I'm never sure when the truth won't do
I'm pretty good on a lonely night
I move on the way a storm blows through
I never stay, but then again, I might
I struggle sometimes to find the words
Always sure until I doubt
Walk a line until it blurs
Build walls too high to climb out
("Better As a Memory," Kenny Chesney)
Still I can see the pain in you
And I can see the love in you
But fighting all the demons will take time
("Angels or Devils," Dishwalla)
i know that i should be gracious & not quite so greedy, feeling that all Sox games should be timed conveniently for me. it gives RSN-West the opportunity to see a few games, and really, it's so few games out of the season that i cannot possibly begrudge them that.
but that leaves me with game commentary like:
**ummm... i think i stand corrected about Bartolo Colon. i certainly did not see him being our savior, rescuing us from loss after loss on the road. i am shocked & amazed by his 2-0 record. but for crying out loud. that man has the biggest head i have *ever* seen. and his actual pitching? he has one of the most awkward, ungraceful wind-ups & releases i can recall. not that i'm complaining. because, hello, two wins, no losses.
**Monday's game also had some pretty incredible defense from Seattle.
**nice short games on the Pacific Coast are my friend. nice short West Coast games that we win are glorious & they send me to bed happy.
**i hear Manny hit home run 499 on Tuesday. i wouldn't know. i was asleep.
**i did see Matsuzaka start the game painfully (figuratively) but i didn't know he left the game literally in pain. hmmm... Clay ready to come back, leaving Colon in the rotation while Matsuzaka takes a breather with a "tired arm"? ok! (and no, i can't believe i am saying that either.)
**kinda glad i didn't stay awake to see the boys blow it in the ninth. it would have sent me to bed cranky. and not getting enough sleep would have woken me up cranky. better all the way around for everyone.
**what is with pitchers overthrowing first base this season?! and not just the Sox. i have watched a bunch of games when Boston's opponent (or whatever teams i happen to be watching for background noise if the Sox aren't playing) has the same thing happen! methinks we need to start working on some fundamentals.
but what *really* chaps my hide is that i missed E6 getting ejected. for arguing a call on a check swing while IN THE FIELD.
(Yahoo! Sports)
seriously. he can find ways to screw up that i can't even imagine. he is just a grab bag of fun (if you define 'fun' as someone poking you in the eye with a rusty ice pick). not that i find his ejection to be a screw up, really. in fact, he may have found a way to actually *help* the team for a switch. i am mostly just sorry i missed a Lugo-less portion of any game. =P (side note: as much as i am not-so-much a Lugo fan, i actually *dislike* Angel Hernandez. that man never makes a good call.)
tonight concludes this West Coast tour. Wake gets the ball. i am praying for the knuckleball to knuckle effectively. i am also praying for Bedard to continue struggling. and i *might* even get to watch most of this game, since Wake's starts tend to be on the quicker side.
here's to having something worthwhile to say about the Sox this weekend. i'm trying really hard not to be selfish, but you know how addicts are always thinking about their next fix & all...
yeah it's not so much Sunday & i'm also like a month late but that's just going to have to do. either way, this post is still brought to you by Sarcomical.
Sarcomical says:
On this week's One-Word Sarcomical Sunday, I'm digging deeper. Deeper into some of the more mundane/self-conscious/unattractive things that you weren't quite sure you'd ever really decide to share with The Internet. Why? Because those are the things all of us really want to know about each other anyway, yes? It makes us feel proportionally less mundane/self-conscious/unattractive in a larger company of the same. Isn't online community grand?
*Okay, here are the Newbie Ground Rules:
1. After reading my answers, copy and paste the list into your comment.
2. Change my one-word responses with yours (yes, only ONE WORD, even if it makes you want to pull your brains through your tear duct - and I design the statements to make it possible if you're clever enough, which of COURSE you are).
3. Submit your comment.
4. And hey, you can always post your finished list on your blog, too. (Yes, a post idea! You're welcome.) Link back here if you're feeling nice. Enjoy!
