Grinches

Tree honoring dead boys stolen from school
Blue spruce tree was planted in memory of two brothers who died in fire

By KENNETH C. CROWE II, Staff writer Last updated: 1:23 p.m., Wednesday, December 3, 2008
TROY -- Someone cut down and stole a 9-foot-tall blue spruce tree from Public School 14 planted in memory of two young brothers who died in a fire at their mother's home in Pittstown eight years ago. "It's part of school. I was heartbroken,'' said first-grade teacher Beth Behan, who discovered the freshly cut stump outside her classroom on Wednesday morning.
Behan knew the fire victims: 7-year-old David Trudell and his brother, Jacob, 6.
"I had David in my class," Behan recalled. "He was a sweet little boy.''
Her students were dismayed by the destruction of the memorial tree, which they observed daily, studying the birds and squirrels it attracted.
Behan said the class had planned to put seed bells in the tree to feed the birds.
Principal Karen Cloutier said the school at 1700 Tibbits Ave. would raise funds to replace the tree and install a plaque to honor the two Trudell brothers.
City police are investigating the crime.

Two Brothers

I wrote this after the boys died. We planted and dedicated two trees, one slightly bigger than the other, not long after one was cut down as a fraternity prank. The police followed the footprints in the snow. I'm not sure if I wrote this before or after the first one was cut down, but I think I wrote it while I was in grad school (I left for school a month after they were killed) because it has comments from a teacher on it, so I must have submitted it for something. I also have an oil-crayon (cray-pod) sketch of a two trees in front of a school. Never said I was an artist.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For David and Jake:

Two brother evergreen trees stood together one fall afternoon.

The smaller one looked up at the bigger one and asked, “Why are you bigger than me?”

The taller tree replied, “I am taller so I can always watch over you. After all, I am your big brother.”



The next day the sun rose and the smaller tree looked around. He said, “So many trees have beautiful leaves that change color in the fall. Why do we have these prickly needles?”

His brother patiently answered, “We have needles and not leaves because we are special. We are Evergreens. We are always green, even in winter when all the other trees turn bare. We will always be full of life and color.”



The following afternoon, the small tree heard children laughing and playing. Wishing he could play too, he asked, “Why can’t we laugh and play like other little boys?”

The taller tree smiled and said, “We have a more important job. We must give branches for climbing and shade for sitting in on a hot day. We give needles and cones to make gifts with. We may not run and play, but we are important. We provide a place for children to run to and learn about.”

The littler tree thought about this. He felt the warm sun on his branches and listened to the children who came everyday to visit. It was good to be a tree.

Then he thought of something.

“But what if they cut me down?” he asked sadly.

“Then they will have to cut me down too, for brothers have to stay together. But that will not happen for a hundred years. We still have much growing to do as all brothers do.”

The little tree liked that answer. It was good to be a tree, but it was even better to be a little brother.

Random Haze

So, as usual for October, I stayed up WAY too late last night watching the Red Sox lose in 12 innings. I got to the point where I didn't care who won, I just wanted it to end but I refused to go to bed.

Anyway... as I sit here, taking a break from the massive MONTH-LONG cleaning of my apartment, I was thinking:

One word I can NEVER spell correctly: vacuum - 2 c's? 2 u's?

I HATE Ozzie Guinnen (sp?)

Fall is not the same now that the tree has been trimmed

The Rays took the Devil out of their name and now look at them!

I turned 33 1/2 the other day.

I am getting too old to have a crush.

I am trying to be more organized and follow through on things.

I HATE the Parting Glass now. But I still miss Hair of the Dog.

Fifteen years after high school, I still have the same two best friends. And I love them and I miss them. And even though we all live completely different lives, our history binds us forever.

I wonder if everytime we make a new friend we lose an old one.

I went to a wedding a while back and for the first time ever in my life, I danced with wild abandon. Well, not quite, but I wasn't self-conscious. I was enjoying the moment and every picture of me from that ngith shows a genuine smile. That is rare.

I want to take ballroom dancing lessons.

I guess that's it for now. Must continue the cleaning efforts before the Red Sox game. I hope they clinch tonight. I need sleep! :-)

Sooooo sleepy...

I could sleep for a week but there is so much to do, like work tomorrow, clean like a mad person on Saturday and scrapbook w/ Melissa on Sunday. And I have three DVDs to review. And I thought life would slow down when SPAC ended. Ha!

Adios

It actually is amazing to me how much of my soul is still a Yankee fan.  Despite the Red Sox flag in my office, the Varitek poster over my desk, part of my heart will always belong in Yankee Stadium.

