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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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View From Along the Broken Road: August 8, 2007

another trip back into the arcives...


May 2006

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Wednesday Mind Hump: August 8, 2007

hosted by Blogdrive Insanity

It's the middle of the week, time to mind hump! Today is Refrigerator Day (or Icebox Day if you're Emeril Lagasse).

List ten random things in your refrigerator.

That's it! Simple and easy.

1. a bottle of ReaLime juice
2. a jar of minced garlic
3. a bottle of soy sauce
4. a bag of julienne cut sundried tomatoes
5. a package of whole wheat flour tortillas
6. some frozen bacon, thawing out for tomorrow's dinner -- BLT sandwich
7. six containers of Yoplait yogurt
8. a gallon of drinking water
9. Gourmet Garden Basil
10. some freshly shredded parmesan cheese

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
and now for some old ones i kept meaning to get to...

(July 11)
Hello everyone! Welcome to another Mind Hump. Cheer up, because today is Cheer Up day!

1. What makes you cheer up?
some perfectly timed emails from some wonderful people who know just what to say to make me smile.

2. Who makes you cheer up?
today it was my buddy, Michelle. she's my person. ;-)

3. What location makes you cheer up?
i know you're expecting me to say WDW, but i will get more specific: a prime seat for viewing the Disney Dreams Come True Parade.

4. What food or beverage makes you cheer up?
two words for you: See's. chocolate.

(June 20)
Hello again! Let's do another Wednesday Mind Hump. I really like Thursday's theme, Less Is More Day. Get ready to hump!

It will be up to you to interpret what to do with each of the [below] words.

1. Who?
El Duque is pitching for the Mets tonight. he wears his socks nice & high. i like that.

2. What?
new responsibilities demand a lot of my time. my blogging has lagged a bit while i get adjusted.

3. Where?
i will be going to California for vacation in less than three weeks.

4. Song
"Chasing Cars," by Snow Patrol

5. Food
Dole Whip from Aloha Isle in Magic Kingdom

6. Animal
i was visually violated by two cows on my into work this morning. use your grown-up imaginations. =P

(June 6)
Hello everyone! Welcome to another Hump. I just finished reading from a magazine, so today's meme will be about magazines.

1. Do you currently subscribe to any magazines? If so, which ones?
i love magazines. current subscriptions: Real Simple. Everyday with Rachael Ray. Redbook.

2. What magazines have you subscribed to in the past?
oh jeez. i've had all kinds of subscriptions. ever since i was a kid. there used to be a kids magazine by National Geographic (not the one they have now) that i *loved* but cannot remember the name of. i subscribed to "Teen" and "Seventeen" when i was in high school. many various magazines as an adult. can't even remember what all anymore. i know i had a subscription to "People" for a while. and to "Simple Scrapbooks." when i did daycare, i subscribed to "Family Fun," "Parents" and "Child" because i felt it kept me up-to-date on current parent concerns and developmental information, not to mention there were good toy & book suggestions, and awesome craft & activity ideas.

3. What do you do with the little cards that always fall out of the magazine? Do you toss them, or have you found a use for them?
yes! i use them to mark my spot where i leave off in the magazine. and also i will rip strips off of them & mark pages i want to come back to later. maybe a recipe or some tip i want to try.

4. If you could start a magazine, what would it be about? Who or what would be on the cover of the first issue?
i have no idea what it would be about but i would absolutely put Mike Lowell on the cover. and i would insist on being present for the photo shoot. ;-)

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And I Quote: August 8, 2007

"Resentment is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die."
(Malachy McCourt)

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the sunny side of the street

photo from the official Red Sox website

1. even if the Sox only managed to score one run in the first, they did come out of the gate, swinging aggressively

2. so what that Dougie's weight is bigger than his batting average? last night he was once again Stud Who Hits Bombs. just look at how he looks at his Wakey. =P


3. JFL errored again in the 5th. Burt Talks Sports summed it up well: If Julio Lugo makes that simple major league play, at least for a decent shortstop, in the fifth inning last night, do the Red Sox win the game? My guess is, yes. Tim Wakefield probably gets out of the inning with a 4-3 lead or at worst, 4-4. And the game is handed off to the bullpen. Instead, the floodgates opened and the blowout ensued. i know. you're wondering where the sunny side is, right? well, if it's all JFL's fault, then that means the rest of the team is still ok.

4. as i was heading to bed in the bottom of the fifth, i wondered: "how am i supposed to go to bed when the game is just getting good?? and is it safe to take off my lucky 7 Sox jersey?" turns out that meant i didn't have to witness the Sox losing the lead, and ultimately, the game.

5. ok, so we're down two games in the series. *but* at least we're losing to a respectable, division-leading team. way better than being embarrassed by the Royals or some perpetual cellar dweller.