One-Word Sarcomical Sunday #17
If you get something out of a vending machine, it's most likely the: chips
A word you sometimes catch yourself misspelling: exaggerated
You least want people to see you as: miserable
You're a little scared of: spiders
The least attractive thing you do in your sleep: unsure
The number of contacts in your cell phone: 24
How many of them are restaurants: zero
You lose your cool when someone: mistreats
When you go to the drugstore, you often can't leave without buying: Reese's
Your dance moves can best be described as: non-existent
The majority of your underwear is: cotton
Something you eat even though you hate how bad it is for you: hotdogs
You think you're really not a great: singer
How much cash is in your wallet right now: $42.20
The majority of your shoes are this color: brown
You don't think you'll ever be able to get rid of your: wariness
If your breath is bad, it's most likely because you had the: garlic
You feel embarrassed when you: stumble
The last public place where you used the restroom: Disney
Something you don't like to debate in mixed company: money
You don't think you can pull off wearing: shorts
Something you own entirely too much of: t-shirts
Someone you would love to see in concert who might bring down your street cred: Brickman
The last thing that you spilled on yourself: yogurt
If you were on a reality show, the producers would likely portray/characterize you as the: geek
an old Tuesday Twosome in honor of approaching Summer (although it's felt like Summer here for weeks already)
Think of two words that describe...
1. The smells of summer:
food cooking on a grill
freshly cut grass
2. The sights of summer:
fireworks
fireflies
3. The sounds of summer:
baseball games
crickets at night
4. The touch of summer:
sunshine warming the world
humidity making everything slimy =P
5. The tastes of summer:
ripe berries of all kinds
corn on the cob
remember when the Sox won seven in a row and JD Drew & Mike Lowell both hit grand slams in the same game?
(Boston Globe)
...Bartolo Colon obtained his first win as a Red Sock. i am shocked but happy for him. and glad that he was able to collect the win.
..Matsuzaka gets the final game of the series & i am admittedly a little worried. how many people can he walk today and a) still manage to pull off a win for the sweep and b) not be a detriment to my fantasy team? (yep, priorities.)
...Joba is moving into the rotation for the Yankees. i hope this blows up in Spawn of Steindevil's face. it really looks like the final move of a desperate man. i know that if this were a young prospect on the Sox & management made this decision, i would be furious. you can't just make these moves on a whim & they stand a good chance of injuring him at best & ruining him at worst.
...Albert Pujols may do more than just scare you with his stats. last night in the Cardinals/Padres game, he hit a line drive right back at Chris Young, pegging his right between the eyes. i still can't figure out how he remained conscious.
then later in the inning as Pujols came in to score, Josh Bard (forever linked in Sox fans' minds with Dougie's infamous reacquisition) got caught in an awkward position trying to block the plate & i was shocked to read this morning that his ankle wasn't snapped, so ugly was the angle of his foot during the play.
i'm not sure who is more scared of Pujols at this point: the opposition or Pujols himself. to his credit, he looked positively ill as he tried to check on Young after the ball clocked him in the face. his genuine concern for the other player has earned him my respect.
(photos from Yahoo! Sports)
it occurred to me that Monday night was the first time i ever remember seeing Jon Lester smile.
and the smiles carried over when Justin Masterson recorded his first major league win last night. a win that he managed to get after giving up one run over 6+ innings when the offense ponied up only two runs for him. a win that was very nearly blown by Jeemer (wrist still not feeling well or is he officially slumping now?) but was preserved by Cheerio Mouth's four outs in lights out closing.
what more can i say?
one thought: why is it that five wins in a row doesn't conjure nearly the same degree of emotion as five losses? five in a row is certainly also reason to smile.
and also? a good drubbing of the Yankees by our friends in Baltimore doesn't make the smile fade at all.
tonight we go for six behind ::gulp:: Colon. i have my paper bag handy for putting over my head. no eye holes cut out. i hope the end of the ninth inning finds us all smiling in astonishment.
i was all set to talk about this past weekend's sweep of the Brewers. about how Papi has found his swing (finally!). about how it was possible that there were seven errors made in the night half of the doubleheader and Julio Lugo wasn't even in the game. about how the members of the bullpen are officially Cardiac Kids because try to tell me you don't flinch just a little when you see someone reach for the phone to make the call. about how Pedroia is a little man with a BIG swing, and how fast those little legs move when he is motoring around the base paths. about how E6 continued his bid for undoing every good thing (working a bases loaded walk to tie the game) with a not so good thing (then being caught in a run down between second & third to record the second out of the fourth inning). about how Sunday's game was all about the long ball with both teams cranking out four home runs a piece.
i was all set to talk about these photos, which beg to be shared -- and so i oblige.
i wanted to mention the pitching coach for the Brewers & how he looks like a French villian from some cartoon. and how the welcome back for Gabe Kapler made me smile, ear to ear.
