Friday, August 31, 2007

Friday Fill-in: August 31, 2007



Friday Fill-in #35

1. The last time someone flirted with me i would be willing to bet i was so clueless, i didn't even know it.
2. I am SO glad that Nichole's schedule allowed her to be off this weekend so i could spend some quality time with her!
3. Where in the world is the Red Sox offense?!
4. Long weekends are perfect for extending one's vacation by an extra day.
5. Coming up next: NFL in less than a week!
6. I adore the weather in Southern California.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to my first visit to Angel Stadium, tomorrow my plans include DISNEYLAND! (so i've been told anyway) and Sunday, I want to do whatever it is Nichole has on my itinerary for us to do, but i've got no idea what that would be -- LOL!

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And I Quote: August 31, 2007

"Some people beleive, without history, our lives amount to nothing. At some point, we all have to choose. Do we fall back on what we know? Or do we step forward to something new? It's hard not to be haunted by our past. Our history is what shapes us, what guides us. Our history resurfaces time after time after time. So we have to remember that the most important history is the history we're making today."

(Meredith Grey on "Grey's Anatomy")

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nothing to see here.



moving rapidly along.

i intend to forget that series ever happened.

back to the friendly confines of Fenway. where we'll hopefully remember how to hit the ball. and score some runs. with our five-game lead. ::deep breaths::

all my hope is being placed on Wakey. right now that feels like the safest place to be. i need something feel-good. Wake sitting atop the stats with the first seventeenth win of the season in all of MLB would soothe the last three days.

maybe i shouldn't count my chickens before they hatch...

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Friday's Feast: August 31, 2007



Feast One Hundred & Fifty Eight

Appetizer
Who is the easiest person for you to talk to?

there are a few people i can talk to easily. those very special people who are part of the "circle of trust." they know who they are. =) they each bring something unique by having theor own perspectives & thoughts that i respect a great deal. they each "handle" me differently, because they *are* different from one another. i couldn't possibly value one over another. i need them all for exactly who they are.

Soup
If you could live in any ancient city during the height of the quality of its society and culture, which one would you choose?

i'm not sure how well I would do with "ancient." part of me is tempted to say Venice, because it seems romantic. but i think i would be moe curious about a city in Germany or maybe Russia...

Salad
What is the most exciting event you’ve ever witnessed?

it's completely trivial, but the only thing popping to mind right now: the Red Sox winning the 2004 World Series, and seeing it unfold was pretty intense and exciting. i don't know if it's the *most* exciting thing but its the one that sticks most recently in my mind.

Main Course
If you were a celebrity, what would you do for a publicity stunt?

i wouldn't. because i wouldn't be a celebrity. i am private & quiet, and i only reveal what i want to. i hate being a spectacle. i hate the spotlight, being the center of attention. i couldn't deal with the fishbowl existence of being a celebrity.

Dessert
What do you consider the ideal age to have a first child?

for me? 28-32. closing in on the end of that in the next year or so though, so i guess i will have to take what i can get, if & when it arrives huh? ;-)

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Thursday, August 30, 2007

they're killing my soul



not good. not good at all. Captain Kick Ass did not lead us to a rousing victory.

we lost the one game i thought we would win in this series.

and they killed me slowly, inning by painful inning.

this afternoon, we put all our trust in Schill. our stopper, once upon a time. our go-to man, when all else failed. i hope he can reach back through the sands of time and channel 2004 Schill or we're going to suffer being swept... and the media howling that will follow.

and then there's Manny with a strained oblique... going into September... and no, i do not think he's faking it. not now. not when we're winning. not when he's just started performing. ::gulp::

the lucky Trot Nixon jersey will be worn today. please let us be holding our lead at six games when it's all over...

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And I Quote: August 30, 2007

"Baseball is a game where a curve is an optical illusion, a screwball can be a pitch or a person, stealing is legal and you can spit anywhere you like except in the umpire's eye or on the ball."

(Jim Murray)

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Wednesday, August 29, 2007

not what i was hoping to hear when i got off the plane



i can only surmise that the Sox revolted against my not watching the game, and punished me by losing.

but... still seven games up.

Joshy vs the Yankees 89 year old starter. errr... i mean our league-leading ace vs his childhood baseball hero. =P

go Sox!
please?

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And I Quote: August 29, 2007

"There's no such thing as steady ground. That's why the buddy system exists. It's important to find people you can trust. Someone you know will pull you out of whatever hole you fall into. You can throw a line out to anyone, but it's up to them to catch it and hold on. In the end, you have to let yourself be tied to someone else. It's the only way we'll make it."

(Marin Frist on "Men in Trees")

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View From Along the Broken Road: August 29, 2007


Magic Kingdom, August 2007

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Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Sing Along: August 28, 2007

I'm going to the place
Where love and feeling good don't ever cost a thing.
("Home," Daughtry)

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And I Quote: August 28, 2007

"Jumping for joy is good exercise."
(unknown)

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Tuesday Twosome: August 28, 2007



Canned Meat

1. Do you check your email once a day or more? Explain:
i check it countless times per day. when i am at work, i am always near my computer. at home, i just always have my email open, and my apartment is small enough that i can either hear or see it when new mail arrives. so, basically, unless i'm out, i check it anytime new mail is delivered.
2. When you receive SPAM emails, do you just delete them or take the time to mark it as SPAM? Explain:
95% of my SPAM lands in my junk folder anyway. the few that slip through are always marked as SPAM. i hate SPAM, the email kind and the "meat."
3. When a friend/acquaintance emails you a “forward” email like a joke or chain letter, do you forward it to your friends or just delete it? Explain:
it has to be *really* good for me to forward it.
4. Who are two people whose emails you look forward to receiving? Explain:
i can't pick just two. i look forward to almost all the email that i receive!
5. Do you believe that email has completely replaced other forms of communication?
no, not completely. it's quick, easy & convenient, but there is still a purpose for phone calls and snail mail.

Pop-Up

What TWO things come to mind when you think of:

The Zoo
elephants. lions.
The Beach
sunscreen. ocean.
The Mall
crowds. Christmas shopping.
The Weekend
relaxtion. church.
The News
depressing. weather.

When it is hot outside...

Two refreshing drinks:

water. lemonade.
Two places that are always cool (home, mall, work, etc.):
the office at work. the walkway outside the side entrance to MouseGear at Epcot.
Two ways you keep cool:
turn up the a/c. have a popsicle.
Two items of clothing/shoes that are a must (tank tops, shorts, etc.)
tank tops. capris.
Two places you’d go on vacation to to get away from the heat:
pretty much any place north of me. =P

What you didn't know about me...

Two nicknames that friends and family call me:

Nonny. D.
Two items of clothing I would never get rid of:
my Trot Nixon Red Sox jersey. my favorite ehitr Adidas track pants with the yellow stripes.
Two movies that I can watch over and over again:
As Good As It Gets. Ocean's Eleven.
Two people that have influenced me the most:
the *most*?? my Gram. my Dad.
Two goals/dreams I hope to fulfill in my lifetime:
have a child. visit all the Disney parks.

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Monday, August 27, 2007

authorblog asks: August 27, 2007

this week David asks:
Do you believe in ghosts?

tough to say. i have no personal experience with such things -- and i can't say i am upset about that. my cousins, who i am relatively certain aren't of questionable sanity, swear they lived with one. they say his name was Eddy. he wore a red & black plaid shirt, and suspenders held up his pants. he would hang out mostly in the front room of the house, looking out the window, as if waiting for or watching for someone. they didn't say he ever moved things, but that sometimes the lights would flicker when he was in the room. he seemed not to pay much attention to my older cousin, just sort of accepted her being around, but he didn't seem fond of her younger sister. once he frowned at her & bared his teeth! oh, and lest you think they were children with vivid imaginations, they were both well into their twenties when this occurred!

so... do i believe in ghosts? i've never seen one. but that doesn't mean they don't exist. i believe in many things i cannot see. i believe that many things are possible. and i believe that there are many mysteries in this world that we cannot explain. it's easy to discount that which we do not understand, but inability to comprehend does not boil down to impossibility.

bottom line: i think i believe in their possibility more than in their specific existence... and i am also quite all right with not knowing for sure.

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the best Sox off-day ever.



