driver
Liner :: eye
Weed :: dandelion
Infusion :: transfusion
Nutritious :: healthy
Favorites :: bookmarked
Transform :: change
42 :: Jackie Robinson's jersey number, the only number retired by every team in MLB
Sunday afternoon :: grocery shopping
Saturday, August 12, 2006
how much things change in one week
one week ago, it was my incredible fortune to have this view watching batting practice with a very good friend, seeing the Red Sox live for the first time in 15 years. this week, i had to listen to the game online because it wasn't the game that was aired on FOX.
one week ago, i was close enough to get photos like this from my seat. this week, i am the only one still in Florida.
one week ago, i appear to have an unhealthy preoccupation with Youk's backside. =P this week, i am laughing about it still. ok. so i guess that hasn't much changed, other than i am not looking at his backside. actually, i swear i wasn't even then, but when you sit behind home plate, this is the side of the players you see the most, ya know?
one week ago, we were hopeful for a win from Boomer that ended up being the first of 5 straight crushing blows against the worst two teams in baseball. this week, Sox fans are back in Fenway, back to winning & back within 2 games of The Evil Empire, despite all the naysayers claiming the season was over. it's August & these are the Red Sox. nobody's season is over yet.
one week ago, the Red Sox were so beat up & injured that we saw Big Papi play first base. this week, the boys are mending & one by one, moving back into their usual roles on the field.
one week ago, i was learning just how disturbing a place The Trop can be with sights like this...and a mascot of undeterminable origin (or relation to anything *I* have ever seen in the ocean, for that matter), dancing suggestively on the roof of the Red Sox dugout & mooning the crowd...and the ever obnoxious "more cowbell". this week, i sit in my house, where it is virtually silent & the craziest thing in my view is this photo.
one week ago, even this could not save not the day. this week, he wins it with a walk-off single in extra innings.
one week ago, i had no idea just how "this" things would get. this week, i may have strained something as a result of all the dancing & cheering & fist-pumping i have done in 2 days.
so much changes in one week when you stop to reflect. one week ago. one short week ago. and so many things are closer than they were.
exercise alternative anyone?
the average-size 2 year old burns 7.2 claories during a 10 minute tantrum. that would be the same number of calories a 145-pound woman burns in one minute on a stair machine. hmmmmmm...
Read more...despair? what despair?
i'm fumbling for what to say about last night's game. if a crystal ball had told me that there would be a standing ovation for David Wells as he left the field, i would have sighed & said i would take a performance from him that would just keep the Sox in the game. if you recall, it was here, with Wells, that the horror show of a five-game slide began. and now he went into the 7th before giving up a run. and these boys who looked so disenchanted & trampled only a day ago roared to life.
enough David Wells though. because the heart & soul of this game belongs to none other than Mike Lowell. Mike Lowell, who was *conditional* for getting the Josh Beckett deal. Mike Lowell, who had trade rumors swirling around him like trash on the streets of New York City. Mike Lowell, who was accused of being washed up since the All Star Break.
Mike Lowell, who took a pitch in the head, went down & then got back up, claimed his helmet & his base & the hearts of RSN. i heard it happen (i was listening to the game online) & my heart stopped, my stomach lurched into my throat & all i could think, after praying that he was ok, was "please no...not another Red Sox player with ball-to-the-head nightmares. not another man fallen to injury when we *just* got him back. not this man who has already become such an integral part of this ball club..." but after a few minutes sprawled in the home plate dirt & some medical assessment, up he got & the game went on...
...to be the Mike Lowell show. falling into the stands to make a catch. he got a hit & an RBI. he stole third base (coming off of foot injuries mind you!) & scored a run. he just plain did it all. after taking a ball in the side of the head. and all with a sense of humor:
In the top of the third, Lowell went hard over the wall to catch Nick Markakis' popup, falling into the seats over the short wall along the third-base line and landing in front of a man with a Yankees cap. "I saw that," Lowell said afterward. "I actually gave him three baseballs between innings because I saw on the replay he moved back out of the way. So I gave him three balls, I wrote, 'Next time, catch me."' (FoxSports.com)
highlights of The Mike Lowell Show--his head-plunking & head-over-heels catch--can be viewed here under the August 11 archives for anyone interested.
i'm just sorry there wasn't one of this because i would have loved to witness it:
David Ortiz added some comic relief in the sixth when he doubled to left-center and then, while standing on second, got spun around trying to avoid the throw back to the infield. Ortiz then broke into a pose similar to the one-legged crane from the film "The Karate Kid" cracking up the Orioles' infield. (FoxSports.com)
and so, just like Mike Lowell, as he collected himself & headed down the first base line, the Red Sox dusted themselves off from a road trip that needs to be left behind, and they blew a 9-2 victory wide open to start fresh.
my sincere thanks to the Anaheim Angels (don't *even* correct me!!) for winning at Yankee Stadium last night & allowing the Red Sox to start their ascent back toward the top. anyone want to spout off some more wisecracks about how Boston should have acquired Corey Lidle, who pitched 4 innings & was the losing pitcher for New York, blaming a stomach virus & saying he didn't feel well?