i was going to talk about Jeemer being hurt & the new reliever, Chris Smith who was called up to bolster the bullpen that got well-used with three games being played in under 30 hours. and the fact that we will see Masterson pitching again on Tuesday and how i hope that he can pitch as well as he did last time out and that maybe the offense will step it up a notch for him this time to maybe make it up to him for that win he earned but didn't get in his debut. and how my blog post for Wednesday's game may just include photos of the insides of my hands because that's likely all i will see with Colon on the mound.
i thought i would mention, with some sense of victory, that Tito will now pull Lugo in favor of Cora during games where defense is of the absolute essence. because really? we probably would have lost the early game on Saturday if he hadn't made that switch.
i had so much to say, so much to catch up on.
and then Lestah went & pitched himself a No Freaking Hitter last night and all of that other stuff? *POOF*!
(this photo from the Boston Globe)
funny thing is, i didn't even notice that it was in the works until the seventh inning stretch. i mean, given who was pitching, it didn't even really enter my mind. but i have to tell you, i was pacing & my hands were sweaty for the eighth & ninth! and i am still in utter disbelief.
i would be remiss though if i didn't mention what wasn't just a flat out *catch* by Runs Like Hell, but saved a no-hitter that i wasn't even aware was happening.
and if you didn't turn off the game after the final out, after the high-fives & noogies & back-slapping, you saw Tek make his way to Lester, silently smiling, and place the game ball into Lester's hand. if the look on his face doesn't sum up what i love about being a Sox fan, nothing will.
7pm, Justin Masterson. you couldn't tear me away from the screen if you detonated a bomb in the middle of my living room.
(all photos from Yahoo! Sports unless otherwise noted)
"In life, we have so many opportunities to show others we love them. Some call for grand gestures, but the rest of the time, it's the little things -- repeated over and over -- that make us feel cared for and deeply touch our hearts."
(Rachel Balducci)
Feast One Hundred & Ninety
Appetizer
When someone smiles at you, do you smile back?
usually. unless it's someone giving me a smug, sarcastic or insincere smile. or if they are creepy.
Soup
Describe the flooring in your home. Do you have carpet, hardwood, vinyl, a mix?
there is carpet in my living room & bedroom. the kitchen & bathroom are some kind of tile.
Salad
Write a sentence with only 5 words, but all of the words have to start with the first letter of your first name.
Dry Dawn doesn't drink daily. (LOL! I finally gave up. i've been trying to think of a sentence for fifteen minutes!)
Main Course
Do you know anyone whose life has been touched by adoption?
yes, several people.
Dessert
Name 2 blue things.
my placemats. my eyes.
Feast One Hundred & Ninety One
Appetizer
What is the nearest big city to your home?
i would say i am about equally distant from Tampa & Orlando
Soup
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how well do you keep secrets?
ummm... probably a 9. i have spilled to completely uninvolved parties on occasion when the news was just too good to keep to myself but by & large if someone asks me to keep their secret, they can count on me.
Salad
Describe your hair (color, texture, length).
well you can see it for yourself in my sidebar. ;-) it's short. has a mind of its own with some parts straight & others that want to curl so the flippy style is good for me; those characteristics also make my hair challenging to cut because if it's done wrong, i end up with cowlicks. my hair is naturally brunette -- the darker brown you see is my own -- but i add some blonde highlights. and the texture is very fine but there is a lot of it.
Main Course
What kind of driver are you? Courteous? Aggressive? Slow?
ummm... i am cautious & alert. i try to be courteous. i don't drive slow but i don't drive excessively fast either. i do NOT like it when people pull out ahead of me at the last second & then drive 2mph or cut me off just to slow down to an almost complete stop to make a turn.
Dessert
When was the last time you had a really bad week?
a whole bad week? it must have been a while because i can't remember one. bad days happen now & then but i don't even recall when my last bad *day* was. that's something i like about myself though: i tend to recover quickly & then forget about them.
One More Trip
1. Are you a good worker?
i like to think that i am. i don't miss much time. i get my work done in a timely manner & the quality doesn't get many complaints (usually only from those who are prone to complaining & will manufacture reasons if not given any). i don't cause trouble. doesn't hurt that i work in the laid back south with a New England "breakneck" work ethic. ;-)
2. What do you carry?
used to feel like the weight of the world on my shoulders. now it's a smile on my face & a song in my heart. =)
3. Do you know your neighbors?
i know there is an elderly woman on one side of me, a kid who *used* to play a lot of Guitar Hero/Rockband but is very quiet now ;-) and a guy somewhere in the complex that seems to always be walking & always waves. other than that, no.