6. apparently the wheels came off our pitching last night. but you know what? we still have the best team ERA in the American League. the only team pitching better than Boston is San Diego. just one night. and if the pitching is going to crash & burn, i would rather they *all* get it out of their systems on one night.

7. i was going to be worried about the EE being only five games behind us now but... i think i will wait to panic when they actually start winning against teams that are above .500 instead of the cake schedule they've had for the last month. we'll see how they do over the next three weeks when they go to Cleveland, then home to face the improved Orioles, followed by the Tigers. and then off to the West Coast for *their* turn in Anaheim. then to Detroit, before heading back to the Bronx for a face-off with Boston. only one sub-.500, non-playoff-contending team in the whole lot, and i don't think the Orioles are to be disregarded.

i have faith. so far this season, after any two truly deplorable performances, filled with stranding & terrible pitching, the Sox have come back to score a landslide of runs. lots of bats. spot-on pitching. i simply have no choice but to believe that they will be in the business of kicking ass & taking names tonight. after all, you can't let your kid pitcher, the one you chose to keep when you sent Kason Gabbard away to Texas, the one who beat cancer in the off-season, start back-to-back games that the team eventually loses (regardless of whether or not he actually gets charged with the loss), right? i said, RIGHT??

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Five Questions: Krystyn and Nichole

Krystyn asked the first set -- sorry no linkie; Krystyn's blog is password-protected.

1) I know I asked Nichole this too, but it's such a good question...What 1 thing would you change about your life if you could?
i am always very conscious of how all the little "ripples" in one's life are connected. change one, and you set off a chain reaction. i would be scared i would inadvertently change an event or experience that would reverse something i want to keep. but if i could, i would find a way to erase some of the damage & bad associations that have been caused by others, and seem to linger.

2) What is your dream job?
i wish i could make a living being a private tour guide at Walt Disney World.

3) I'm lacking on creativity...You are granted 3 wishes. What are they?
i am going to go with completely frivolous wishes:
1. i want to find a way to transplant WDW (but not to replace to Disneyland!) & Fenway Park to California -- that would make California *perfect*.
2. i want the same seat i had at the Trop, but at Fenway Park, on the day the Sox win the 2007 World Series.
3. i would like the man of my dreams to knock on my door.

4) Who do you miss the most in your life right now?
i've been really missing my Gram a lot lately for some reason...

5) What is your favorite day of the week and why?
Sunday. it's almost always a nice, relaxing day for me. i go to church. go grocery shopping. then hole up at home & watch baseball (or football, depending on the season). this past Sunday was even better. my church just started doing a traditional worship service, in addition to the blended worship & contemporary services. the order of worship is taken directly from the hymnal, with *hymns* (as opposed to songs), and no use of the huge screen. i *finally* feel like i went to church -- and i can't really explain how much or why i needed a traditional service, the way i am used to. but i did.

Nichole asked my second set of questions:

1. If See's Candy contacted you and told you that the one flavor of candy you chose would be the only one they made from now on, which one would you pick?
wow. leading off playing hard ball, huh? hmmm... so many to choose from... Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cream. Raspberry Truffle. Cafe Au Lait Truffle. Peanut Butter Pattie. Butterscotch Square. Mocha. i think it would have to be the Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cream. you can't go wrong with raspberry & dark chocolate.

2. What do you think they put into Bath & Body Works stuff that makes it as addictive as crack?
i'm not sure what it is, but i think they may have consulted with Disney on this & used the same principle executed with the smells of the popcorn carts & outside the candy shoppes. you know... the scents that reel you in, like on the cartoons, beckoning you closer, as you move trance-like toward the source. must have...

3. If money were no object and time not a limiting factor, what kind of vacation would you have?
a week at all five Disney Park locations. i would start at Walt Disney World, and stay in a room with a Magic Kingdom view at the Polynesian (always been my favorite resort hotel! it was a struggle between that & the Wilderness Lodge -- my other favorite -- but you can't compete with a Magic Kingdom view!) after that it would be off to Disneyland Paris, staying at the Disneyland Hotel. moving on to Hong Kong Disneyland, i think i would choose to stay in Disney's Hollywood Hotel in a Sea View room, for a change of pace -- this description was just too good to pass up: Wake up to the view of the sea stretching into forever in these ocean-view rooms that offer the tranquility and beauty of a sparkling water vista. from there, it would off to Tokyo Disney Resort. i had a really hard time choosing, but i think i would have to go with a stay in Tokyo DisneySea Hotel Miracosta, in one of the Terrace Rooms. (i cannot even begin to tell you how hard it was to choose one though!) i would wind my five-week Disney tour up at the place where it all started: Disneyland Resort. and i would request to stay at the finest five-star accommodations of all: my very own room with two of my favoritest people ever. =)

4. What's one skill you wish you had?
teleporting. oh... realistically? i wish i could be more compassionate without it being a conscious effort. is that more a characteristic than a skill? i don't know. a better conversationalist maybe?