I'll admit, I don't like change.  I spent the first 17 years of my life a Mets fan, untill the day they traded David Cone to Toronto.  By then, I had already acquired a healthy respect for the Yankees and as they added remarkable players in the years that followed (O'Neill, Bernie, Tino, Girardi)  I was 100% a Yankees fan the day my father picked me up from my job as an electronics dept. clerk @ Bradlees and told me they'd signed David Cone.  Nothing could ever make me happier.

I was away at college the first time they went to the play offs in 1995.  I wore my Yankees cap every moment I couldn't be watching the games on TV.  I cried with Cone when he gave up the walk that basically eliminated them. 

But as David Wells pointed out last night and I've never agreed with him more.  His favorite team was 98 if I remember correctly.  They were a team of 25 guys who went to dinner and hung out and enjoyed being together.  It shows in what they were able to accomplish.  But the key is THEY WERE A TEAM.  Not 25 prima donnas.  They worked hard, they respected their manager and each other.

I'm sure fans of the Babe or Mantle have never found the same caliber of players to replace their idol.  That's where I am.  I still pledge my allegience to Jeter and Pettite and especially Rivera and Posada who once upon a time drove me insane.  Jorge was affectionately known as dumbass for his inability to remember how to run the bases and his lack off effort when it came to BLOCKING the plate.  Now they are 2 of my all time favorites. 

No matter who the revolving door of a bench held, the core guys remained the same.  It had to be difficult for Tino to replace Mattingly, but seeing as Mattingly played at a time when I loathed the Yanks as a Mets fan, I had no allegience to him.  And as far as Giambi, I was threatened with a beer bottle smashed in my face when I calmly explained that the Yanks had no real need for him.  I still believe it, although Nick Johnson who was supposed to replace Tino didn't appear to live up to the hype.  But then neither did "The Toad," Kevin Brown or Carl Pavano.

I am sure as this season winds down I will have even more insights in the Yankees, the stadium and my strong attatchment to baseball and its players.  but right now, that will have to wait.

 

 "And games that never amount
To more than they're meant
Will play themselves out..."
--- "Falling Slowly"

---

Find phone numbers fast with the New AOL Yellow Pages!

Hillary & Peter's Wedding

Hillary & Peter's Wedding was a blast. This is Halloran and I in a moment of NOT beating on each other. We are enjoying some delicious Mojitos. Good times!

Yankee Memories

2. Section 4. Fruity Umbrella drinks. Marcus Thames first hit, a homerun off Randy Johnson. Shane Spencer hit a grand slam, right Jen?

3. Being groped by a Baldwin. Still not sure which one.

4. Taking Michael to his only Red Sox game ever @ Yankee Stadium.

5. Clemens 300th win. Welcome back Tino and Girdardi.

6. Holly's bachelorette party.

7. Following Robin Ventura's brother-in-law onto the subway.

8. Yankees vs. Red Sox July 7th 2003, Moose vs. Pedro. Soriano leaves the game, Jeter leaves the game. Enrique Wilson @ SS, Todd Zeile @ 3B, Giambi @ 1B, and Robin Ventura @ 2B. Weirdest infield ever.

Least Favorite Memory

1. Aaron Boone's title clinching homerun off Tim Wakefield in 2003. I was still annoyed they had acquired him and released Robin Ventura, then the idiot goes and tears his ACL in a pickup game of basketball. Which leads the Yankees to sign A-Fraud. Aaron F*ing Boone!

Yankee Memories

1. My first game ever. Old Timers' Day 1983. Against the White Sox. Tom Seaver was supposed to pitch but was a late scratch. My sister left me standing alone in the rear of a McDonalds in the Bronx.

Survived Day 1

179 to go

More Baseball and Broadway...

... a great way to end the summer.

Jen and I attended another Valley Cats game. I think we are just die-hard Vermont Lake Monster fans. But while sitting there, we began discussing Mama Mia! Which has been my obsession all summer... A sing a long version was playing @ 9 so once the Cats lost we headed over.

So much fun! I would have sang along regardless but it was fun to have the words so I didn't have to make as many up!

I am in love with Pierce Brosnan. I was disturbed the first time I saw hime sing but this time I was merely amused.

You know you're from UPSTATE when....