4. Where do you like to go for a day trip?
back up north, the Yankee Candle flagship store or Cooperstown, NY were favorite daytrip destinations. here in Florida though, Disney is about the only daytrip i do.
5. What is at your feet?
the carpet. the box fan was a little while ago but now it's in the bedroom window sucking in that cool night air.
Friday Fill-in #72
1. There is absolutely NO way you can get me to put grits anywhere in the vicinity of my mouth ever again!
2. the return of hurricane season reminds me that summer is almost here!
3. I cannot live without my internet connection (ok i probably could but i would rather not).
4. winning the lottery and living at Disney World are two things I'd like to try. =P
5. When life hands you lemons cook something!
6. i couldn't even begin to narrow down what is my favorite childhood memory.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to seeing the Red Sox win for a change, tomorrow my plans include lots & lots of relaxing and Sunday, I want to get my grocery shopping done early so i can spend the rest of the day doing more nothing!
Your Five Factor Personality Profile |
 Extroversion: You have low extroversion. You are quiet and reserved in most social situations. A low key, laid back lifestyle is important to you. You tend to bond slowly, over time, with one or two people. Conscientiousness: You have medium conscientiousness. You're generally good at balancing work and play. When you need to buckle down, you can usually get tasks done. But you've been known to goof off when you know you can get away with it. Agreeableness: You have medium agreeableness. You're generally a friendly and trusting person. But you also have a healthy dose of cynicism. You get along well with others, as long as they play fair. Neuroticism: You have low neuroticism. You are very emotionally stable and mentally together. Only the greatest setbacks upset you, and you bounce back quickly. Overall, you are typically calm and relaxed - making others feel secure. Openness to experience: Your openness to new experiences is low. You're a pretty conservative person, and you favor what's socially acceptable. You think that change for novelty's sake is a very bad idea. While some may see this as boring, many see you as dependable and wise. |
it's funny the little things that take you back.
i am sitting here at work with my window wide open because they are finishing up some painting in here (hello! stinky!) and i had almost forgotten the sounds of daytime Summer. see, while my windows can often be found open in the evenings, we don't really get a lot of opportunity for having them open during the day, unless you want to semi-dissolve with humidity. you wouldn't believe the difference in the sounds you can hear.
at night, there are leaves rustling, a soft sound that the daytime drowns out. birds singing their last lullabies. there are peepers & crickets. it's all very peaceful & hush, even with its noises.
during the day, though, the birds sing cheerfully & chirp as they search for a grub of some sort. lawnmowers whirr in the distance. people call to one another or share laughter. these sounds, so different from their evening counterparts, are as bright as the sunlight itself.
listening to the "soundtrack of a Summer day" (yes, still Spring, but in May, Florida feels like Summer to this New-England-born girl) reminds me of this past Saturday morning, and a blog post i started to compose in my head as i drove down windy back roads on my trek to get my hair cut.
the morning was so reminiscent of the Summers of my childhood. there was a slight damp chill to the air, not enough to be uncomfortable, but that invigorating freshness that comes with a new morning. instead of hermetically sealing myself in my car with the air conditioning, i lowered my windows a bit, letting the breeze ruffle my hair, and soaking in the "Summer-ness" with my senses.
the birds waking up with a twittering. the squirrels scampering & digging & re-hiding their stashes. a man edging his lawn, the smell of freshly cut grass drifting along on the breeze. children shouting to one another as they ran across a yard, one in pursuit of the other. the sights. the sounds. the smells. all uniquely Summer in the place that i grew up.
as i travelled along, my forward motion blurring the details of the homes & trees & fields i passed, i could easily mistake the fuzzy images in my peripheral vision for those i left behind in Connecticut. wandering winding roads through residential areas not confined by gates & walls, squashing neighborhoods into the isolation of designated cookie-cutter communities. roads shaded by stately trees with their leaves dancing ever so slightly, sunlight streaming through in little puddles & patches onto the ground.
until a palm tree would cut across the painting in my mind, incongruous with the reverie i was playing. and even though i've grown to like my transplanted location, something in me ached just a little for those roads from my Long Ago (or so it feels). is it really the roads, though, and the places that i miss? or is it the familiarity of my birthplace... and the days i can't go back to, even if i try?