5. What is the next book you're going to read?
if i ever get through The Two Towers, my next book with be Return of the King.

if you want to play along, here are the rules:
1. Leave me a comment saying anything random, like [the food you hate most in all the world]. Something random. Whatever you like. (But ummm... you might want to indicate somehow that you would like some questions of your own -- some of us are a little slow sometimes! LOL)

2. I respond by asking you five personal questions so I can get to know you better.

3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.

4. You will include this explanation and offer to ask someone else in the post.

5. When others comment asking to be asked, you will ask them five questions.

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And I Quote: August 7, 2007

So much of what we call management consists in making it difficult for people to work.
(Peter Drucker)

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a little of this, a little of that

i've only seen bits & pieces of games since the boys have travelled westward.

SUNDAY
1. the Seattle announcers are so bad, the put me to sleep. literally. afternoon nap right there on the couch.

2. i am still amazed how the chants & cheers for the Sox are louder than for the home team.

3. pre-nap: Sox had based loaded in the first & second again. and still only came away with two runs. i am so beyond over the way we strand runners on base & squander serious scoring opportunities. Sox up 2-0, and somehow it still felt less like a Sox win than a Mariners loss, mid way through the game.

4. during nap: apparently i miss potshots being taken at Coco by a moose on an ATV and a pitcher aiming at his ankles. it's because they fear the cornrows. ;-) Air Coco was all smiles anyway, what with beating Ichiro SUZUKI (take that! i used his last name!) at his own game, slapping two doubles.

5. post-nap: seems the Sox woke up with me! somehow they managed to start scoring runs, winning 9-2, and taking the series. Safeco slump no more!

6. did i dream that Papi stole a base...?

MONDAY
1. i suffered several heart attacks & a stroke when i saw Youk go down, after being hit in the head by a pick-off attempt! tough as nails, he shook free of the cobwebs & stayed in the game to hit 2-run homer. unfortunately the only two runs the Sox would score, it turns out.

2. JFL made an appearance in the first inning. could he ever just glove a ball like we pay him to do?

3. the Sox were 3-for-3 on steals before i went to bed in the middle of the sixth. too bad they didn't really amount to much. have i mentioned i am tired of all the stranding of runners?

4. i have to say... rookie umpires who feel the need to puff up & prove something really tick me off. if you can't call the game like a professional, maybe you need to not be umpiring in the bigs. the umpires are supposed to operate like a team. the rookie ump at home tried to be the big man, all by himself. problem is, he *stunk*. let's start with Manny being called out on strikes in the third inning (i think it was) -- replay showed that Manny indeed did check his swing. Rookie called him out without ever conferring with the first base ump. then when Manny voiced his displeasure, Rookie ejected him. apparently he doesn't think players should have the right to argue with him. then in the sixth, he called Mike Lowell out on a foul tip. problem is, the ball bounced off the ground into the catcher's mitt. did he check with the third base ump? of *course* he didn't. i guess there was another bad call later in the sixth -- a foul ball called fair -- but i was in bed. what is it with all the need to for guys to show their testosterone? =P

5. i really felt bad for Brandon Moss being thrust unceremoniously into the game with Manny's getting tossed. he never seemed to gain his composure. that's ok, kid. we understand.

6. i wish i knew what Schill was thinking, trying to bare hand a line drive -- with his pitching hand, no less! ::smacks forehead:: -- on his first day back from the DL. started pitching a shutout game, and then clearly did something to his index finger, because he immediately started giving up hits, and subsequently, runs. a veteran like him really ought to know better. oh well. he paid the price -- his loss broke his undefeated record in Anaheim.

7. someone talk to me about the Yankees surge when they actually start playing some teams with a better than .500 record.

8. do you think WMP feels stupid that the Sox put him on the block, he cleared trade waivers, and there was not one bite? we can't even *give* him away, i guess.

pleaseohplease let Wakey win tonight... as of post time the Yankees are up 4-0 against Toronto, and are looming at six games behind us. they are like a piece of gum you step in that you can seem to shake free of your shoe, even when you drag it in the grass, scuff it through sand, and scrape it against the curb. they just hang on in the treads of your sole and drag all manner of trash & debris along with them.

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View From Along the Broken Road: August 5, 2007

David has requested seeing more photos on the ol' blog here, and who i am not to oblige? i'm no professional, but i do love playing with my camera. however, this is the time of year that i spend a lot of time indoors, escaping the heat -- and therefore, i don't seem to find as many photo opportunities. so how about i share some old favorites you may or may not have seen when i don't have anything new to share? sound like a deal? we'll call these posts "View From Along the Broken Road" and i will share with you some glimpses through my own eyes.


this one is an archived favorite.
Walt Disney Word, Magic Kingdom, Adventureland (2005).