SATURDAY'S GAME
1. i didn't realize the Red Sox had improved to second best fielding percentage in the American League!

2. i just love saying this: Mike Lowell has the best fielding percentage for a third baseman -- of all time!

3. ok, one more stat & then i'll stop: Pedroia Pocket is the second toughest guy to strike out in the American League! how's that for something i never saw coming, right up there with his third best team batting average.

4. Tim McCarver finally said something worth hearing (hey, it was bound to happen sometime, with the odds of probability & all) about pitching the knuckleball: "you need the fingers of a safe cracker and the zen of a Buddhist to throw it."

5. not only does he just seem able to pitch into infinity, but ageless Wakey sprinted to catch a foul pop for an out in the fifth inning.

6. observation: Bobby Kielty is the anti-WMP.

7. still loving Cash catching Wake.

8. Uribe (for the Other Sox) has a really uncomfortable looking batting stance.

9. it feels like Christmas that the Red Sox actually managed to bring bats three games in a row.

10. Yankees win. steady at six-and-a-half games in the AL East.

SUNDAY'S GAME
1. this was the first game of the series i was forced to watch WGN. MLBtv showed NESN for both Friday games. Saturday was on FOX. someone needs to get these announcers a pronunciation cheat sheet. Julian opts to use the J in his name, so it's said the way it looks, not HOO-lian. and it's pronounced "Kelty" (the way he said it when he read the line up on Saturday & introduced himself), not "Key-elty."

2. one more thing: i feel the need to point out that in an all Sox series, you can't really say "the Sox" & expect it to be definitive. for instance "leading off in the Sox half of the inning..." yeah ummm... one would imagine. =P

3. about time JD Drew hit a home run & earned a little bit of that disgustingly large contract...

4. ...ya know, something like Kielty, who has been a big-league Red Sock for all of a week and already hit a home run. maybe *he* would like to play right field for us...?

5. four appearances now without a run given up! go Gagne! =)

6. (not rubbing it in Dan, i promise...) i am stunned the Red Sox scored double digits in four consecutive games. i didn't think our offense had it in them this season, never mind the ability to score late in games. offense finally coming together? please?

7. Yankees lose. seven-and-a-half. Sox off Monday, but the Yankees give it one more go-round in Detroit. worst case scenario, we meet in the Bronx with seven games between us.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

so. tomorrow i get on a plane & head West for my vacation. i will miss game one of the Sox-Yankees series. i *never* miss a Sox-Yankees game. no doubt, when i land, the first text Nichole & Daniel will get will inform them that i have landed safely, and the next will ask what happened in the game. (and the best part is, they totally get why this is *that* important!) the people sitting around me will hate me before we even finish our taxi down the runway for take off. the first pitch of the game is scheduled to happen just about the time we begin to board. i'm going to be fidgeting, wondering & agonizing over what's happening in the game, for a five-plus hour flight. the pitching match ups are intense: Matsuzaka/Pettite. Joshy/Rog-ah. Schill/Wang. *anything* can happen.

please let our pitching stay hot. please let the bats have been packed when we left Chicago. please let the momentum from the weekend carry over. and please let the day off not have done more harm than good.

it helps that the EE just suffered the worst road shut out in their history, 16-0, on get-away night in Detroit. eight games up. eight is a nice number.

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Monday Madness: August 27, 2007



(actually last week's - August 20)
Good Monday to you all! We're going to try something a bit different this week. Thank you for playing my meme, and have a great week! =)

Please fill in the following blanks, to make a compound word:


1. GROUNDhog
2. FIREflies
3. HOUSEguest
4. OVERkill
5. SUNbeams
6. UNDERachiever
7. OUTcry
8. SOMEday

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Sunday, August 26, 2007

One Word Sarcomical Sunday: August 26, 2007

brought to you as always by Sarcomical

One-Word Sarcomical Sunday #12

Here we go again!
For those who are new here, here are the rules:
After you read my responses, go over to
the original post on Sarcomical, copy and paste the entire list into your comment and replace my answers with yours. You can only use ONE word to answer each item, and I know sometimes you find that painful, but we will all get through it together. Don't break the only rule, or I may be forced to ridicule you and point & laugh.

Hoping For: action
Just Finished: packing
Jonesing For: nothing
Most Annoying Brady Bunch Kid: undecided
Word to Describe Your Personal Sense of Style: simple
Last Snack: popsicle
Have Never, Ever Tried: gardening
Last Clumsy Injury: burn
Your Environment: spotless
Daily Object You'd Like to Throw Into Oncoming Traffic: telephone
Favorite Kind of Soup: chowder
Holiday You Don't Typically Celebrate: NYE
Happy To Have: vacation
Want To Start: football
Need To Start: destressing
Last Thing You Purchased: sunscreen
Color of Your Car Interior: grey
Color of the Wall in the Room You're In: cream
Days Since Your Last Night Out: one
Number of Rings On Your Fingers: zero
How Many Minutes It Takes To Do Your Hair: five
Favorite Outdoor Smell: blossoms
Number of Clocks in Your Home (not on appliances): one
Where You Put Spare Change: bucket

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Unconscious Mutterings: August 26, 2007



Week 238

I say ... and you think ... ?

Uneven :: jagged
Wonder :: awe
Spider :: yuck
Emma :: what i would love to name my daughter if i ever have one
Swing:: set
Orbit :: moon
Flirt :: coy
Donation :: charity
Veil :: bride
Atmosphere :: weather

Week 237

I say ... and you think ... ?

Darling :: dear
Majesty :: royalty
Pebble :: in my shoe
Fate :: destiny
Instant :: no wait
Screen :: window
Unplugged :: no power
Dairy :: milk
Benefactor :: wealthy
Market :: farmers

Week 236

I say ... and you think ... ?

Voyage :: journey
Patricia :: cousin
Transformation :: metamorphosis
Vocabulary :: i took an advanced vocab class in high school
San Francisco :: Golden Gate Bridge
Edward :: Scissorhands
Sawyer :: Tom
Literary :: books
Tiger :: stripes
Seal :: eats fish

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Randomness: August 26, 2007

hosted by Randomness

week of june 3: name one of each

1. a movie that made you laugh
"Meet the Fockers"

2. a book that made you cry
"The Notebook"

3. a best friend
Alison

4. a favorite childhood memory
watching Dallas with my grandparents, sitting between them on the couch. Gram used to cover my eyes whenever something ::wink wink nudge nudge:: was happening.

5. your favorite animal
i love to watch the white-cheeked gibbons at Animal Kingdom

6. your favorite food
cheesecake

7. an item of clothing you can't do without
my Trot Nixon Red Sox jersey

8. something you collect
snowflake ornaments

9. your favorite store to shop in
New York & Co

10. your favorite flower
tulips

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Saturday, August 25, 2007

now this is what i call Sox Appeal

second day-night double header in a week. here we go...



Game 1
1. i thought i was losing my mind. (short trip, trust me.) but seriously. i was watching on MLBtv and the away half of the first inning: NESN. the home half: Chicago's station. top of the second: NESN. it finally stayed NESN. hooray!

2. we saw the Ghost of 2006 Joshy >=[ not so much with the Commander Kick Ass performance today -- first run he gave up, he *walked* in, for crying out loud, and then the two-run bomb -- but win number sixteen just the same.

2a. hey Wakey, darling? consider that your silent challenge to keep neck-and-neck with Joshy on your next start, ok? i love that you're right up there on the top of the world.

3. thought i was thankful for Lugo scoring the tying run. turns out he botched a base steal that i didn't see because i was working. so he negated my thanks before he even earned it. JFL, setting new standards every day.

4. i missed a lot of the game because i had to work. and then i had to boat drive home.

5. logged back in just in time to see Tek hit a two-run homer in the ninth to make it 11-3. off Mike Myers. i wonder if it's safe to laugh at a *former* Yankee...?

6. five and a half game AL East lead.

7. jeez... this game took something like three hours and 55 minutes to play??

8. eleven runs on fifteen hits. i hope they saved something for the second game of the doubleheader. if there actually *is* a second game... rain, rain, stay away...

Game 2
1. Pedroia! =) wee second baseman was back! soon soon! and with a vengeance.