see, here's the thing. i thought we knew what to expect from The Commander last night. and... well... that went straight to hell in a handbasket. that performance from Beckett was no more predictable than a strike zone called by Laz Diaz (or Angel Martinez, for that matter) or the fact that, once again, the Tampa Bay Sunbeams sit atop the AL East.
but just like said Willy Wonka K-zones, up is down, in is out, it all changes with each new pitch, and somehow, Papi gets ejected when he tries to duck out of the way of a pitch but gets called out on strikes. (true, his bat did go around, technically, but is there some sort of rule that allows for getting out of the way of getting hit by a pitch? something along the lines of that other obscure rule that says when a ball gets away from the catcher on a called third strike, the runner can, in fact, safely reach first base if he hustles, and the pitcher gets credit for a K but the batter doesn't rack up an actual out for his team?) whatever.
it's no wonder Coco felt sick to his stomach last night.
which left us exactly two outfielders for today's game, what with JD Drew listed as day-to-day with a sprained wrist.
oh & Lestah pitches today, speaking of the unknown. who will we see standing on the hill this afternoon? he of the only one run and five hits allowed in 14 innings or the guy who showed up in the Metrodome and gave up five runs. who knows? it's a freaking mystery til he throws his first pitch.
to cover the open spot in the outfield, apparently we put Clay on the DL -- broken fingernail, which kinda sorta makes me want to laugh, except that i know fingernails are a crucial part of pitching --and we called up Jonathan Van Every to play center, while Ellsbury (who i have started testing out the new nickname 'Runs Like Hell' courtesy of Bickley -- yeah, i know, i said it even if you couldn't LOL! -- which just seems more, shall we say, appropriate than Speedy McEllsbury) will be playing in right. that's all fine & dandy but the unknown that scares me there is the answer to the question 'who will replace Clay in the rotation?' because surely we won't be proceeding with only four starting pitchers until the fingernail situation is remedied. and [insert horror movie music of your choice] Bartolo Colon has come up in conversation just a few more times than i am comfortable with hearing over the last ten days...
i wish i could tell you which way i felt today's contest would go but... i just don't know.
i know i didn't warn you and i apologize but i didn't realize it was happening until i came back.
besides, Gram always said "if you don't have anything nice to say..." ;-)
and i didn't.
i was mad at Lugo (whose new nickname just might have to be E6! tryin' it on for size) but what else is new -- the guy can't even get injured right, but suffers a mild concussion from a kick in the head & ended up riding pine instead of taking a trip to the DL. i was annoyed with Papelbon for blowing two straight saves, which, yes, unfair but still. i was already chalking up losses since the Sox were going to be stuck in the artificial lighting of the Metrodome, where history shows they rarely fare well (56-78 i believe their overall record is).
let's just say, i was not "in a good place". but now we're moving along to Baltimore and The Commander is taking the hill tonight and (sorry Bart) i am hoping we beat out our Minnesota frustrations all over the Orioles for two games. and then we'll take a day off before tackling some inter-league play this weekend. what do you say?
i suspect it was not so much irony that Commander Kickass plunked Polanco last night. after Polanco went 5-for-6 on Wednesday, it didn't surprise me that the first time he faced Beckett there would be some reminding that this was not Clay Buchholz on the hill tonight & establishing just who would be doing any hitting *this* evening.
i can also tell you that when Verlander hit Lugo, that was also not so much payback for the Polanco plunking. it was from me, mentally, in retaliation for that late-game error the previous night.
a little Youk On Fire & some respectable hitting, a solid start from the ace & surprisingly good appearances from Hansen and MDC, and the Sox took the series, leaving Detroit for four games in that stupid Metrodome in Minnesota with a 23-14 record and a 3.5-game lead in the division. (i hear Pedroia had an awesome play in the field late in the game but i missed it & can't seem to find it online anywhere.)
not too shabby though, huh? and i am all for a little brush back every now & then. part of the game. ;-)
but it doesn't stop there. see, way back last trade deadline, i was all for sending Lestah to Texas & keeping Kason Gabbard instead. (turns out maybe we should have just kept them both but that is water under the bridge now.) something about Gab that i just liked. so anyway, he was making his first start back from the DL last night & i thought i would watch him pitch a little before heading to bed.
in the second inning, King Felix hit Gerald Laird (the Rangers catcher). two batters later, Ian Kinsler went yard, scoring two runs. interestingly enough, the next time Kinsler stepped up (4th inning), he also got drilled by Felix. bottom of the 4th, Sexson comes up to bat. he's leaning over the plate, but just a little. Laird calls for a fast ball, inside. Gabbard obliges. it was a bit high but definitely over the plate, which is completely in the pitcher's rightful territory. Sexson flips out, charges the mound, throws his helmet at Gabbard, then tackles him & starts punching. it was crazy!