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Unconscious Mutterings: Auugust 5, 2007

Week 233

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

Deputy :: sheriff
Name :: birthdate. social security number.
Arrested :: cuffed
Trade :: deadline
Old :: Spice
Fingerprint :: identification
Dwarf :: Snow White
Newspaper :: Boston Globe
Gabriel :: angel
Certificate :: birth

Week 234

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

Traditional :: classic & time-honored
Popeye :: spinach
Gin :: and tonic
Harsh :: abrasive
Topless :: no shirt - no shoes - no service
The thing :: is...
Defiant :: obstinate
Huge :: enormous
Food :: dinner reservations
Lenny :: DiNardo

Week 235

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

Voices :: speaking
Have to :: must
Machine :: washing
Seventh grade :: Mrs Higgins
Beach :: sunscreen
Roommate :: bad experience
Cyclone :: The Wizard of Oz
Theater :: Broadway
Pregnant :: not me!
Phoebe :: Buffay

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the late edition

1. these west coast trips kill me. either i do without Sox (which kills me) or i stay up half the night watching them (which kills me).

2. i have nothing to say about Barry*. i will congratulate A-Rod on his 500th home run. may he break the all time home run record as soon as humanly possible. that's right. i'm rooting for Slappy. take that as you will.

3. The Hundred Million Dollar Pitcher went through his usual paces Saturday: the requisite hit batter(s). the 10K performance. a couple of nerve-wracking erratic innings (though admittedly not as bad as some have been). a couple of towering home runs given up. the customary hundred-plus pitches. i felt like i was checking each item off his to-do list, as it was accomplished.

4. am i the last baseball fan in America to notice that suddenly Ichiro Suzuki is known only as "Ichiro"?! on the screen when they flash his stats. when they announce him. even on the back of his jersey. no last name anywhere. ok... seriously?? ::huge eye roll::

5. i actually cried out in a moment of panic when i saw Papi sliding into 2B in the fourth inning on a bobbled hit to left, so has he traumatized me.

6. if you didn't get treated to the game on the Mariners home station, i don't know if you experienced the Manny Act, live at 1B last night. just before Tek brought Papi & ManRam home to (finally! praise God!) give the Sox the lead, Manny Being Manny was actually Manny Being Ben Broussard. it started with a little shuffle-step dancing, progressed to Manny running exaggeratedly in place, and the grand finale - Manny mimicking every move Broussard made. i couldn't tell if Broussard was entertained or annoyed, but Manny had a huge goofy grin plastered all over his face. all i can say is that if Manny is having fun playing ball that can only mean good things for Boston.

7. some Seattle reliever (whose name gets lost in his armpits since it's hyphenated) must have decided Youk's furry woodland face creature needed a trim as he played chin music with Youk in the seventh.

8. observation: i think they raided Manny's locker to supply uniforms to Eric Gagne.

9. the Sox finally stopped the hellish losing streak in Seattle with a 4-3 win that still shaved precious years off my life. and for the record: i still hate Safeco Field. can't wait to get outta there after Sunday's rubber game.

time for Joshy to join the 14-win club. enough of this horsing around & having tantrums with water coolers. we need our ace to show these Mariners we aren't messing around, before we get stuck facing them in the playoffs, having given them the mental upper hand of smacking us around all season.

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Saturday 8: August 4, 2007

hosted by Saturday 8

changes

tell us ... when was the last time you changed....

1. hairstyle?
i changed to my current style about four years ago. actually, it was a variation of this style, i changed it just a little -- made it a little shorter, changed the front to include bangs, and added in my highlights -- about a year ago. because this style works so well for my hair, i feel no real pressing need to find a new one. i just keep finding little ways to update it from time to time.

2. residence?
i switched from one apartment to another, in the complex where i live, back in December.

3. your job?
i started my current job in April 2004.

4. your significant other?
for all intents & purposes, let's say August of last year. i didn't so much change as eliminate.

5. your circle of friends?
last friends added: Nichole and Daniel, May 2006. last friend deleted: Thing One, December 2003.

6. your favourite food? and what was the new discovery?
i don't really have a favorite food. i like all sorts of yummy things. i'm not a picky eater at all, and i am usually willing to try new things -- at least a taste. i think the most recent new thing i tried was fish tacos last Autumn when i visited Nichole & Daniel in California.