• This just never gets old..... It's like an old friend....
• You've ever been to Larkfest or the Tulip Festival. - Been to both....
• You still call the Times Union Center the Pepsi Arena and possibly "The Knick". - I still call it the Knick.... but NEVER TUC
• You can correctly pronounce the words Kosciuszko, Cohoes, Coeymans, and Kayaderosseras. - Hell yeah!
• You know what The Egg is. - Not that you can see it anymore since they built a stupid hotel in front of it.
• You know what and where Nipper is. - Nipper ROCKS!
• You expect to see nothing but grey between the months of November and May. - there are many shades of gray....
• You remember when Crossgates was only half as big as it is now. Bonus points if you know what store was there before Best Buy. - I remember when it opened.... and there was a movie theatre UPSTAIRS.... and of course... CALDOR. (PS I worked in the one in Latham)
• You've ever rooted for the River Rats. - I used to know the kid who was Rowdy. And Jordy Kinnear was my favorite Rat
• You grew up on Channels 6, 10, and 13. - Ed Dague, need I say more?
• The word "dredge" immediately conjures up thoughts of GE. - just let it go man...
• Spring means potholes. - whoohoo! New shocks!
• You never expect them to pass the budget on time. - There's an actual due date? Who knew?
• You are only mildly irritated by double-parked cars. - Nah, I still get annoyed.
• You know the 3 closest Stewart's shops to your house. - Not just my house, but both of my jobs as well.
• You've ever eaten something from Freihoffer's or Breugers. - yummy chocolate chip cookies... and Breuggars started in TROY! Best bagels ever.
• You know where the governor's house is. - uh, actually, I don't. Pataki refused to live here.
• You've never called I-87 anything other than "The Northway".Okay, maybe you've called it "The Thruway", too. Depends which side of Albany you're from. Is the southbound lane of the Northway, still the Northway when it's heading south?
• You know when there's going to be traffic on the Twin Bridges. - The twin bridges have a real name, after a Polish guy.
• You know that there are two different Route 7s off the Northway. Bonus if you know there used to only be one. - I STILL call it Alternate Route 7.... even though it's no longer an alternate...
• You know what SPAC stands for. - I know more about SPAC than I care to know. The Saratoga Performing Arts Center is my second home.
• You know what SUNY means. - Gotta love the SUNY system.
• You know what a pine barren is and where you can find one. - this one stumps me. What the hell is a pine barren??????
• You know somewhere in the Hudson that's clean. - only in my dreams...
• Poughkeepsie is "downstate". - Hell yeah!
• Arbor Hill and Hamilton Hill are as bad as Camden to you. Doesn't matter where I am going, everytime I get lost I end up in Arbor Hill.
• You know which lake people are talking about when they say "the lake". - Well, duh? Isn't there only one CITY in NY?
• You remember the Cinema 10 in Northway Mall. - I saw Fox & the Hound there... and Disorderlies.... b/c someone's mom wouldn't let us see Dirty Dancing cause it was... get this PG-13!
• You've ever gone up in the Corning Tower. My mom used to work there.
• You know where Buildings 1, 2, 3, and 4 are. - But I never knew when end to start counting from
• You know where the Stockade is. - lovely Schenectady
• You know which city is the Collar City and which is the Electric City. The collar city is better, I mean, we had Uncle Sam!
• You've spent the equivalent of the GDP of Nicaragua trying to win a stuffed animal at the Great Escape. - But do you remember when it was Storytown and Gaslight Village was down the street?
• You think Saratoga is classy. - Isn't it?
• You or someone you know has grandparents in Amsterdam. Ummm... not that I know of.
• Your parents have asked you to consider SUNY Plattsburgh. - Did the college tour there but refused to go to a school in the middle of nowhere!
• If you're from Schenectady then Troy might as well be Mars to you and vice versa. - I am such a Troy kid that I got lost on my way to my job interview. The only thing worth going to in Schenectady is Proctors.
• Milk = Stewart's, Cookies = Freihofer's. End of story.
• You can't give directions to Albany Med to save your life. - Let's hope the ambulance drivers are better at it.
• January Regents Week holds a special place in your heart. - A bonus vacation for the kids, hell for the teachers.
• If there's a chance of a snow day then every radio in your house is tuned to WGY. - Sadly in this age of technology, WGY no longer gives school closings. You have to get out of your nice warm bed and either turn on the TV or the Internet. I miss the days of Don Weeks... Unlce Don, is there any school today?????? And yet our district calendars still say WGY on them.
• You've argued with your parents to take the car out in the middle of a blizzard. - This still occurs annually and I don't live with them.
• You have an ingrained taste for concrete architecture. - maybe a small soft spot.
• You know "The Track" is The August Place To Be. - Correction - it is not the SUMMER place to be since the season is extended from the end of July to the beginning of September.
• You know it's "Awl -buh-nee", not "Al -buh-nee" or, even worse, "All-ben-nee".
• You can think of at least 4 different ways to get to Stuyvesant Plaza from the same starting point. - and in my head they all take 20 minutes.
• You remember when Hannaford was still Shop 'n' Save. - Why, yes I do. I also remember Grand Union and Albany Publiv
• You know that Mason & Sheehan isn't a cheap Champagne. - Didn't they get fired?
• You know what a guy Ken Goewey is. - he was such a guy, he ended up with a Team.
• You know who Nina (of Manchester) and her husband are, and how they sell diamonds for less than 33%. - He sounded like what I'd imagine the voice of God would sound like.
• Everybody likes Jack Byrne. - But I preferred Izzo's in Mechanicville.
• You thought Hoffman's Playland was the bomb as a child. - It still is. Gotta love a place where the attended has to PUSH the roller coaster up the first hill.
• You know that "The Berkshire Spur" isn't a foot ailment. lmao
• You know that "My dad Terry Morris is still number one!" - 1st of all, it's Grandpa now and 2nd, he died.
• You remember when Westgate Plaza used to be THE place to shop. - I highly doubt that. But I do remember when Latham Circle Mall was.
• You know the Times Union is your source. - And the Record is best used for lining litterboxes and wrapping fish.
• If there's even a chance of snow Ichabod Crane will be closed. - Do you know, I once interviewed for a job with them just for that reason????
• Thursday during the summer means Alive at Five and seeing everyone you know from High School. - It's been years since I headed down there.
• You've heard of, or better yet been to, Indian Ladder Farms. - nope, never, but I have been to Five Rivers
• Your parents or your friends parents work for the state... - Both my parents, my sisters, my brother-in-law, my aunt and my uncle. I was the rebel.