2. first hit as a Red Sock for Cash!! and then a double!! 2-for-3, plus a walk, with a run batted in. have i mentioned i love Kevin Cash? don't misunderstand. there's no replacing Dougie in my heart, but at least there's someone like Cash in the wings. (no offense to The Josh Bard Project.)

3. Papi Power! i've missed his multi homer games.

4. in addition to Papi, the Sox brought bats to *both* games! ('scuse me while i scoop my jaw up off the floor.) Manny is producing. Youk looks like he's coming out of his slump. Lowell is staying hot (and *not* going into the second half slump that has plagued him in past seasons). so so SO happy to see our offense starting to do what we've believed it was capable of.
pleasepleaseplease let this be the start of something consistent.

5. Don Orsillo: the Red Sox bullpen has not given up a run today. - i really felt in my gut this would be Gagne's first Sox 1-2-3... and then Don opened his mouth. at least it wasn't a run scored. just a walk that amounted to nothing.

6. sorry Dan.

and there you have it: a day-night sweep. not easy to pull off. i am by no means gloating. i am thankful. and thanks to the Tigers -- so many thanks! -- we are back to being six-and-a-half games up with the EE loss.

Wakey goes for sweet sixteen this afternoon. GO SOX!

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Friday, August 24, 2007

Friday Fill-in: August 24, 2007



Friday Fill-in #34

1. I see
a stack of mail i need to sort through.

2. I hear a monsoon pounding down on the roof.

3. I touch my super soft blankie draped over the side of my couch.

4. I taste Riesling -- mmmmm...

5. I smell my vanilla scented lotion.

6. I sense my need for my approaching vacation increasing by the minute.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to hopefully watching the second game of the Sox-Sox doubleheader, tomorrow my plans include an evening trip to SeaWorld if it doesn't rain and Sunday, I want to do my laundry & start packing for vacation!

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Noah? hey Noah! i want you to build an ark!

my normal 25 minute commute home took nearly an hour today. it was raining so hard, streets were flooding; traffic lights were out; and even with my windshield wipers set to "so-fast-it-looks-like-they-might-just-fly-off" (and let's face it, when you need to use a setting that high, it's really just a futile effort at that pont) i still could only see watery distortions of the vehicles in front of me. half of which did not bother to turn on their headlights. am i the only one who follows the "if your wipers are on, your lights should be too" rule?

and then came the mad dash from car to front door. i don't know why i bothered running. when it's raining this hard, it doesn't matter if you're in it for three seconds or three minutes. you still look like a drowned rat.

now if you'll excuse me, i'm dripping all over my keyboard. i think i need a towel.

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Friday Fun: August 24, 2007

brought to you by Friday Fun

Friday Fives

1. If you could have a day free of responsibility, and money were no object, what are 5 things you would do for yourself?
i notice they didn't say we could neglect the reality of time so... i would make need to check around, to see which one of my friends could free themselves of their responsibilities for the day. then i would:
1. hop on a plane
2. fly to their location
3. ask them to take to me their favorite must-see place to visit in their town (any costs would be on me)
4. ask them to being me somewhere that i could take some awesome photos i couldn't take anywhere else, to memorialize this adventure
5. i would treat us to a long leisurely dinner at their absolute favorite restaurant

2. If you won $5 million, what are 5 things you would do with it?
1. pay off the rest of my bills
2. build a house
3. buy a new car
4. treat my favorite people to an all-expenses-paid WDW vacation
5. invest invest invest

3. If you had only $100 to spend, what five things would you buy?
1. a box of See's chocolates
2. another Sox tee, probably in navy this time, since i only have red ones
3. capture the first two years of my blog in a Blurb book
4. another Disney tee - so many cute ones!
5. "Eyes Open" cd, by Snow Patrol

4. Name 5 books you would recommend to me!
1. "Couplehood," by Paul Reiser (light fluff reading)
2. "Phantom," by Susan Kay (the life story of The Phantom of the Opera - i've read it more than once!)
my brain is empty for some reason. i know there are more, but i can't think of a single one!
3.
4.
5.

5. What are 5 things you wish you knew how to do?
1. carry on small talk with people i don't know
2. retain movie quotes for longer than ten minutes
3. put the past behind me
4. stick a bandaid to the middle of my own back without injuring myself or getting the bandage adhesive on the wound that needs covering
5. get to The Trop for Sox games without getting stuck in crazy traffic

6. Name 5 things you love about yourself.
1. i am really good with children, especially infants
2. i am a good listener
3. i can scout out an awesome deal, if there's one out there to be found
4. i am very low maintenance
5. i can cook

Friday Five Fun

1. What are five TV shows that you love to watch?
1. Grey's Anatomy
2. Men in Trees
3. Boston Legal
4. Friends
5. Ghost Whisperer (i know, i know... LOL)

2. What are the last five books you have read?
1. "Gods of Alabama"
2a. "Wicked," by Gregory Maguire (read two chapters & stopped. awful.)
2. "The Summons," by John Grisham
3. "Nighttime Is My Time," by Mary Higgins Clark
4. "The Fellowship of the Ring"
5. "The Two Towers" (currently reading)

3. Name five friends from your childhood.
1. Heather
2. Chele
3. Jill Ginter
4. Bev Hoadley
5. Heather Mazzaccaro

4. What are your favorite five bath & beauty products?
1. Cleansing Effects Gentle Foaming Cleanser by Skin Effects
2. Preventing Effects Lightweight Moisturizing Souffle SPF 30+ Sensitive Skin by Skin Effects
3. Sun Effects Sunscreen SPF 30 (for daily use) & SPF 60 (for all day out in the sun) by Skin Effects - seeing a theme here! LOL
4. Vanilla Bean Noel lotion from Bath & Body Works - limited edition, made at Christmas only!
5. Soft Lips Lip Protectant/Sunscreen SPF 20 in Vanilla

5. Name five things about you or that you have done in your life that might surprise other people.
1. i may be soft-spoken & generally non-confrontational, but i can stand up for myself when i need to.
2. considering how much i love chocolate & love ice cream, you might be surprised to know that i am not so fond of chocolate ice cream.
3. i used to go to a bar after work three or four times a week. now, granted it was also a restaurant, and i usually ordered food, and i rarely had more than a couple of drinks. it was back when i worked at the car dealership, in the showroom. the "thing" to do was for everyone to head down to Maggie's after working the evening shift, and we'd hang out, drink, eat. this from the girl who hates bars now & barely has more than a couple glasses of wine a month now.
4. i could give up chocolate or ice cream before i could give up WDW or the Red Sox.
5. i taught Sunday School for five years.

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365 days

...has it been a whole year...?

'Cause when push comes to shove
You see what you're made of
You might bend til you break
'Cause it's all you can take
On your knees
You look up
Decide you've had enough
You get mad
You get strong
Wipe your hands
Shake it off
Then you stand.
("Stand," Rascal Flatts)

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Thursday, August 23, 2007

One-Word Sarcomical Sunday: August 23, 2007

yes, it's almost Friday. better late than never. zip it.

brought to you, as always, by Sarcomical.

Did you miss this as much as I think you did?

It's okay to cry a little.

For those who are new here, here are the rules:

After you read my responses,
visit Sarcomical, copy and paste the entire list into your comment and replace my answers with yours. You can only use ONE word to answer each item, no matter how much you want to tell us more. We'll figure it out, especially if you choose perfect words. How's that for pressure?

Your Body Feels: tired

Your Mind Feels: disassociated

The Last Thing You Ate: icecream

Something On Your Desk/Workspace: camera

On Your Chest: spandex

On Your Legs: pjs

On Your Feet: lotion

Favorite Instrument to Hear: piano

Your Last Kiss Happened Here: lips

Something You Wish You'd Invented: dvr

Something You Wish Had Never Been Invented: forms

Favorite Place For a Quiet Afternoon: couch

Right Now You Should Be: sleeping

You Hate When People: placate

You Love When People: appreciate

When In Doubt, Order the: pasta

Band You're Currently Into: Fray

How Many Movies You've Gone to See So Far This Month: one

Your Favorite Big Brother 8 Houseguest (oh shut up, it's my poll - just put N/A if you must): clueless

Your Least Favorite Big Brother 8 Houseguest: uninformed

Your Maternal Grandmother's Name: Juliette

Your First Childhood Pet's Name: deprived

The Number of People in Your Family With Red Hair: none

What You're Thinking about Doing After This: snoozing

What You Really WISH You Were Doing After This: travelling

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see what happens when i have nothing better to do?

so i've been sitting around, waiting for the Sox to play the Sox, or for someone to just put us out of our misery & call the game already. two hours after the scheduled start, still waiting. so i've been wandering around aimlessly online. found these -- though i have *no* idea how i ended up here. i think they are so cool. i wonder if they really work?