(photos from Yahoo! Sports)
the benches & clubhouses empty, Gabbard is buried under a heap of bodies, there's a lot of jawing & milling & every time things would start to settle down, someone's mouth would run again, leading to more charging. players were holding off other players. and in a rather comical moment, Milton Bradley (of *all* people!) literally picked up Laird & carried him away from the scrum.
Sexson was ejected; Gabbard was not. he finished the at-bat against Sexson's replacement and one other before being pulled from the game. i stayed awake hoping for a report on his potential injuries. they finally said he was sore & had bruised legs. i hope he doesn't end up right back on the DL... the good news is that the Rangers went on to shut out the Mariners, 5-0. the bad news is that Gabbard was pitching well prior to the melee but left before he was eligible for a decision.
i bet the subsequent match ups between these two teams will be interesting for the remainder of the season. maybe they can give ESPN a new rivalry to discuss ad nauseum? =P
anyway... here's to Lestah repeating his last performance when he faces a guy who legally changed his name to Boof. see you tonight. *eight* pm.
i was so dialed in tonight.
first, as God is my witness, when Lowell didn't come up with that play in the middle of the game & was all annoyed with himself, i said he would make up for it by hitting a home run. and he did. a 3-run blast to tie a game in which we had constantly been scratching & clawing just to keep it within reach.
second, when Jeemer got into trouble in the home half of the eighth, with only one out, i called the double play, and a split second later, strike-em-out throw-em-out thank-you-very-much. Sox head to the ninth, leading the game for the first time. 9-8.
and then the one thing i have said all freaking season (and all of last season too) had to rear its ugly head. Lugo collected his tenth error (it's only May 7!!), dropped the ball -- literally!! -- and the Tigers went on to win the game.
that scream of rage you heard was me. if JFL should come up missing overnight, i... don't know what you're talking about.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
it brings me hope to hear that Lowrie gets to stay in Boston even with Cora's return from the DL. the player who must be sent down has not yet been revealed, and it most likely won't be the Human Void, but the fact that Lowrie gets to stay just brings me one step closer to the execution of The Master Plan. it's got nothing to do with loving the uniform -- and i think i proved that last season when i pulled for Gagne every time he got the call and i am pretty sure i was the only one who was, long before the regular season ended -- but i am tired of Lugo's body filling one of the uniforms i root for. i will celebrate the successes he manages to have every now & again, as they benefit the team, but his days better be numbered. i can't take too much more of this. he has me so riled up, i didn't even wait til morning to compose this entry so i could add some photos to my post. =P
photo of me. and my dad. =)
1) current candle scents: Sweet Violet. Morning Mist (this is one from the archives that i have had forever & only just now used the last one!)
2) what i am currently reading: Real Simple magazine
3) newest music i added my playlist: "I Wish It Would Rain Down," Phil Collins. "I'd Die Without You," PM Dawn. "Just Got Started Loving You," James Otto.
4) movies i saw: that would be none. too busy with friends, family & Sox in town this month!
5) the last thing i cooked this month: Parmesan-Baked Salmon with wild rice and some peas.
6) the last place i ate out: Tropicana field at the Rays game!
7) something that made me cry: this day.
8) something that made me laugh: Heather's husband goosing me which was totally unexpected & made me jump a mile! LOL
9) something i looked forward to this month: meeting Baby Brother (Heather's son) for the first time.
10) something i am thankful for: friends who set me straight on the days that make me cry.
11) something i want to remember about this month: being able to spend a day with my dad doing two of the things i love best: being at WDW and watching baseball.
12) a photo i took this month:
you know what i love about this team? a week ago, we may not have been outright worried about the lack of offense coming out of the Trop, and having dropped five stright games, but at least some of us were casting a watchful eye on the alarmingly low number of hits the Sox were producing, never mind the even smaller number of runs scored.
and just like that -- the Sox have won six of seven, stealing seven bases & driving out six home runs (three of them last night, two-run blasts for Lowell & Youk and a solo shot for Papi).