Self Esteem

I had a chat with a good friend today about how my views of self-esteem have always been skewed. But tonight I found some in little ways. I chatted up a bartender (FYI knowing baseball comes in handy) and he gave me a drink on him. He was cute too! Then in another bar, I got hit on in the bathroom by a lesbian. Well, not hit on exactly, but she told me I was looking good in green. LOL

It's weird. I was reliving some of my old college days tonight and in many ways I am the same person. But that person was unhappy, suicidal and lost. I am not really any of those things and while I look at my friends who are happily married and whatever, I still would rather be on my own than with the wrong person. I am not as self-destructive as I was back then. But I am not as fearless ever.

Fear controls every aspect of my life.

I am afraid of losing my parents. I am afraid of what others think of me. I am afraid to act on my feelings for someone. But I am afraid of not acting on them and missing out on something.

I am afraid of repeating past mistakes. I am afraid of being stuck in the same place, same job, same rut.

And I know these are things I can change or amend as needed but I AM AFRAID.

I don't know....

Any suggestions?

Other Books Read...

One good thing about SPAC is the reading time... I have read.... Second Helpings by Megan McCaffery, Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot, Liberating Paris by Linda Bloodworth Thomson, James Patterson's Women's Murder Club #6 & 7, Dedicated by the two who wrote The Nanny Diaries. All were enjoyable. Of course I have purchased more books this summer than I've read. Guess I'll have to schedule reading time into my days when I go back to work on Tuesday.

Vacation

I just got home from Cape Cod. I am such a New Englander trapped in the body of an Upstate New Yorker. I love the ocean. The weather beaten houses... the clam chowder... It makes me happy. It was nice to not be working.

A True Yankee

You hear it said that Jeter, Posada, Riveria are TRUE YANKEES, but no one compared to Bobby Murcer.

As long as I can remember, Murcer has been apart of Yankees Baseball. He has always been one of my favorite announcers, with his self-depricating wit. He always seemed a TRUE gentleman. Distinguished in everyway.

It was difficult watching the reactions of the the current Yankees. Mariano and Jorge were definitely affected. Jeter looked like a robot and Joe Girardi was just heartbreaking. The Yankees have lost an amazing spirit.

I was proud to see David Cone say exactly what I said when I heard. Old Timers' Day will never be the same. The best part of the broadcast was Bobby's "hitting coach" and being mic-ed when on the field.

He just always seemed so positive and contented. Someone real. No one has a bad word for him. It's so sad to see him lose the battle he fought so courageously.

My family's thoughts and prayers are with him, his family and everyone whose lives he touched.

Pig Latin is a lost language...

I have had zero time to return emails or phone calls or anything these past 2 weeks. Tomorrow is my last of a three day, twelve hour work marathon. But while I spent 2 hours of my day driving to and from my 2 jobs, I think...

Like does the Harry Tutunjian Bobblehead look like CBS 5 anchor Jerry Gretzinger the way the Jerry Jennings one looks like Steve Capporizo?

Why doesn't anyone use Pig Latin anymore?

How do you make an unassisted triple play???

When a show starts at 8pm, why do you arrive @ 7:45 and get pissed when there's a line buying tickets?? Aparently, there are lots of people just as stupid as you are.

That's all I got for now.... I need sleep to survive tomorrow.