Inside each of these glass swirls is a sprinkling of "fairy dust", a special phosphorescent paint that absorbs sunlight by day, and glows by night adding magic and mystery to your landscape. With good exposure to the sun, the glow begins at dusk and typically lasts 2 to 4 hours.

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wanted:

one pillow.
one blanket.
one box of See's.
one glass of wine.
and Sox of the scarlet variety.

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David Ortiz is ready.

(setting the scene: after Tuesday's 8-6 win over the Rays)
Ortiz was still light on his feet after the game, dancing in the buff back and forth in the shower room while singing over and over at the top of his lungs the theme from "Monday Night Football." "Dah-dah-dah-DAH, dah-dah-dah-DAH," sang Ortiz, apparently jacked up that the team's fantasy football draft was about to commence as soon as he could find a towel.

(and in a Wednesday interview on EEI, Francona, talking about the Sox Fantasy Football Draft)
"I had to get up in the middle of the draft and apologize for being so good."

LOL!

now i ask the following:
1. how can you not love the Red Sox clubhouse?
2. how does this not make you want to play Fantasy Football?
3. where did we find these guys??

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Little Bits of Happy: August 23, 2007

...finding out that Nichole will be off the weekend after next, while i am hiding at my West Coast home on vacation, starting the middle of next week! we weren't sure what her schedule would be like when i purchased my (really-too-awesome-to-pass-up price on) airfare, but now we know! and there was much dancing & rejoicing on both coasts.

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And I Quote: August 23, 2007

"If it's turning into an 'either... or', you pick the person you love, end of story. All of this means nothing if you're alone."
(Dr. Miranda Bailey on "Grey's Anatomy")

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pain



this game was so much more painful than just the obvious loss to the D-Rays.

1. for all the anticipatory grinning & hungry lip-smacking we do, worthy of sitting down to a glorious Thanksgiving feast, when we pitch Wakefield against the Rays, at this point they must look forward to seeing Matsuzaka take the mound two days later. between our offense giving him the cold shoulder they used to reserve for Wakey, and the fact that he feels the need to give up two-run homers when he only has a 1-0 lead does not improve the situation. bottom line is that our Hundred Million Dollar Pitcher can't get a win against the worst freaking team in baseball.

2. wee Pedroia took a pitch right off the elbow. the sound it made when it hit him made the one off Lowell seem like he was hit with a rolled pair of socks. Pedroia tried to tough it out, but just the way he was acting at first base, i could see something wasn't right. sure enough, after he scored the Sox lone run on a Mike Lowell sac fly, we didn't see him again. Alex Cora took his spot in the field. x-rays were negative. they say it's just a bruised elbow. but the other side of the coin is that they have no timetable for his return. if you had told me i would say this at the beginning of the season, i would have questioned your sanity: i am confident in Alex Cora to play well at 2B, but i am afraid for our offensive line up without Pedroia's bat.

3. as if one man down wasn't enough, the Rays catcher tried to pick off Hinske & pegged him with the ball. he ended up taking a seat & Kielty took over left field. i'm ok with that, but we cannot afford for this to start happening just as things start heating up. ::huddles in corner, alone, rocking & muttering incoherently::

4. ha! Tek also believes that Coco does better when his hair in cornrowed! the painful part: last night, it wasn't braided.

5. Tito was asked about Youk's nickname, Greek God of Walks. his reply: "I've seen Kevin in the shower. He's not the Greek god of anything." ummm... Tito? ouch. that was just mean.

6. adding insult quite literally to injury, the stupid Yankees just had to win. i liked the number six better than the number five. but i like five better than four.

7. at least our loss wasn't as painful as the one the Orioles were handed: 30-3 to the Rangers. i thought i saw the score wrong. and to make matters worse for Baltimore, it was the first game of a double header. they couldn't even slink back to the hotel bar to forget that game once it was over. they had to come back out for even more abuse.

8. one thing that could have been painful & wasn't: Eric Gagne pitched the eighth. he didn't give up a run. he didn't give up a hit. only a lone walk.

off to Chicago for four games against the Mega Sox. as Surviving Grady once proclaimed: "In Beckett we trust, all others pay cash." dear God, please don't let the Other Sox choose now to start playing better ball...

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Wednesday, August 22, 2007

View From Along the Broken Road: August 22, 2007


Magic Kingdom, August 2007

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sharing Sox

i officially & unashamedly *love* Kevin Cash now:
Wakefield and Terry Francona gave kudos to catcher Kevin Cash, who caught Wakefield in Doug Mirabelli absence (on the disabled list). "I thought he did a great job," said Wakefield. "I was very comfortable with him back there. I knew he would settle down after the first inning (a passed ball)."
Extra Bases

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welcome to late August-into-September, where we pace paths into our carpets, yell at the tv, and buy stock in Tums:
We are now off on our longest road trip of the season that will see us close out with 3 games in NY. The race is now too close to say any series is do or die or any game is more important than any other. At this point in the season if you can’t play every out, inning and game like it’s your last you are headed for early October tee times.
Curt Schilling, "38 Pitches"

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this makes perfect sense (to me anyway) why Gagne does not look like the same pitcher in a Sox uniform:
But anyway, I mean, I get it now. God said, "You guys can have one bad-ass closer and one guy who's good enough that he'd probably be the closer on most other teams, but you can't have three closers. It's greedy." And now we're being punished.

and i knew he caught three straight games, but when you say it like this... ::shakes head in amazement::
Tek: is no spring chicken either, but somehow manages to catch 26 (!!!) innings in 24 hours.
papel-blog

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i wanna keep him forever.
1. The Metro article on the ten-year anniversary of the trade that brought Derek Lowe and Oh Captain Comma My Captain Jason Varitek to the Red Sox included this amazing photograph of 25 year old Tek, who, minus the facial hair, doesn't really look that different than 35 year old Tek. You kind of get the impression that Tek came out of the womb looking about 32, and, of course, telling the obstetrician to get his ass down to first base.


and this just slayed me. sometimes the truth is just plain funny.
6. While on the phone with Katie, I said, "Do you have anything to add about the trade deadline?" And she said, "Not really. The usual." And I said, "Matt Clement?" And she said, "Bucket of balls, your mom, a cup of coffee. Change for a cup of coffee. That dead rat I saw in the street on my way to work today. They're all interchangeable."
papel-blog

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on Rog-ah:
1) Thanks goodness he's finally in the twilight of his career there and not here...

and remember how long that whole Barry* nonsense seemed to take, while we were painfully force fed every single ever loving moment of Bonds when he so much as looked at a baseball bat? i didn't really want to relive it, much less make mention of it in my blog, but that last part about Selig... too could to pass up.
2. I'm not saying this Barry Bonds "chase" is dragging, but by the time he gets to 756, his ubiquitous daughter is going to be married with a family of her own, Greg Anderson will have escaped from Alcatraz or wherever he's rotting away with his misplaced loyalty, and Bud Selig and his snap-on toupee will have long since gone to the great used-car lot in the sky.
Touching All the Bases

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see? glass half full, folks! ;-)
It would also be nice if the offense wanted to get in on the fun and score some damn runs already but honestly, how many times this season can we have that discussion? Doesn't it feel like we're always going, "We have no run support, oh nooooes!" I suppose that's better than, "God, I hate third place," or "You know what would really jazz things up around here? Vests!" So I guess it could always be worse.
Basegirl

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Wakabelli, 4-ever. (except now he has some Kevin Cash, you know... *if*...)
The Sox hold a $4 million option on Wakefield's contract next season. If they exercise it, there will be another option added for the following season. He also has performance bonuses for number of starts.

If Wakefield returns, he said, he hopes Mirabelli will be back as well.