7. your favourite vacation spot? and why should we go?
it changed last September, when i visited Southern California for the first time. fell.in.love. you should go because the Pacific Ocean is so amazingly beautiful... and they have Disneyland. i cannot offer you lodging recommendations though. i have a very special arrangement. ;-)

8. your favourite movie or television show ... from what to what?
let's go with television show: changed from Friends to Grey's Anatomy. still love Friends, but there aren't any more new episodes coming of that. =(

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And I Quote: August 4, 2007

The truth that makes men free is for the most part the truth which men prefer not to hear.
(Herbert Agar)

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The Readers Take the Wheel: Round Two Answered

Dan Mega asked, a long time ago:
"If the White Sox are the Right Sox, what does it make Boston?"
well, Dan, first of all, the White Sox are not the Right Sox, so this is something of a silly question. but *if* they were, the Red Sox would be the smarter Sox, since they actually know what color socks they are supposed to wear. you don't see them wearing *blue* socks, do you? ;-)

Brian in Oxford wants to know:
"favorite cheese?"
are you asking if i have one, Brian? =P yes, i do. it really depends on what i'm making with the cheese though. just for snacking on, i would say Colby Jack.

Gail at More Than a Song wondered the following:
How about, where do you like to shop for clothes? What's your favorite outfit?
Kohl's and New York & Co get hit the most often. i used to love Casual Corner, until they closed up shop. as for favorite outfit: for work - my tan pants, a long-sleeve brown collared v-neck, and my brown heeled boots. casual - my "What's not to love?" Red Sox tee or my cream colored Mickey Surf Collection WDW tee, jeans, and sneakers.

How many times have you been on Soarin'?
oh gosh. at least a dozen, probably more, at Epcot. just once on the original at Disney's California Adventure.

How often do you print your pictures out?
i don't print all my photos. i would go broke if i tried to do that! LOL! i usually print out my favorites when i have one i want to frame.

J-Dawg inquires:
In a recent post, dated July 24, 2007 -- question #2 asks if you have a crush on someone? Care to elaborate??
i really got everyone all wound up on this one, didn't i? LOL! here is the object of my crush:

for anyone not sure, that would be an ad featuring Mike Lowell, my favorite Boston third baseman, back when he played for the Marlins. yes, the ad is in Spanish. the Marlins play in Miami. target audience, ya know? ;-)

Question 2 -- What is the wildest thing you have ever done -- something that is totally out of character for you?
i am about as non-wild & crazy as they come. booooo-ring. the most out of character thing i have ever done was move to Florida three weeks after deciding to, with no job planned, and never having set a foot in the state.

Question 3 -- Who is your favorite author?
much like i have favorite songs more than favorite artists, i have favorite books more than favorite authors. for "fluff reading" though, i do really enjoy Mary Higgins Clark.

Question 4 -- Besides any player who has ever been a Red Sox, name a baseball player you could say you enjoyed watching play the game.
former player: Cal Ripken Jr. no contest. and also Nolan Ryan, Bo Jackson and Ryne Sandberg. current players I really enjoy that never played for Boston: Mike Mussina (i know! ::gasp:: for the Yankees), Aaron Rowand (Phillies) and Nick Markakis (Orioles). i've always liked watching Moose pitch. and those last two guys play with so much effort & enthusiasm, that i find them completely enjoyable to watch play the game.

Question 5 -- Are you musically inclined? Do you play any instruments? If not, which instrument would you like to learn how to play?
i started playing the flute in the second grade. in high school, i also picked up piccolo. i played in a regional All Star band when i was in eighth grade. i often played special prelude music for church as well, when i still lived in Connecticut. i haven't touched them in about six years or so, but i bet it would come back to me quickly.

Debi poses these questions:
--Your hair is so darn cute...does it take you much time to deal with, or is it pretty much a wash and go kind of style?
awww, thank you, Debi. =) for the first time in my life, i *love* my hair! my hair has multiple personalities. it lays flat in some places & curls in others. and it's never the same two days in a row. that's why this style works so well for me! it's practically made for my hair! it's super simple to do: blow dry, finger-style with a little hair wax -- it's supposed to look "messy & wind blown"! -- then a quick spritz of hair spray and it's done. five minutes!

--If you had to choose somewhere you've never been before to go on vacation, where would you go?
hmmmm... pretty much anywhere in the United States that i haven't been would be good. having a Major League ballpark nearby wouldn't hurt either! ;-) i would also really like to visit the other Disney parks -- Paris. Tokyo. Hong Kong.

--Could you give up baseball entirely for one year for $100,000?
i don't think i could. $100,000 is a lot of money, but i look forward to baseball all season. it's been part of my life for as far back as i could remember. there are so few things that i truly enjoy as much as baseball, it would be so hard to give it up. money can't be traded for things that truly bring you joy. plus, i would never forgive myself if the Red Sox went all the way that year & i didn't watch!

and it wasn't part of the post, but in a comment on one of my And I Quote posts, kreed says:
I thought I heard that Men in Trees wasn't back next season. I hope I am wrong...
according to the ABC website, Men in Trees will be returning on October 12 (happy birthday to me!). this time on Friday from 8-9pm.

No more info about the mystery guy, huh?
mystery guy? are we referring to the crush question i answered up above?

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so.

i really hate Safeco Field.

that is all.

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And I Quote: August 3, 2007

i've been watching reruns of the show Men in Trees this summer. i have to say, i am really enjoying it. i may need to make it one of my must watch shows when the new season starts.