Baseball Book Recommendations

A Pitcher's Story (Innings with David Cone)
The Bad Guys Won (Mets)
The Worst Team Money Could Buy (Mets)
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon (Red Sox) by Stephen King
A Lifetime of Yankee Octobers (Yankees)
Wild Pitch by Mike Lupica
Heat by Mike Lupica
Faithful (Red Sox) by Stephen King and Stuart O'Nan

Broadway and Baseball

I am so enthralled with baseball and broadway right now. Jen & I headed over to Troy for a Tri-City Valley Cats game. It was Jerry Jennings Bobblehead night!!! Whoohoo! It was a great time. I do wonder why I always end up near the people who know NOTHING about baseball. There should be a rule that you have to know something about a sport before they let you in. We had great seats, first row behind home plate, guess they aren't popular but we enjoyed them. It cut down on all the distractions and let us focus on the game. I have a new favorite #44 J.T. Steele - Centerfield. Anyway, the people behind us.... a girl turned to the guy in the middle of the 8th inning w/ the score tied and said, so we'll go into overtime? OVERTIME are you f*ing kidding me? Baseball has extra innings you moron. Even the guys behind us were dumb.

Not that I know EVERYTHING there is to know, but I understand stats, trivia AND rules. I don't need scary people in costumes of the Tooth Fairy, a chicken, a bunny, and a reindeer @ a baseball game. I'm there to watch the game, people watch a little, eat horrible food and relax. The costumed characters are RIDICULOUS!

I have been to A: Tri-City Valley Cats & Oneonta Tigers games, AA: Albany Colonie Yankees games, AAA: Rochester Red Wings games and MLB: Yankees, Mets, Blue Jays, Red Sox and White Sox games. I go to watch baseball.... and is it my fault if some of the guys are cute?

As I mentioned before, Jen said Broadway make everything better... and she's right. There is nothing like singing show tunes while you're driving around. Maybe we should take a baseball road trip and tour some stadiums.

I am also enjoying David Cone as a YES commentator. Which is making me re-read "A Pitcher's Story" by Roger Angell. Am I too old to write fan mail?

I am keeping good thoughts and prayers for Bobby Murcer. He's one of my favorite all-time Yankees.

Summer Reading List

I have already begun my summer reading... I'll update as I finish books

Finished:
Sloppy Firsts by Megan McCaffrey - quick read, realistic teen angst, good story

Reading:
A Pitcher's Story - Roger Angell
The Last Best League

See a theme?

Jen says....

She posted on her blog today that Broadway makes everything better. I agree. I have been in love with Broadway since the early 90's. Here is probably my all time favorite songs:

http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/l/lea_salonga/on_my_own.html

On Broadway I have seen:

Phantom of the Opera
Les Miserables (2x)
Guys and Dolls
Cats
Kiss of the Spider Woman
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Blood Brothers
Angels in America Part 1
Angels in America Part 2
Love! Valour! Compassion!
Take Me Out
Beauty & the Beast (2x)
Rent
Rocky Horror Picture Show (4x)
Frogs
By Jeeves
Sunset Boulevard
Damn Yankees
Tommy
Aida
Grease!
Thoroughly Modern Millie
Jesus Christ Superstar


I think that's it...

But I have also seen touring:
Grease!
Miss Saigon
Crazy for You (Toronto)
Hairspray
Rent (3)
Les Miserables (2)
Jesus Christ Superstar (SPAC)
Phantom of the Opera

Summer Vacation

I love summer vacation. I love baseball. I LOVE David Cone. I cannot express how excited I am that Coney is on YES this season. He has been my hero since I was 12.

I still hate Joba Chamberlain. I can't explain it. I went through the drive thru @ Dunkin Donuts this morning and was greeted by a HUGE ASS picture of him next to the menu. YUCK!

Jen and I are doing our best to be social this summer. We're going to a Valley Cats game Monday. I am SUPER excited about the Jerry Jennings bobblehead. I LOVE him. I even went up to him and told him @ McGeary's one night. I had consumed a few beverages first. Ha!

I spent my first official day of Summer Vacation cleaning my apartment. I am trying to decide if I want to move or not. Moving would be a pain in the ass.

The Mets swept the Yanks @ Yankee Stadium. Hehe... Nice way to end the stadium's season. They've never done that before. Gotta love a day/night Yankee Stadium/Shea double header. The Yanks LOST 15 - 6. I am kinda disappointed that I didn't watch it now. I enjoy when the Yanks get their asses handed to them.

I am procrastinating. I should keep cleaning.