"He'd better," Wakefield said. "I was ticked he wasn't coming back two years ago, and this year he was a free agent. Nothing against Josh [Bard], he did a good job, but he's not Doug."
Extra Bases

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ok, we all know i'm still pulling for Gagne to get it together when we need him most, so even though i think this is a little harsh (fine. it's also true. brutal reality.), but i love this. "Lugo" is now a verb. LOL!
Gagne, who Lugo'd two games for us in this series...
A Red Sox Fan in Pinstripe Territory

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oh yeah... Dougie's little moment of "crap! did i tag up??" i love that my boys have a sense of humor.
How did Doug Mirabelli’s teammates respond after his baserunning blunder cost Boston a run in the sixth when the score was still tied at 3-all?

Well, says manager Terry Francona, every time a fly ball was hit after that, Eric Hinske would offer some good-natured ribbing by yelling, "Tag!"
Surviving Grady

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reality check:
Any other year, we would be giddy with a five-game lead and the best record in baseball, but this season it just isn't enough.
Surviving Grady

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LOL! i miss Remy & Don when i am stuck with road announcers.
"If you have good pitching and good defense, you have a good team. Tampa Bay has neither." (Don Orsillo)
Basegirl

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remember how the Sox lead in the AL East was dwindling from double digits, and lots of Sox fans were convinced the world was ending? how right was Tito?
Tito on the gloom-and-doomers: "People dropping off bridges are going to miss some good baseball. They'd better climb back up."
The Joy of Sox

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Jonathan Papelbon rocks. in case you didn't know.
Nick Cafardo wants you to know that Jonathan Papelbon wants you to know that he's got a new pitch. It's called the slutter: He threw Jonny Gomes a "slutter." That's what Jonathan Papelbon calls his new pitch -- a combination cut fastball and slider.
papel-blog

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and in case that last quote didn't prove it to you, and you need more evidence that Jon not only rocks, but he *rocks*:
Tonight on the postgame show I heard two things which amazed me: the use of the phrase, "Vintage Papelbon", and that Papelbon has saved 30 games for two consecutive seasons, the first time anyone has ever done that in the history of the Red Sox. And he made that mark in grand fashion, getting four outs on four strikeouts. Four filthy, nasty, wonderful strikeouts for our Precious...
Cursed to First

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what a strange game...



1. a double for Youk! a triple for Papi?! and the Sox end up leading 2-0 after half an inning for the second game in a row.

2. oh for crying out loud. Lestah needs to not be giving up what we gave him. 2-2 after one inning in the books. ::sigh:: i am starting to think maybe he feels more comfortable pitching at the Trop when the score is tied. =P

3. ok seriously. what the heck is going on in this game?! David Ortiz just beat out an infield hit?! i must be getting tired & starting to hallucinate.

4. OMG. that ball that ricocheted off Mike Lowell's left hand when he was hit by a pitch in the fourth inning. that was a terrible, *horrible* sound. i am praying that, though he stayed in the game, there are no long term ramifications...

5. so *that* is Andy Sonnanstine. ;-) all kidding aside, he's erratic, but he's young. his pitching is interesting. it's sidearm, which i kind of enjoy, and he's got something there, with that pitch he Kd Manny on. i was kind of tired by the time i got to watch the game (i was hanging out with Michelle at WDW for a bit & i had to record it to watch when i got home!), so i can't quite put my finger on what it is about his pitching that intrigues me a little bit. but there's definitely something.

6. i feel really bad saying this but... Lestah is just not impressing me... he's not the future ace of this staff. he looks to me like a third starter at best. i hope i eat those words one day.

7. you know what *is* impressing me? Sox scored runs in back-to-back games. and now i am going to stop talking about it, in case i scare away the bats. like i mentioned Pedroia Pocket being a virtual Dirt Devil over at second base & now he's suddenly coming up with Es. =/

so. 8-6 Sox. and we've taken the first two games of the series, including one that we faced "easily the best pitcher in the AL since the All Star Break." as it *should* be when the team with the best record in MLB plays the team with the absolute worst record. i hope Matsuzaka finds a way to turn things around against the D-Rays tonight. they've made him look positively foolish out there so far.

oh yeah. one more thing. very briefly. i am holding back uproarious laughter at the Yankees right now. because i've learned the hard way: you don't laugh at Satan's Minions without paying a price. but 18-9? that's a football score! sliding back up to six games. for which we thank the fickle, omnipotent baseball gods. safe to say the Angels are making it up to us. and it's only proper that good should defeat evil. ;-)

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Tuesday, August 21, 2007

authorblog asks: August 21, 2007

David has started asking a question on his blog each weekend.

the inaugural question is:
What would you like to say to the girlfriend or boyfriend who first dumped you?

his name was Dan. (to my knowledge, it still is, but you get the idea. i will refrain from sharing his last name here.) Dan dumped me in favor of a younger woman. it's ok though. well, at the time it wasn't but... well. who really enjoys getting dumped? we're talking almost fourteen years ago now. i'm not harboring any ill feelings. (his mother might be though. she was... let's just say she is responsible for my fear of subsequent boyfriends' mothers. except for Michael's, whom i always loved. but that is neither here nor there, and i am so far off track, there's no smooth transition back to where i was supposed to be, so this will have to be abrupt. sorry.)

to Dan, i would simply say, in a laughing & somewhat conspiratorial way: what on earth were we thinking?? isn't it funny to look back at how we thought life would play out? thank *God* one of us ended it. i know i couldn't do it. i think i was afraid your mother would kill me. she was just looking for a reason. and even though she wanted me gone (for being evil, though i still don't know what i did wrong!), i think she would have used that excuse for killing me, because how dare i dump her precious boy. anyway, i'm glad that i hear, through the grapevine, that life's been kind to you. oh & jeez did you ever grow up from the time i graduated to when i saw you next at Neil & Gosia's wedding!

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PSA: August 21, 2007

to the silver Chevy Tahoe in front of me on my way into work this morning:

while i appreciate your effort in utilizing the turn signal system that came with the purchase of your vehicle, it helps if you select the direction you'll actually be turning, when putting the system to use. the point in using your turn signal is to pick the appropriate one, thus indicating to other drivers which direction you intend to turn. flashing your right turn signal & then turning left, not once, but twice? not really so helpful to those drivers around you.

thanks.

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Monday, August 20, 2007

nothing soothes the sting of yesterday's loss like beating up on the Rays



1. here we go. i knew we couldn't get through a whole season without some sort of ridiculous commentary from Dewayne Staaaaaaaaaaats and Joe Migraine: "Scott Kazmir is easily the best starting pitcher in the American League since the All Star Break." while i will agree that he has the best ERA in the AL since the Break, i would have to argue that the seven AL pitchers with five or six wins to Kazmir's four could at least put in a bid at being better. i would not agree that Kazmir is *easily* the best.

2. run support right out of the gate tonight. 2-0 Sox in the first inning. did they forget Wakey is pitching tonight?

3. hmmm... 5-0 Boston after an inning-and-a-half. so much for all the pre-game gloating that Kaz has given up only one run in his last 25 innings. ;-)

4. Wakefield's pitching was sick. he had that ball fluttering & dancing wicked crazy. poor Kevin Cash must feel like he was just messed with for seven innings.

5. i love when Mike Lowell hits home runs. oh hell. who am i trying to fool? i love when any Red Sox players hit home runs.

a tidy little 6-0 shut out of the Rays. most exactly what we needed. Wakey improves to 19-2 career against Tampa, and picks up win number fifteen on the season. Cash survived the flutterball. (he may have a different opinion on that though! LOL!) worst case scenario is that we will maintain our four-game lead in the AL East. but i believe the Angels & i have an understanding that they will make things right by squashing the Yankees tonight. ;-)

tomorrow is Lester. and some guy named Sonnanstine. =P heaven help us. Lord only knows which way *that* will go.

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Sunday, August 19, 2007

because every now & then...

...a girl needs to get lost in a fairy tale... to believe in fallen stars... magic... and her one true love riding in on a horse to rescue her...

...and to escape into an imaginary world like Stardust...

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get out of town



1. quite seriously. it's time for the Angels to leave. i've had about enough of them. they need to get out of here & go back where they came from.

2. Sox are outta here too. time to head to the Trop where Wakey will hopefully do what he does to the Rays. i don't care if Cash doesn't hit a single ball all game tomorrow. just catch Wakey & don't let him stress fracture anything.