My friend, Jack, has taught me about balance. That it's just as important in nature as it is in yourself. That when you care for someone, they can care for you back. That you can trust other people to help you out. And that you can trust yourself. You don't have to say everything you feel. I know this because I met Jack. The first real man I've ever known.
(Marin Frist, Men in Trees)

i have a "Jack." his name isn't Jack, but if you put his name in place of it, the quote fits perfectly. i'm a lucky girl...

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get away day

1. in case anyone was wondering, the talk-around-my-desk-when-the-Sox-are-on phenomenon is alive & well. between all the loud incessant chatter & the fact that i had to work while i listened to the game, my commentary will be limited.

2. happy birthday (yesterday), Wakey! 41 years old & still floating in that knuckler to confound the hitters.

3. you know it's a good day when your 8 & 9 hitters go yard back-to-back -- and combine to score 3 of Boston's 7 runs. Dougie's homer was actually part of him going 3-for-3 and a walk yesterday. i believe this must have been his birthday gift for the pitching half of the Wakabelli Show.

4. i really feel like Wakefield takes a lot of unnecessary criticism. he's too old. the knuckleball is too unreliable. he's just a sideshow when we should be filling his slot in the rotation with a "real pitcher." to those of you who think that way, i have this to say: Tim Wakefield has 13 wins as of August 2. that ties him with the likes of: Josh Beckett, CC Sabathia, Fausto Carmona, Don Haren, John Lackey, and Brad Penny. it makes him better than guys like: Johan Santana and Felix Hernandez. only Carlos Zambrano is better with 14 wins. so... does he qualify as a "real pitcher" now? carry on, Wake. keep 'em coming.

5. Gagne made his Boston debut. what a roar from the crowd. i hope he continues to do things that produce that kind of reaction from RSN. not like Clemens, who was apparently booed off the mound in the Bronx yesterday.

off to the West Coast again. that means late games and probably minimal commentary, since i will probably end up dozing off before they end, especially the ones on work nights. but it's Friday & i am going to do my best to stay awake. tonight begins the experiment to see if we sent the right left-handed pitcher to Texas in exchange for Eric Gagane. come on, Lestaaaaaah!!

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as they say...

where there's a will, there's a way!

in a local car chase, the man being pursued had no arms and only one leg!

=O

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it's as if they were sleep walking through the first 2/3 of the game...

photos from The Boston Globe

1. so i was reflecting during last night's game about Joshy turning his ankle & showing a slight limp afterward during Tuesday's game. that's *all* we need right now is for one of our starters to come up lame. ::gulp:: more than ever, i really wish we hadn't parted with a pitcher that was major league ready. i guess that's the price you pay though...

2. so. it turns out what the White Sox *really* wanted in exchange for Dye was Okajima. Jeemer?? for a rent-a-bat?! i am starting to think that maybe Dan's team has completely lost it's mind.

3. i have quite a list of former Sox who i keep an eye on now that they play for new teams, just because i want to see them do well: Mark Loretta. A-Gon. Orlando Cabrera. Trot. Kevin Millar. Dave Roberts. and now Kason Gabbard.

4. i can't help asking... what on *earth* is going on on Pocket's face?! ::tries not to laugh:: (side note: look! it's our former & current number 15s!)


5. as i watched WMP lumber around right field last night, i have to say, he really is about one of the most ungraceful creatures i've ever seen. take, for example, his botched Coco impression on Tuesday, when he tried to sail through the air, but sort of stumbled over his knees & skidded to a stop. i think someone needs to sit him down, Big Papi too, and explain some of the laws of physics to these two. (speaking of the Big Man, this photo kills me. is he really a giant? or are second basemen, already notoriously small, shrinking?!)


6. those pesky Orioles with their first inning home runs. i am about over *that*, i must say.

7. just another reason why i love Remy & Don: there's nothing quite like coming back from commercial break to hear Remy saying, rather disdainfully: "...the gluteus muscle. that's your *butt*."

8. ha. i love when we find a way to exploit the shift. Pedroia Pocket stole third base on a walk to Ortiz in the first. it didn't amount to anything when Manny promptly hit into a double play but good heads up by Pocket to notice no one was really paying attention to him, on top of not covering third due to playing the shift against Papi.

9. what a pleasantly shocking experience to see the interview with Tito about Gagne coming to Boston. he actually was animated & showed emotion. i can't remember the last time i saw Fran-coma get excited!

10. Rem-Dawg & Don were talking about Jon's blown save in Tampa last Saturday. Don was right: he's so good that we just expect that when he comes in, the game is over, so when he doesn't close it out, we're all shocked & caught off guard. i guess that's really not such a bad thing, huh? of course he sat 'em down 1-2-3 tonight on a ground out & two Ks. that's the Killer we know & love!