More on Willie

Emailing from work again.... Read this great editorial in our local
paper:

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=696894&category=SPORTS&BCCode=&newsdate=6/18/2008

And if the first inning of last night's game is any indication, it's
going to be a LONG season. Reyes showing up the manager in the first
at bat of the first inning as manager??? Come on! Grow up!

Willie had the highest winning percentage of any Mets manager since
Davey Johnson. He must have been doing something right? I'm not
saying that the team didn't need a change, but it's HOW they did it.
They look like clowns. At least when the Yanks higher ups had issue w/
Joe Torre, they were VERY public about it. There was no beating around
the bush. They were unhappy, we knew it.

Maybe the team needs a new GM. Like the article says, he hasn't always
made the best choices. Maybe the owners should look at the integrety
of the game and not just the $$$.

But that's just me....

"And games that never amount
To more than they're meant
Will play themselves out..."
--- "Falling Slowly"

Grrrr....

Sorry that rant published so weird. I emailed it from work seeing as how i can't blog from there. Oh well! It was long and took my entire lunch, but I feel so much better!

I watched Omar's press conference. I should have created a drinking game for everytime he said "MY DECISION". He did take some of the responsibility though and said they were a team, it didn't all rest of Willie's shoulders.

From what I read, Jerry Manuel is quite similar in personality to Willie. They need someone like Bobby Valentine or Sweet Lou if they want real change. Valentine drove me crazy, but he riled up the team and got them to the World Series in 2000.

Girardi's job is still in question as well among Yankees fans. Now I love Joe. He was one of my favorites from when he was back on the Cubs. (Remember, I grew up watching the NL) He did great with a young, glorified AAA team in the Marlins. Manager of the Year. But can he manage the Yankees? The media is tough. The fans are tougher. He is a nice guy, hardworking. Can the players he played with respect him in a role of authority?

Brian Cashman is the biggest moron on the planet in my opinion. The GMs have too much power and glory. Steve Phillips is a prime example of that. He meddled too much and had to go. Now, as an analyst on ESPN, he rocks and has great insight. The thrill of press conferences and the power of the trade has given too much power to these guys. They take away too much focus from the game. It's all about the business and the $$$$$. Too much $$$$.

There was a great quote on "The West Wing" years ago about how ball players, men paid to play a game were paid millions of $$$$$ and teachers who are responsible for teaching America's children and building the future of this country, barely make $50K. And we allow it to happen. We spend the $50 on tickets, the $8 beers and $25 or more for t-shirts and caps. I am guilty of it as much as the next guy.

I also have to add, how ironic is it that the All-Star Game which is at Yankee Stadium for the final time and the Red Sox players are leading the votes. Hehe....

Ridiculous

Now I love baseball. Anyone who knows me knows I eat, sleep and
breathe baseball. For those of you who don't, I grew up in a family
where my dad wanted a boy and had three girls. We all like baseball
but none as passionately as me. For the first 17 years of my life I
was a Mets fan. My sister was a Mets fan, it's what I knew. I loved
Neil Allen, Keith Hernandez, Lee Mazzilli, David Cone, Kevin
McReynolds, Dykstra, McDowell, Backman, HoJo, Darling, Mackey Sasser...

At the end of May, 1989, I broke my ankle and spent the nearly the
entire summer on crutches. There was nothing else to do but watch the
Mets (had more day games back then) and read sports books. I became
devoted to reading Mike Lupica every Sunday in the Daily News. The
Mets weren't just ball players, they were my friends. I knew
everything about them, their wives, kids and dogs' names, their
favorite food.... I began studying the history of the game, the magic
of the numbers involved. I knew useless stats and definitions.

When I was 17, after the trade deadline, the Mets put David Cone - MY
ALL TIME FAVORITE ball player on waivers and he cleared, enabling them
to trade him to Toronto. I was heart broken. I had already endured
them trading Dykstra & McDowell for freakin' Juan Samuel, but
this?????? How could they do this to their fans?

I swore then and there I would never be a Met fan again....

If you've cut off the Mets, what else is there??? The Yankees. Growing
up, I had attended the Albany Colonie Yankees games so players like
Bernie Williams and later Derek Jeter had a soft spot in my heart.
Plus the Yanks had signed Paul O'Neil, I knew of him from watching the
National League. In 1995, they traded for David Cone and my love of
the Yankees was official. I discuss my favorite Yankees memories in
another blog, this one is concentrating on the Mets. I will say that
Aaron Boone and ARod are officially the reason I hate the Yankees, but
Randy Johnson & Joba Chamberlain are close behind!