3. welcome to Boston, Bobby Kielty. that rib-crunching catch you made in right field would have made Trot proud. and then you got hits your first two trips to the plate! you taking notes there, Mr Drew?

4. that was some play Lowell-to-Youk in the second inning. Lowell flying through the air, sunglasses sailing off his head, staggering up to make any sort of throw to Youk, who awkwardly stretched, back-handed the ball, and landed face first in the dirt with his feet on the bag for the out.

5. Sox got a lucky break when they called Matthews out at first. he was quite safe. it was the wrong call, i openly acknowledge that, but at least i feel vindicated after that *horrible* strike out call on Youk the other night that was really a foul ball.

6. the fourth inning was all Pedroia on defense. i would say he's like a vacuum over there most of the time, but he's so wee, i think he might only qualify as one of those little red Dirt Devils. =P

7. insert nap here. ::shrugs sheepishly::

8. woke up to see Gagne strike out back-to-back batters to end the top of the ninth. =) that makes me so inexplicably happy. i just want to see him settle down & succeed with Boston.

9. too bad Boston thought using bats was optional in this game. =P

MFY just had to win again today. i don't know if they really played that well or the Tigers really played that badly. i know Bonderman pitched for Detroit & that he's had some command problems (or so i've read) but i have no clue what really happened in that game other than the Evil Empire has now climbed back up to cut our lead down to four games.

i'm also not on speaking terms with the Angels *at* *all* right now. ("We are soooo over." "Fine by me!") the only way i will let this go is if they manage to knock the Yankees flat on their pinstriped asses. then i will just claim we were on a break. ;-) please please please let Wake be able to pitch well tomorrow... and may our phantom bats punch holes in the dome off Scott Kazmir.

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behold the power of Papi



1. 70* & breezy at Fenway at the start of the game. that makes me long for winter. in Florida, that is. ;-)

2. starting to think Vladdie has it in for Youk. Youk covered third Saturday night to give Mike Lowell the evening off. first inning, Vlad hits one up the third base line & sends his bat with it. Youk couldn't field the ball because he needed to avoid getting clocked by the bat.

3. if i were Schill, i wouldn't be thinking contract for 2008. i would be thinking it's time to hang up my cleats.

4. 4th inning:where on God's green earth did the Sox leave their bats. this is awful. 5-0 Angels.

5. 5th inning: Hinske gets a broken bat single. Coco on a long double, just shy of a home run into the pen. Cora gets hit by a pitch, and the bags a full. Lugo singles, Hinske & Coco score. Youk singles to load the bases for the second time. BIG. PAPI. GRAND. SLAM. Manny Ks. Drew singles. Tek grounds out, but advances Drew into scoring position. Hinske walks to get on base for the second time this inning. *Coco* walks to load the bases for the *third* time. Cora flies out to end it. 6-5 Sox.

6. 1-2-3 eighth inning for Jeemer. 1-2-3 nice running catches for Coco.

7. three Ks for Jon to end the game! 10-5 Sox. locked in at five in the AL East.

Julian up next to pitch. Cash & Kielty are supposed to get some time as well. it sure is good to see the Sox scoring runs later in the game. not to mention Papi & Manny in the business of scoring some runs. good news is we've taken at least half this series. better news would be a Sox win on Sunday. the coup de grâce would be a loss in New York.

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Saturday, August 18, 2007

And I Quote: August 18, 2007

"You know, I have been feeling these little earthquakes all day. Every couple of minutes, I feel the rug is being pulled out from under me. Now, you guys say that I'll get used to it, but I don't know how I can. What I wanna know is: how do you get used to living on shaky ground?"
(Marin Frist on "Men in Trees")

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back where we started from


photos from The Boston Globe

day-night double header.

Game 1

1. not too shabby a debut by the rookie. leadoff walk and i bet that was just nerves. but seriously... is he like 10 years old?!


2. Dougie came up lame on his way home to score in the first inning & had to leave the game. hopefully he will avoid a trip to the DL. rumor has it that Wakey will be held off so he can pitch Monday in Tampa where he has mucho success. that would give Dougie another day to rest whatever is hurting him. if Dougie needs a trip to the DL, i am worried about Wakey. not his skill, but his confidence. we saw what happened last year...


3. Sox offense came alive for the kid's debut. all hail His Papiness with a two-run blast. oh how i've missed that.

4. Jeemer pitched! i feel like we haven't seen him in forever. =)

5. nothing can describe the sheer joy i feel when watching someone so wee hit home runs into the Monster seats. go Pedroia!

6. Youk was hit by a Vlad airmail into third base where Youk was already safe. i don't think Guerrero meant to do it, but he pegged him square on. at least Youk was awarded home plate in exchange for the bruise i bet that left.

7. WMP was traded to the Nationals. i can't say i'm sorry to see him go, but i am wishing him well. maybe he'll get to play more in Washington, and thus improve his playing skills. i think this was the best move for everyone.

8. combine this win with the Yankees loss last night, and our AL East lead now stands firmly at six games. SIX. =)

Game 2

1. no Youk to start this game. =( i'm hoping this was a planned rest & not a result of that ball he got hit with.

2. confusing info leading up to game time. the plan was to send Buchholz back to Pawtucket, and bring up Ellsbury. then we heard Kielty. then it was Ellsbury again. add to that, Dougie has been placed on the 15-day DL with a strained right calf. so the scrambling began for a backup catcher. (and i suspect Wakey was throwing up in someone's batting helmet, somewhere.) would it be George Kottaras from Pawtucket? but Pawtucket was playing a game in Ottawa... so would it be Dusty Brown then from Portland, since he was closer & could get to Boston more quickly? well, it seems Tek felt good to catch both games of the twin bill, so we imported Kevin Cash from Pawtucket instead. why Cash? if i remember correctly, Cash has some experience with the fluttering knuckleball. hopefully this arrangement will go better than last year's Josh Bard Experiment.

3. JFL is getting a little too carefree with the Es. >=[ i can't help but to wonder how differently this game might have turned out without them.

4. that was some bad call on Youk when he pinch hit in the ninth. two strikes & he fouled the ball but was called out swinging. every replay showed that the call was as wrong as it could possibly be. Francona dialed up the emotion & went mental on the umpire at first who backed the home plate umpire's call -- ejected.

Youk had a meltdown of his own at home plate -- tossed.

i started to panic wondering who would play first base now if we somehow tied the game (not that we did), but then i realized we could play Papi at first, and use our last bench player -- newly arrived late in the game -- Kevin Cash, to DH if it came down to it (which it didn't).

5. late game rally again. in the eighth. gave us a 5-4 lead. Papi & Manny played doubles, Papi with a bases-clearing double with the bags loaded to tie it up at four. then ManRam doubled Papi home as the go-ahead run. even though we ended up losing the game, it was great to see our unusually quiet one-two punch show up to play in both games.

6. i hate to say this, but lately it's looking like we should have let the Other Sox have MDC for Dye. either that or he needs to ride the very busy Pawtucket shuttle in exchange for Javier Lopez.

7. and then there was Gagne. for every time JFL screws up & i dislike him a little more, it's not the same for Eric Gagne. if i could have willed him through that inning, we would have won both games yesterday instead of just one. i have never pulled harder for one player to whom i owe no allegiance than i did last night for Gagne. and i am going to say this: i don't think last night was his fault. almost twenty pitches to get through the first two batters. after that you could see each pitch fatiguing him more & more, especially when he had to rely on his heat with his breaking ball simply not cooperating. the way he circled the mound. the ever increasing delay between pitches. we never should have left him out there. we should have brought in Timlin for the final two outs. even if Timlin had blown it at that point, at least his arm was fresh & he's been lights-out lately. i blame Tito for Gagne last night. i think Gagne was completely mismanaged. 34 pitches for Gagne. he hasn't thrown that many since 2004.

i also am severely disappointed in the fans attending that game. i know how stressful that game was. i watched. i know people aren't crazy about Gagne. much like i am not crazy about Freaking Lugo. but there was *no* reason for anyone to toss a water bottle out onto the field when Gagne exited. none. i am embarrassed & i hate the way that makes me look as a fellow fan.