11.poor Julian looks so disappointed in himself when he doesn't do well. as he has so often though, as our fifth starter, he didn't get a decision but he did keep us within in striking distance. and strike we did with Papi & Youk RBI doubles followed by a Tek RBI single, stretched into two bases, all in the seventh. i think putting Julian in the pen at this point will be good for him mentally, as he's been much more successful out there. but i love that he truly is willing to go & do & be whatever we ask him to.

12. finally found some decent photos to share this time! yay! this one is of Jay Gibbons, just before he scored Baltimore's third run of the game.


Sox are on early today so they can catch a plane to Seattle to start another West Coast stint. Wakabelli & the flutterball, center stage, in twenty minutes. buenas tardes, amigos!

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And I Quote: August 2, 2007

"It's the good girls who keep diaries; the bad girls never have the time."

(Tallulah Bankhead)



and there you have it folks. a blog is something like a diary of sorts. and like i've said all along, i have always been one of the good girls. =P just another piece of proof. for those of you that question the validity of my statement.

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Sing Along: August 2, 2007

You treat life like a picture
But it's not a moment frozen in time
It's not gonna wait
Til you make up your mind, at all
("Feels Like Today," Rascal Flatts)

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you know what's scary?

sneezing while you're driving in heavy traffic.
=P

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keeping secrets

last night during the Sox game, we learned that the Boston bullpen is it's own little world. in fact, they are like a little alliance out there. an exclusive club. and apparently, they all have Pirates of the Caribbean nicknames.

they are very excited that Gagne will be joining their elite little group and have already picked out his nickname, ready to welcome him & make him feel like one of the boys, right off the bat.

per Kyle Snyder, the nicknames cannot be revealed to anyone outside the bullpen, under penalty of walking the plank.

this begs the question: just what the hell is going on out there during the games?? shouldn't they be... oh, i don't know... watching the game so they know what they'll be facing if they get the call?! not that i should be complaining. they must be doing something right to get the label of best bullpen in MLB. far cry from last year...

far cry, indeed. maybe i will just keep my comments to myself...

carry on, boys. as you were...

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And I Quote: August 1, 2007

"Sometimes when we're quiet, the answers we've been waiting for find their way to us. We can't always use words to find our way through the darkness. Sometimes all you can hope for is some good conversation while you're figuring it all out. And maybe when you have no words left at all, you're right where you need to be. Because sometimes, it's not til you stop talking that things really start..."
(Marin First, Men in Trees)

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a day late, a dollar short, and a new player on the team.

ok so... since i last commented on the Sox, we played a series against the Rays, suffered through the trade deadline, and got handled by the Orioles in the opening game of the current series. at Fenway, no less.

let's have a recap, shall we?
(no? you could live without it? too bad. my blog. =P how do like *them* apples??)

i had the distinct ::cough cough:: pleasure of watching the Sox with Staaaaaaaaaaats & Migraine all weekend. they rank right up there with the most annoying television baseball announcers out there. their voices are awful to listen to. they think they are funnier than they actually are. and while i do expect a team's local announcers to have a definite bias toward them, i also want a professional, accurate calling of the game. let's just say i would rather listen to the YES guys than these two buffoons.

FRIDAY
1. what i can say about Staaaaaaaaaaaaaaats & Migraine that's positive though is that they have a healthy appreciation for the knuckleball & Wakey. in fact they described it in a way that i absolutely love: "Tim Wakefield's knuckleball is like a butterfly with a case of the hiccups."

2. as he often does, JFL made a spectacular looking effort at trying to catch a ball hit up the middle. he was not successful, of course, but when they described him as Leaping Lugo, it made me laugh.

3. apparently there is some bad blood between the Rays' mutant unidentifiable mascot, Raymond, & NESN's Rem-Dawg? all i know is that there were tiny stuffed Raymonds hanging all over the NESN broadcast booth during that game.

4. a line drive hit the rays catcher, who was the base runner, right in the ribs for the third out. painful way to make an out. the Red Sox would like to thank the Rays for their assistance in making outs for the Sox defense.

5. what you may or may not know is that i "live blog" my commentary while the game is on. at some point in the fourth inning, my commentary read: this is the team the Yankees scored 45 runs on?? and we can't even get ONE?! Tim Wakefield Disease strikes again. maybe they are saving all their bats for me Jon Lester tomorrow night... and then the Rays were kind enough to bring in their relievers. the Sox ended up winning 7-1 and bringing Wakey's record at The Trop to 8-0.

6. MDC (Manny Delcarmen for those of you unfamiliar with the lingo around these parts) has very pretty eyes. no, seriously. they have these long thick lashes most women spend ten minutes simulating with a tube of mascara each morning.

SATURDAY
i was at the game with an *awesome* seat, in case you somehow missed it, but a couple of quick observations:

1. Jon Lester still has some command issues. also, when he comes off the field between innings, he walks very slowly (compared to the trot/jog the rest of the players use), head down, emotionless, making eye contact with no one. i wonder if that's to stay in his zone...?