(Yahoo! Sports)
silver lining? the Tigers have Renteria (two Es last night) so we are evenly matched at SS. ;-) i miss him about as much as i won't miss Lugo when Lowrie is given the position.
it's pretty hard to find anything to complain about right now. except for your cable going out in the bottom of the ninth inning. and even that righted itself just in time for me to see the final out of the game recorded. =)
I'm still
1. Describe where you grew up:
central Connecticut. Bristol was a good-sized town, in that it covered a lot of area. there were a few industrial & commercial areas but for the most part it was residential, and even somewhat rural on some of its outer edges. it was a pretty quiet place, for the most part. good place for growing up. it felt pretty safe. location was good too -- there wasn't much to do *in* Bristol, but lots of fun places were easily accessible. only thing of note that a lot of people would recognize: home of ESPN.
2. Do you wear any jewelery?
very little. which may or may not be because i have very little. i have a watch which i haven't worn since about Thanksgiving because the battery died & i haven't replaced it. i have a couple of bracelets which i wear on occasion. i have a few pairs of earrings but i don't wear them to work because answering the phone so much makes them hurt my ears; every so often i will put a pair in just so the holes don't close up. i have no rings anymore. i do have necklaces though. i wear those pretty often. i have a silver necklace that's very dainty. i have my cross that i love. i have a gold heart on a chain. i have a little flower made out of pearls. and at Christmastime, i like to wear my little silver snowflake.
3. What do you have too much of?
ha! move as many times as i did in one year & you don't have much of anything. =P the only thing that comes to mind right now is that are too many days left in this work week.
4. Who is a fool?
oh it's so hard to pick just one... how about the former Office Troll? at least i didn't date *that* one. =P
5. What's your nickname?
depends on who you ask, i guess. Nichole calls me Nonny, which spun off a story i told her once about one of my daycare babies who couldn't say our names (Dawn & Kristin) so she called us Nonny & Kickin. =)
Feast One Hundred & Eighty Nine
Appetizer
What was your favorite cartoon when you were a child?
Looney Tunes -- especially the ones with Foghorn Leghorn
Soup
Pretend you are about to get a new pet. Which animal would you pick, and what would you name it?
well, given the fact that i live in an apartment, it would have to be a cat (and i'm really not even allowed to have those but since we're pretending & all). i don't know about a name though. i would need to see the kitty first.
Salad
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy getting all dressed up for a special occasion?
probably about an 8. but i can't even remember the last time i was all dressed up. Gosia's wedding maybe? (which was before i even lived in Florida)
Main Course
What kind of music do you listen to while you drive?
whatever sounds good while i scan the stations. i have a fairly wide taste in music so it could be almost anything.
Dessert
When was the last time you bought a clock? And in which room did you put it?
ummmm... the last clock i bought was a little over two years ago & it went in the kitchen of the house i had just moved into. it was cute & red. and it was still there when i left, but i don't know if it's still there now.
swiped from Krystyn's (private) blog, but i felt like i should still give her credit.
8 Passions in my life
(in no particular order...)
Red Sox
Patriots
Disney World
playing with my camera
cooking
ice cream (hee hee)
making sure my loved ones feel loved
growing my savings account
8 Things to do before I die
(or that i would at least like to do... i guess we'll see huh?)
see more Major League baseball parks
attend a Red Sox playoff game
have a child -- which would kinda require...
get married
finish paying off my student loans =P
meet some more of my bloggy buddies
see more of the United States
visit the international Disney parks
8 things I often say
good morning/afternoon, [insert comany name here].
seriously?/seriously.
Julio Freaking Lugo!! (while shaking my fist)
i miss you.
has anyone seen [insert name of employee where i work]?
::grumbling:: stupid printer...
is it time to go home yet?
i'm all set, thank you.
8 books and/or magazines I've read recently
Real Simple
Every Day with Rachael Ray
Redbook
Return of the King (JRR Tolkien)
and that's pretty much it...