8. and of course the Yankees had to win because we lost. right back to five games. but we're still ahead. it's still five games. and we're right back to where we were when the day started. no ground gained, but none lost either.

Schill pitches tonight. i hope he finds his groove again. like *now*. i have to believe that Tek won't be catching him. we can't risk his health, and catching 17 innings in one day has to mean he'll get the day off. so Cash should be catching. i hope Schill is up to calling his own game... at least we'll know before game time what happened in the Bronx...

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Friday, August 17, 2007

thanks where thanks are due

many thanks to Krystyn's Detroit Tigers for their handling of the New York Yankees last night. that 8-3 victory put the Sox lead up to five-and-a-half games.

i watched that game since the Sox were off. the Yankees announcers sounded so puzzled by the fact that they had lost the last two games, and were on their way to losing a third. they kept saying that this didn't look like the same team that had been on such a roll since the All Star Break.

so, now we see what happens when the Evil Empire starts facing some actual playoff contending baseball teams, don't we. so far, at least, my theory has been proven right: they would not keep winning games at the same somewhat alarming sickening pace they were for the last month. though i have learned one thing as a lifelong Sox fan: you never count out Satan's Minions until they are officially *mathematically* eliminated.

lots of rumors swirling around the Sox this morning. it looks like Buchholz will get the start this afternoon. Joshy faces off with Lackey (unless the Angels change up there projected pitching rotation) tonight. Schill goes tomorrow. right now it says Wakey will start on Sunday, but i have heard from several places that he will sit on Sunday & Julian will spot start so that Wake can pitch on Monday in Tampa, to take advantage of his past success against the Rays. so i guess we'll see. it's looking very likely that WMP will be DFA'd this afternoon to make room for Bucky (see? he has a nickname right off the bat... wait... i don't know if i want to use that phrase... we'll just say he fits in with a nickname right away.) whose stay will be short. he'll swap places with Jacoby Ellsbury for the second half of today's double-header, to take a spot on the bench. no word on how long he would be staying with us, but between Ellsbury & recently acquired outfielder Bobby Kielty, both down in Pawtucket, Ellsbury has been on a hitting tear, so he looks to be the one getting the bus ticket up to Fenway, at least for now.

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Thursday, August 16, 2007

Five Questions: Brian

same as last time, but this time Brian posed the questions.

1. You have stated your ardent, um, lust for Mike Lowell of the Red Sox. Who would you say are your top three crushes on Sox players, past or present?
to clarify, no lusting. just looking. with much appreciation. ;-) anyway. top three Sox crushes. believe it or not, i don't have a long list. i have players i have been *very* attached to, and players i have admired tremendously. but the crush list is short. Mike Lowell, of course. (that went without saying, pretty much, huh?) Jason Varitek. (he got demoted by the arrival of Mike Lowell, but not by much.) and i had to dig waaaay back in the memory bank for the third. he actually never played big league ball for the Sox either. he never got past AA (New Britain Red Sox) before being traded to Houston: Jeff Bagwell. i have to say... i don't really see what appealed to me now though. i guess my tastes have really changed.

2. What sort of comparison can be made between Disney World, where you live, and Disneyland, where your buddy Nichole lives? Is it even close?
hmmmm... having been to both now, i would have to say you can't really compare the two. Nichole's is the original. you have to appreciate the original. i have the product of what Walt learned from making the original. it's not better, just tweaked a little. Disneyland has things Disney World doesn't, and vice versa. the cool thing is that even the similarities between the two are only similar at the surface level, in many instances. both have Small World, but they are very different. both have Snow White, but they are different, as well. both have Winnie the Pooh -- again, different. both have Jungle cruise - you get the idea. the uniqueness makes it fun, and i wouldn't pick one attraction over the other between the two parks. one exception: their Pirates of the Caribbean rocks. it makes Florida's *wicked* lame. one thing i will say -- and i know Nichole agrees with me: when you're used to one park, and you visit the other, you feel like some giant hand reached down out of the sky & jumbled everything up, because the parks are laid out very differently & nothing is where it "should be."

3. What IS the most money you've ever spent on a haircut?
$120 (after the tip). i had it washed, cut, highlighted with several shades of blonde & styled for a special event. my typical hair cut costs me $25, $70 when i get highlights.

4. How tall are you?
they tell me 5' 7" sometimes. other times 5' 8". darned if i know for sure.

5. We see you in pictures with your glasses. How strong is the prescription?
i can't tell you in optical terms, but i will tell you that it's pretty strong. i can't see clearly much past about eighteen inches away from my face. things get really fuzzy about four feet away. the good thing is that i got my glasses when i was eight years old. my prescription has only changed three times since then! -- when i was thirteen, seventeen, and twenty-three. and not by very much. i get my eyes checked every couple of years. they always tell me that my eyes have changed so minimally, it's not worth paying for a new prescription til i will actually notice a difference. the last time it changed was about eight years ago. it will probably need to be changed again in the next year, i would say. so, all that to say: the bad news is my eyesight is pretty crappy without my specs. the good news is it's not getting worse at a very rapid pace. =)

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me, to the letter

Andie tagged me.

A- Attached or single: single. that doesn't mean i'm looking though.

B- Best Friend: yes. extra blessed in this category. i have more than one.

C- Cake or Pie: depends. ice cream cake would beat pie.

D- Drink of Choice: nice cold water

E- Essential Item: cell phone.

F- Favorite Color: deep warm barn red. navy blue.

G- Gummi Bears or Worms: bears

H- Hometown: Bristol, Connecticut

I- Indulgence(s): See's chocolate. Milano cookies.

J- January or July: January

K- Kids: love 'em.

L: Life is Incomplete Without: Disney World

M- Marriage Date: does not exist

N- Number of Siblings: two younger brothers.

O- Oranges or Apples: apples

P- Phobias or Fears: disappointing the people i love. losing all my photos.

Q- Quote: "We can't all be heroes because somebody has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by." (Will Rogers)

S- Season: in Florida - Spring. in New England - Autumn.

T- Tag Three: i am rebelling. not tagging. if you feel like playing along, consider yourself tagged. let me know so i can check it out!

U- Unknown Fact About Me: i have never eaten Fluff. it's looks like Elmer's School Glue to me.

V- Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animals: mmmm... meat.

W- Worst Habit: worrying about things i shouldn't. and apologizing for things that are not my fault.

X- X-Rays or Ultrasounds: can't say i've ever enjoyed having either. they tell you x-rays are safe but then they leave the room to push the button. and the ultrasound *i* had?? care to never experience *that* again. =P

Y- Your Favorite Foods: there is no way i can narrow this down. how about a least favorite food - anything associated with bananas.

Z- Zodiac: Libra

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View From Along the Broken Road: August 16, 2007



Lemon Angel Hair
Serves 4

10 oz angel hair
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons lemon zest
juice of 2 lemons (1/4 cup or so)
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup each chopped fresh basil and parsley

Bring large pot of water to a boil for pasta. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over med-high heat, toast the pine nuts, stirring often, until they are golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a bowl.

Reduce heat under skillet to medium and pour in olive oil. Add garlic and stir often until it softens and becomes fragrant, about 45 seconds. Remove skillet from heat and add lemon zest and juice. Set pan aside.

When water boils, season it with 1 tablespoon salt and return to rolling boil. Add pasta and cook al dente (about 4 to 5 minutes).

Spoon 2 tablespoons of water from cooking pot into a small bowl and set aside. Drain pasta well. Add to pan with lemon juice mixture, and add cooking water. Toss well. Add tomatoes, herbs and pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Can be served warm or room temperature.

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i wonder how much of RSN gets *any* work done during day games?



1. i wouldn't pay ten cents for that outing yesterday, never mind a hundred million dollars. Matsuzaka reminds me of how Joshy pitched last year. either very well or very not well. of course if that means he will pitch like this year's Joshy next season? this would all be worth it.

2. still no clue who Andy Sonnanstine is. but i know i don't like him.

3. i don't care if Bedard kicked our collective Boston behind last weekend. today i ♥ Erik Bedard. and Chad Bradford for closing out that game against the Yankees in the tenth after the black & orange bats took back the three runs Jamie Walker gave up to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth. still a five game lead.

4. i loved me some Julian in relief yesterday. that's the guy we expected to see from the bullpen!