By the late 90's the Mets were interesting again. All of the players I
had ever watched were gone, but they had some fun guys come over like
John Franco, Robin Ventura and Todd Zeile. I had liked Robin Ventura
since 1992 when I saw him play at the Hall of Fame Game (yet another
future blog) and was locked in the theatre with the entire White Sox
team, including Frank Thomas (who I HATE) and Steve Sax. The Mets were
fun again. The 2000 World Series was traumatic in many respects seeing
as Cone was relegated to the bull pen after a horrible season. It was
like he had left everything he had on the field @ Yankee Stadium on
July 18, 1999.

On April 4, 2003, I was sitting in Shea Stadium in a freezing drizzle
watching Cone get his final career win (#194 - I think). He was in a
Mets uniform, right where it had all started.

But the Mets did me a HUGE favor by trading Robin Ventura to the
Yankees for Dave Justice whom I could not stand. Every homerun Robin
hit in 2002, I called my sister and thanked her for. He even made it
to the All-Star game that year.

But the Yankees pulled the same stunt the Mets did, and traded Ventura
to the Dodgers for Bubba Crosby and Scott Proctor because they acquired
Aaron Boone who later hit the improbably homerun to crush the Red Sox
that October. And would tear his ACL in the off season playing pickup
basketball, prompting them to sign A-Rod.

Red Sox Nation, here I come. Now, it's not like I just jumped ship.
My cousin lives in Boston and has season tickets. Since the summer of
2000, I have been going to Fenway to see games. It was a gradual
evolution, mostly because of Jason Varitek and Derek Lowe. But Cone
ended up a Red Sox as well for the 2001 season.

When the Mets brought up David Wright from AAA, they referred to his
all that morning as a YOUNG ROBIN VENTURA. That sealed the deal, I'm a
David Wright fan. 2006 & 5/6th of 2007 were great times to watch the
Mets. Unlike the Yankees which were a collection of primadonnas, they
were fun, scrappy kids. I even grew to LOVE Tom Glavine who had been
the enemy on the Braves.

Now growing up, I never knew who the GMs were. You knew the plays, the
coaches and the manager. The GM and other executives were little
snapshots in the yearbook but meant nothing. Do people realize that
the 1996 World Champion Yankees were a team assembled by then GM Gene
"Stick" Michael and former manager Buck Showalter?

This brings me to my issue with the Mets firing Willie Randolph. He
has the same even keel temperment that Joe Torre had. It worked for
Joe for many years and up till September of last year, it was working
for Willie. It is still my opinion that bringing Rickey Henderson
anywhere near Jose Reyes is what ruined a great player. David Wright
cannot right this ship on his own and the stress of trying has affected
him this year. Billy Wagner is a great closer, better than Benitez or
Braden Looper, but he has days where he's completely mental. Pedro has
been fragile since his Sox days, maybe even before... M. Alou, whom I
adore, is old. El Duque's age has been an enigma for YEARS. Now,
Willie didn't assemble this team. Omar did and while I like Omar, he
needs to shoulder some of the responsibility. Wagner blew three saves
in a row. Willie used him in those situations b/c that's his JOB. But
the patheticness of the Mets right now is not solely Willie's fault.

And the way the management handled it, dismissing him @ 3am our
time???? How childish is that? Willie has always been a class act.
He deserved much better than he got.

I firmly believe the reason the Yanks haven't won a World Championship
since 2000 is because of the team Brian Cashman (or PipSqueek to my
mom). He goes after the players and more often than they'd like to be
reminded, the manuvers don't work out.

If you look at the teams who have been winning since 2000, Arizona, the
Angels, the Cardinals, the Red Sox (twice)... they played "small ball"
and did not live and die by the 3 run HR. They played as a team and
each player contributed. The Mets could have had that if not for last
September but the Yanks will never win it again until they recognize
that flaw and fix it. And by fix it, I do not mean hand the ball to
Joba the Hutt.

Okay, here's the link to an article defending Willie:

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/25199779/site/21683474/

"And games that never amount
To more than they're meant
Will play themselves out..."
--- "Falling Slowly"

Dating

So, I know a couple people who have had success on Match.com. And I've seen all the comercials, so I decided - hey, why not? I'm not getting any younger and the guy I am interested won't get his head out of his ass.... but that's another story.

Now, cockiness is a turn off for me. It just really leaves a bad taste in my mouth. The first guy who I connected with demanded I buy him coffee before he tells me anything about himself and when I asked what he did for a living, he said underwear model. Ewwwww....

Those of you that know me, will recall the Infamous Buffalo Child Molester story from back in 2001. Meeting people on-line still kinda freaks me out and when I was in college I used to do it ALL the time.

The second guy who connected w/ me is from Rhode Island, kinda cute, & 40. Red flag: it says he lives w/ parents/extended family. Hmmm... Rest of his profile sounds normal enough although he is ultra conservative... He sends me a message practially gushing about how wonderful I am and how he thinks I'm worth getting to know. Now, the jaded person in me says this is all a crock of shit and he's desperate... but what if he's genuinely THAT nice? I don't think I could deal with that.