8 Songs that mean something to me
"You and Me," Lifehouse
"The Promise," Tracy Chapman
"First Time," Lifehouse
"Sweet Caroline," Neil Diamond
"Stupid Boy," Keith Urban
"Far Away," Nickelback
"Collide," Howie Day
"Stay," Sugarland
8 Qualities I look for in a friend
compassionate
honest
loyal
listens well
respectful
can be silly
drama-free (except when warranted)
considerate
the weekend before last: 5 runs on 17 hits in 3 days
the weekend just past: 26 runs on 39 hits in 3 days
the weekend before last: one stolen base in the entire series. by Manny. (still confused by that.)
the weekend just past: 6 stolen bases, including *two* double steals. and two solo home runs.
the weekend before last: swept by the Rays in Tampa. shame.
the weekend just past: sweeping the Rays in Boston. redemption is sweet!
now if we could just figure out what to do about the sick & injured... Papi's knee is balky again & Brandon Moss had a great game, then found himself checked into a hospital to have his appendix removed. =/ even our back ups are getting broken.
onward to four in Detroit, followed by four in Minnesota. don't worry, Tigers fans. our starting pitching may be locked in & we may have finally started swinging bats again, but Lugo is still making errors (up to nine on the season now!) and our bullpen is almost belly-up at this point, so you may still have some opportunities for feasting.
go Sox!
"The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools."
(Herbert Spencer)
oh where, oh where can they be?
i do not understand how we were hitting everything in sight before The Epidemic and now? we look like we couldn't hit a ball off a tee. what the heck?? i know that AJ Burnett is 5-0 against us now, but you would think we could have mustered up at least one run. not to mention it would be nice to find our hitting groove what with Tampa rolling into town tonight. i don't think i can stomach another sweep by that team and their smug fans with their pristine (from lack of use) "sweep" brooms. especially at home.
and i do not buy into the "we need a sultry Summer night to get those balls out of the yard" theory, because it didn't look like Alex Rios had any trouble getting one into the Monstah.
hmmm. it seems i don't know how to end this post gracefully. which is fitting when you consider the awkward ending to the game itself. fly out called balk? what?
(Yahoo! Sports)
i continue to raise high my "Lowrie for SS!" placard. because even though he K'd, as the potential tying run, to end the game, i truly thought that call on the phantom balk was bogus and we had already lost the game several minutes earlier. that K set the record straight. and hopefully put an end to the craziness.
bring those bats tonight, boys. unlike the bizarre set up Toronto calls a shift, Joe Maddon invented the darn thing and i have a feeling Papi won't be squeaking out those hits against Tampa unless he sends them into the bleacher seats. Edwin Jackson is our best bet against those pesky Sunbeams, what with James Shields pitching on Saturday and Scott Kazmir rearing his ugly head for his season debut on Sunday, of course just in time to torment us, as only he can. (the only saving grace is that i *do* have him on my Fantasy Baseball team & we all know what a curse that has proven to be...)
if we cannot pull off a win tonight, the Rays regain first place in the division. unacceptable. jumpstart the bats STAT!
...Manny Delcarmen has shaved whatever that was that was growing on his chin.
outside of that, i pretty much refer you to yesterday's post, just change Youk into Tek & Papi into Manny. all other details remain the same.
(Yahoo! Sports)
April posted this a while back and it's been hanging out in my Google Reader, just waiting for me to have a slow morning. here we go...
maybe i should... email Heather right now before i forget *again*. be right back...
i love the smell of... fresh Christmas trees, orange blossoms, and the air after it snows.
people would say that i’m... tough to figure out because i am so quiet.
i don’t understand why... people can be so intentionally cruel.
when i wake up in the morning... i shut off my alarm clock before it can go off & disturb the peaceful silence.
i lost... my patience with the color printer at work yesterday & called a technician to figure out why it won't stop jamming up.
life is full of... things you never would have expected to happen.
my past is... better left there.
i get annoyed when... people do not practice what they preach.
parties are... ok, in moderation, but not something i want to do frequently.
i wish... my friend Alison would feel better. =(
dogs... make me laugh because they do the goofiest stuff.
cats... tell *you* when they want your attention.
tomorrow... is Friday & it can't come soon enough.
i have low tolerance for... drama, unless it is warranted.
i’m totally terrified of... hurting the people i love.
i wonder why... my new cell phone will let me give my contacts individual ring tones for calls but not for text messages.
never in my life have i... wanted to get a tattoo.
high school... wasn't so bad but once was definitely enough.
when i’m nervous... i have a hard time sitting still.
one time at a family gathering... when i was about eight, we made tents out of lawn chairs & blankets and laid in them to watch my great uncles set off fireworks.
take my advice: everyone has an opinion & not everyone's opinion is worth taking to heart.
making my bed... is something my Gram taught me to do, although i was not frequently a willing pupil.
i almost always... reply to comments left on my blog by leaving a comment myself because Blogger does not usually provide me with an email address to send a reply by email.
i’m addicted to... the Red Sox. =)
i want someone to... make three-day weekends mandatory.
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