2. as nightmarishly freaky as the Rays mascot is, they really do make him (her? it?) do some funny stuff. if i hadn't been so distracted by the Red Sox players ten feet away from me, i might have gotten more photos of some of his amusing antics. maybe next time.

3. i actually felt bad for JFL. he's seen former Red Sox come back to Fenway & receive some huge ovations. i think he was hoping for a little acknowledgement from the Tampa fans and they really did nothing. sad. he was supposedly one of their favorite players too.

4. at one point, David Ortiz managed to check swing -- and his bat disintegrated in his hands! it was so funny to see the bewildered expression on his face. no contact with the ball at all yet the bat snapped right in two as he checked his swing. you just don't know your own strength, Big Man!

5. our entire section at the game kept watching the Yankees-Orioles score flash by. the Os were winning... and then the Yankees score started to grow... and grow... and grow... the question of the hour was "is that game *ever* going to end?!" especially when Jon uncharacteristically blew the save when the Rays tied the game up at six in the ninth. thankfully, the Os held on to win it.

SUNDAY
1. back to watching at home. (thank God i didn't pay money to see *this* game since the Rays won.)

2. observation: Dougie wears his pants like an old man. i swear they looked like they were pulled up to his armpits.

3. Matsuzaka sure does get wild with some of his pitches. might be a good thing Dougie was catching that game, being used to the fickle nature of Wakey's knuckler.

4. Staaaaaaaaats & Migraine informed us several times that the Rays have the fourth most home runs in MLB. just goes to show you that you can hit balls out of the yard all day long, and it's not what counts, as they are also the team in possession of the worst record in MLB as well.

5. so... suddenly WMP can hit the ball huh? interesting that he can pull out this special talent in time for the trade deadline. i do find it especially amusing that the media was claiming that several teams were very interested in acquiring him at the trade deadline, but the Sox front office said this was news to them. =P

6. speaking of WMP, seems the second he can hit, he loses what little defensive skill he has. he was chasing the ball all over right field like a puppy.

7. in other baseball games (namley, Houston), i wonder... how crappy do you feel as a starting pitcher when you give up eleven runs before your team ever comes to bat for the first time?

8. i have news for Staaaaaaaaaaaaats & Migraine. you cannot claim there is "action in the Rays bullpen." why? because there is no bullpen at Tropicana Field. just a bench & a strip of dirt along the foul line. =P

MONDAY
1. uhhhh... J? Bart? when did your team get that good?? ::jaw hangs open:: and ummm... care to part with Bedard?? WOW. even on a not-so-great start, he made us look *bad*.

2. trade deadline: i am happy for Joel Pineiro that he will be playing for a ML team. he doesn't belong in the minors. he was a good reliever, just the weakest link in, dare i say, a very strong bullpen.

3. more trade deadline: it smarts just a bit to have let Gabbard go. i am happy that he will go somewhere that he can be a guaranteed part of the rotation, but i like him. i wanted him to stay. and i can't shake the feeling that this was not a good choice.

4. MORE trade deadline: moving past my sadness about Gabby, we just added a very potent arm to an already kicking bullpen!! this is what i call "closer by committee"!! no matter what, we have a closer for any given game! and who better to set-up for your closer than another closer!! i think this was a good move, just sad about Gabbard having to go.

5. bad news about Brendan Donnelly. season-ending Tommy John surgery. poor guy. so enthusiastic about playing in Boston. effective. reliable. throws like a demon. and you could see how defeated & disappointed he was to make the announcement.

6. so. new rotation for the Sox starting this weekend: Joshy. Matsu. Schill. Wakey. Lester. this was the touted rotation we've been told we were waiting for all season. let's see if they are as good as we've been promised...

7. i am really impressed by Baltimore's Nick Markakis, more every time i see him play.

8. this scares the bejeezus outta me: Matt Clement had a very encouraging side session this afternoon. Francona said he didn't want to get into rating each session. But he said the pitcher was pleased. "He said it's the first time he's felt like a pitcher in a long time." Francona said Clement felt there was a lot of movement in his pitches. Francona said Clement is still a ways away from a game, but Clement wants to pitch before the season ends. (Extra Bases)

9. last year, down the stretch, when The Curse of the Gimpy Crow struck, Boston brought in a kid named Carlos Pena. good kid, played hard. he plays for Tampa this year. Extra Bases asks this burning question: did the Red Sox keep the wrong Pena?

10. oh man... finally a two-homer game for Big Papi and we wasted it on a loss? =/

with Gabbard calling Arlington home now =( Julian gets the start tonight =) and i hope he does well. i can't help but love our Yo-yo. and man... i really hope we can win. those damn Yankees are back to seven games behind us.

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