What's wrong with me?

Plus I don't like having to pay money. When I was in college we were in chat rooms for FREE.

But I work in a place that is 99.5% female. I am too shy and quiet to talk to people I don't know. Plus when I do go out w/ my friends, we aren't big fans of other people. LOL

I am going to be the crazy old lady with cats....

DVDSnapshot.com

So far I have reviewed:

My Boy Jack
Big Ideas for a Small Planet - Season 1
The Big Gay Sketch Show - Seasons 1 & 2
Steel City
Churchill
Numb
Jumper

Pay no attention....

to the typos. :-)

Worlds Colide

I've always managed to keep things separate. My friends at work are different than my friends I hang out w/ normally. My friends from high school are separate from my friends from college. Often it's because of location or interest...

But last weekend, I had my family hanging out with my friends in Boston. It was odd. My sisters are actually closer to their ages but it still weirded me out.

This weekend we went to Happy Hour and hung out w/ Live Nation people. It was actually a lot of fun. But BO people and LN people are usually two separate entities.

I am not sure what to make of all this blending.

Trial and Error

Did I mention I am reviewing DVDs for DVDSnapshot.com?

---

Get trade secrets for amazing burgers. Watch "Cooking with Tyler Florence" on AOL Food.

Age Differences

So.... Jen and I were discussing age differences. We agreed that they only really matter @ the beginning & the end.

So, say I was in 4th grade when the guy I like graduated high school.... that's kinda icky.... but at this point in our lives we're on an even playing field. However 40 years down the road when I'm a spry 83.... he might be 92.

Guess, then I'll just have to turn him in for a younger model. ;-)

Did I mention that my grandmother was 12 years older than my grandfather? Or that my sister is 5 years older than my brother-in-law. Seems the women in my family go for younger men. Hehe....

Signs of having a life

Last Friday night I went to see Rock Bottom @ Johnny D's in Davis Square. It was a great time. I FINALLY got to see a show w/ the Troy Boys.

Tonight I returned to my real life and went to Happy Hour w/ Jen, H, Eric, Mollie & Crystal. We met up w/ a bunch of Live Nation people. Good times. It is nice to actually enjoy spring & be outside. Which is the only positive about going to Gaffney's. Ran into Michelle up there too! Love her. I remember having friends and a life. Well, vaguely...

Eric had an amazing amount of rum & Coke's. How he was still standing I'll never know. And for one night only, we had our very own version of Sketchy Joe.

I am so up past my bedtime. And I have so much to do tomorrow.

Topic of the Day

Okay... so the topic of the day is age differences. When you're over 30, does age really matter? How big a difference is too big? 30 & 35? 30 & 39? 30 & 45?

Discuss amongst yourselves....

Filling the Gaps

So, 2008.... In February, we lost Uncle Jack. It was horrible. Even now, months later, I have to remind myself daily that he's gone. It's beyond my comprehension. I did a reading at the funeral. Had never done one before. Was happy I didn't throw up.

Went to Boston in March and got to celebrate my birthday with shots called Red Headed Sluts. They were yummy.

Got back from Boston and came down w/ the flu for my birthday. Not so fun. Headache, chills, fever. Was able to rally enough to go to Disney w/ my sister, however while there I got really sick. Fevers, sore throat, sores in my mouth. Everytime I tried to eat, it was like putting glass in my mouth. Went to the doctor as soon as I got back and they did a rapid strep test which came back negative, they said it was a virus and would just have to work itself out. That was Monday.... Wednesday they called and said my culture came back positive for Strep C. The internet reports that Strep C is rare in humans, common in birds, and killed a herd of Moose up in Canada. Fun. But they gave me drugs and I got better in a few days. So April pretty much sucked.

In May, my cousin asked me to do a reading @ his wedding Memorial Day weekend. I readily agreed. The wedding was great. The whole weekend was cool. I love hanging out w/ my little cousins (once removed). Got to see the Troy Boys and FINALLY got to see a show w/ them. And for a lot less money than the Elvis Costello/Police tix I got for SPAC. It was weird hanging out w/ my sister and the Charlie's crowd.

All in all things are going well. School is almost out. SPAC is starting. Stuff to look forward to.

2008

Been a while, eh? So fa 2008 has been off to a tumultuous start. But we are muddling through. It's Groundhog's Day! Whoohoo! Phil saw his shadow so 6 more wretched weeks of winter. Two months from today is my birthday though. Always fun.

Just sitting here, keeping good thoughts.