JJ gets the ball this afternoon. he's been inching closer & closer to his first win as a Red Sock. i've done a lot of criticizing, Jason, but i promise to let bygones be bygones if you can just make it happen today...
Friday, August 11, 2006
please make it stop...
this can't go on. "this" being:
INJURIES
they are not the Red Sox anymore. they are the Walking Wounded. i'm surprised they can find 9 healthy guys to actually take the field on any given night. oh. wait. they *can't*...half the guys on the field are just sucking it up & playing hurt. if you count the photos here, that is six...SIX!!! key players who have been hurt in a very short period of time. one of whom just happens to be the Captain, followed just *days* later by his back up. there were THREE catchers behind the plate for the Red Sox in the last week that had no experience with our pitching staff. pitching doesn't work very well if the pitcher can't communicate with his catcher. and for all the learning of picthing styles & signs & what a pitcher is going to throw in a certain situation, you might as well have had two guys playing together who spoke entirely different languages. how can a pitcher relax & pitch when he doesn't even know if the guy is going to CATCH it??
then we have things like Trot's bicep...
Lowell, King of All Things Double, who decided to foul balls off of BOTH his feet...
Loretta, who (contrary to what that photo *looks* like) took a pitch in the elbow & couldn't feel two of his fingers for several hours...(hmmmm...NICE forearms there...i digress. back to the task at hand.)
AND our #3 pitcher who pitched through a stress fracture in his ribs until he could not take it anymore & had to be put on the DL. we won't even talk about the mess that has tried to be his fill-in...or the other starting pitcher who has head...errr "arm" troubles.
THE PITCHING
i am not too sure what is going on here--i mean, i know there have been some bats. they've scored some runs (not without stranding twice as many, i will admit). at any rate, though it has been an issue at tims this season, it's not like the hitting hasn't been happening at all recently. but when you lose 5 straight, folks, that means that every. single. one. of your starting pitchers has LOST. *consecutively*. from Boomer, who has come back & can't find his groove--or apparently even show a *little* bit of effort at fielding a ball that might, oh i don't know, roll RIGHT OVER THE MOUND BETWEEN HIS FEET?!?
or the ace, the go-to guy, the SAVIOR WITH THE BLOODY SOCK, who decided that last night would be a good time to serve up a double for every strike out...
or The Kid, who seems to have lost his command & only makes half his pitches hit the target...
or Beckett, who has become his own Home Run Derby. not to mention the one & only Jason Johnson, who has yet to collect a single W as a Red Sox starter.
of course maybe if there was a bullpen that could be relied on in a jam (aren't they all jams lately??)... the first two speak for themselves--the EZs: UGLY in every sense of the word...
and Doofy aka "i will give up a run every time you bring me out of the pen"
the other guys are young & apparently all slumping together, with ERAs twice as high as they were coming into the All Star Break. (damn that break!!) Keith Foulke, The Man back in 2004, when everything came together, is nursing a broken heart & a wounded spirit. and even "set-'em-up & shut-em'-down" has become:
Watch It Go...
...and Blow Back-to-Back Saves
THE LACK OF EFFORT
we can't even talk about impeccable fielding anymore. all the injuries melted down to Papi on first base, where he made an error that led to 4 unearned runs--which, incidentally, were the 4 runs the Rays won by in that game. and Coco Crisp has suddenly forgotten how to catch a ball out there in center. Manny is playing shallow & just letting everything fly over his head...
and then there's Javy Lopez, who i suspect is a minion of Satan Steinbrenner, financially compensated to come in & not only refuse to actually hit the ball, but tell me, is he REALLY a Major League catcher with experience?? because it doesn't look like he has ever been behind a plate, calling a REAL game. how do they expect a pitcher to do HIS job when the guy he most needs to rely on looks like he was pulled off the street & handed gear?!
MANAGEMENT
or lack thereof. 'nuff said.
BOTTOM LINE
3 games back is not an insurmountable obstacle, IF they start hacking away at it *now*. which would mean not ending every game looking like this:
or we will end up looking like this in October.
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