5. Tek seems to be the guy designated to make key hits lately. ::salutes the captain::

6. i can get used to Mike Timlin coming into bail us out of two-out runners-on situations if he keeps doing what he's done the last two game with the Ks & all.

7. =O Papi scored from first in the eighth?!

8. three good points:
a) i expected to lose a game this series. i just thought it would be Lester's game, not Matsu's. but we're still 2-1 in the series, and i'm ok with that.
b) we've seen that Mike Timlin is still Mike Timlin. i'm *more* than ok with that.
c) regardless of the fact we lost the game, the Sox rallied back from a 6-0 shutout, and lost only 6-5. what this means to me is that we are finally scoring some runs late in the game. Tuesday night we scored enough to win. Wednesday we fell a little short, but i'm happy we are at least scoring late. that's a vast improvement. and i am *thrilled* with that.

feels like we just had an off day but here we are with another one. four-game weekend series with the Angels kicks off tomorrow with a day-night double header. probable pitchers listed as Joshy pitching the early game, Schill on Saturday, and Wake on Sunday. big fat question mark queued up for Friday night. against ::gulp:: John Lackey. rumors have been swirling that Clay Buchholz will get his Major League debut but absolutely no one will confirm a word or even acknowledge the question. maybe we just anticipate losing that game no matter who we match up to him so we're just going to use a cardboard cutout?

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Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Sing Along: August 15, 2007

I've had my moments
Days in the sun
Moments I was second to none
Moments when I knew I did
What I thought I couldn't do...
Looking at me now you might not know it
But I've had my moments
("Moments," Emerson Drive)

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c'mon Lestaaaaaah! (the Boston edition)



1. this game worried me most about this series. we're pitting our erratic young number five against the Tampa pitcher who owns us *almost* the way Wake owns the Rays (Wakefield: 18-2 career against the Rays), on Lestah's first game starting in Fenway this season.

2. i really feel like Alicea & Hale need to take on a more active role in Manny's base-running. as well as he reads the ball when he's hitting, his instincts on the basepath are... well... out in left field. =P

3. (in the top of the fifth, with (cornrow-less) Coco streaking across centerfield to make the final out) "Coco's on his horse!" what?! where on earth does Don come *up* with this stuff??

4. every time WMP comes up to the plate, i find myself chanting "come on! no Whiffy! no Whiffy!" (think along the lines of "no whammies! no whammies!")

5. i still think the uniforms with vest-style tops look ridiculously stupid.

6. (composed in the middle of the ninth inning) so we lost to the Rays. this was the game i mostly expected we would lose anyway, with Kaz pitching. but i have to say. Gagne in the ninth. gave up a double, but struck out the side! feels like a victory! i was pulling for him so hard. just to get that one scoreless inning & get back on track. unlike JFL, i like Gagne for some reason, despite his struggles.

7. ...and then, Lowell goes yard on a solo shot into the Monster for his sixteenth long ball of the season to tie up the game! Cap'n hits a ground rule double... and Coco singles him in to win the game for the Sox 2-1!! this may just be the feel-good game of the second half!

8. Orioles showed the Evil Empire how they felt about losing that game last night with a 12-0 shellacking. back to five games.

may The Hundred Million Dollar Pitcher throw a hundred million dollar 10K game this afternoon. opposite Zaka-san is someone named Sonnanstine? he's 1-8 whoever he is. please let us light this guy up like theFourth of July... it would be good to go into the off day on a positive note before playing four game in three days against the Angels...

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Tuesday, August 14, 2007

And I Quote: August 14, 2007

"The only people with whom you should try to get even are those who have helped you."
(John E Southard)

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i would rather be four games in the lead than four games back.



just a few quick thoughts about this past weekend's series in Baltimore, before i put it out of my mind:

1. the Orioles are not getting enough credit for their talent.

2. Friday night, Papi stared down the home plate ump after being called out on a borderline strike in the fourth. i wonder if the ump quaked a little. i would. Papi was probably memorizing the ump's face in case he meets him in a dark alley after the game. then he can show the ump what Papi can do with his bat to umps who call him out on strikes. ;-)

3. remember that episode of Friends where Rachel doesn't want to run with Phoebe because Phoebe runs funny? that's what i think of every time i see WMP running headlong through the OF to catch a fly ball. he flops along ungracefully & looks like his legs will get knotted up in each other.

4. Pocket seems to make at least one dive to snatch a line drive out of the air in every game. somehow he manages to be about 8 feet tall when he's leaping horizontally through the air.

5. i believe nothing about JFL infuriates me more than seeing him literally watch a ball roll right between his wickets, with no effort made at all to actually prevent this from happening.

6. i may be losing my mind, but i swear i saw Julian sleeping out in the bullpen on Sunday...

7. i am not ready to give up on Gagne yet. i know he is better than he's been pitching. i am holding steady for the time being, believing that this is not only an adjustment for him, but for Tek to learn how to catch him & call his game.

8. losing two-out-of-three to the Orioles was not a whole lot of fun but they earned every bit of it. all will be forgiven if they can do the same thing in the Bronx.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

and now for last night:

i only have one thing to say:
Wakefield has fourteen wins.

ok two things:
i never tire of the knuckleball. nevah evah.

Lestah tonight. against Kazmir. i have no problem admitting i am a little bit nervous.

ps. some guy named Carl Crawford had the nerve to break up Wakey's no-no? who the hell is this Carl Crawford anyway? =P

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checking in

i'm here. i'm fine. just needed a few days to myself.

regularly scheduled blogging to resume soon.

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Sunday, August 12, 2007

View From Along the Broken Road: August 12, 2007


taken last night at Magic Kingdom
window display of The Confectionary, Main Street USA

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Thursday, August 9, 2007

And I Quote: August 9, 2007

So many tangles in life are ultimately hopeless that we have no appropriate sword other than laughter.
(Gordon W Allport)

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the one & only time i am happy to wave goodbye to the West Coast



you must be aware by now that i love the Pacific Coast. most especially southern California. the only exception is in relation to baseball. the three-hour time difference makes it nearly impossible for me to watch the Sox play, and to be honest, their performance out there leaves a little to be desired.

but the West Coast Tour 2007 is over now. no further west than the middle of the country for the rest of the season. or the regular season anyway. ;-)

i tried to watch some of the game last night, but the Angels announcers totally disappointed me. they have gotten a little cocky recently. talking about how the Angels do no wrong, starting to make excuses when the Angels make a costly mistake, and how Angels fans had no reason not to come to the game last night without their brooms in hand.

about an inning & a half into this nonsense, i'd had just about all i could take. i switched over to the WEEI (Boston) radio broadcast & crawled into bed to listen to the game while i dozed. from what i could tell from listening, as i drifted in & out of the first stages of sleep, and the texts i was getting from Nichole, who was at the game, my boys battled *hard*. they did not go quietly into the night, even though they surely did not play their best ball the two previous games. every time the Angels scored last night, though, the Sox found a way to answer it. i can't tell you exactly how it happened, but the lead went back & forth til it was tied up at six all in the fifth.

and then i was out like a light.

oh -- but not before i heard little Pedroia Pocket turn an unassisted double play at a crucial point in the game.

when i woke up this morning, i saw that the Sox had managed to pull of a 9-6 win. somehow, i knew... i just *knew* they would not give up the fight. i've watched them struggle this season in a series or two, and they have more often than not managed to mount a comeback, even if it means they simply kept from being swept. my boys have heart. and sometimes that is just as important to maintain as a win streak. *key* wins. wins you need to have mentally even more than in the standings. sometimes those feel like the biggest victories. i am proud of my boys today.

oh & right now? i am not speaking to the Angels. kind of like a friend who hurts your feelings a little, i need to be wounded for a bit before we make nice again. and i hope those Angels announcers know where they can stick their brooms now too. =P

one more thing. at this moment in time, i ♥ Roy Halladay & the Toronto Blue Jays for their 15-4 rout of the Yankees last night. (this is subject to change the next time we play the Jays though. LOL!)

back to our six-game lead in the AL East. time for a day to rest. tomorrow it's The Hundred Million Dollar Pitcher head-to-head against the very impressive Eric Bedard in Baltimore.

it's about nevah giving up. nevah *evah*.

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