1. Chris of The Mommy Journey passed along the Friendship Award. She lives in the Philippines and was touched in part by the recent natural disaster there. She hosts Mommy Moments each Friday providing a theme for Moms across the world to post about and illustrate with photos of their kids. She has introduced so many people to our blog through her participation in our Monday Movie Meme and is focusing her own T13 this week on movies. We appreciate her involvement every day.
2. DS of Third Storey Window passed along the Zombie Chicken Award which is one we've seen around and enviously wanted to display - woo-hoo! DS lives in the Northeast somewhere we think - perhaps even dreaded NY. We've already forgiven opposite sports allegiances because her literary blog is written so beautifully. This week she's discussing Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men in honor of Banned Books Week. Over the weekend she was exposing us to some Japanese literature. It is always a treat to visit her spot in the blogosphere.
3. Sandy of You've GOTTA Read This! passed along the Top Commenters Award to us via a Drop Kick Murphy's video in her post which was very special sending some Boston love all the way from Florida. She introduced DS to us and is a top commenter to everyone she cares to visit. So really she should just keep this award permanently or we should re-name it the Sandy Award or something. In addition to writing the best reviews in the Book Blogging Community on a daily basis, she is hosting a discussion on Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca over the next two weeks simply because Molly mentioned she was reading it with a pal on Goodreads and thought she might like to join in. That's the kind of gal she is, organized, a go-getter and always bringing people together.
4. Heather of Gofita's Pages passed along the Splash Award which gives us a memory of summer to cling to. We're not sure how she became so fond of Pirates, living in land locked Utah and all, but her love for them is infectious. She's getting a little witchy with us this week with a history lesson as well as reminding us of some goodies via a vocabulary lesson. She's a new blogger to us and we're glad she found us because her's is a fun place, matey!
6. Adelle of Adelle Laudan writes steamy biker romance novels and kindly introduces us to other hard working authors like herself. This week she gives us an inside peek into the pages of another writer's new release, shares a fantastic story behind a Cole Thompson photo, and is doing her T13 on extremely stupid laws. Her blog provides a mixed bag as you can see that is well worth the visit.
7. Wanda of A Season To Read is another book blogger and she gives us a Canadian perspective on literature. She introduces us to some wonderful Canadian authors. She's been quiet this week but she just changed her images to match the change over to Fall so we hope she's enjoying her favorite season. She's also got a book giveaway going and since the one we won from her earlier this year was so fantastic we're pretty sure she wouldn't steer you wrong.
8. Stacy of Stacy's Books seems like she could be Molly's blogging sibling - aside from the Mary Kay gig their interests are very similar. She loves books, movies, sports and pets. She hosts a weekly quiz about literature and this week she's asking us to match up quotes about censorship with the Presidents who said them. She's also exuding pride for her Buckeyes encouraging other College Football lovers to share their team spirit. There's also a book review and her thoughts on a Screenplay Challenge involving Fast Times At Ridgemont High. We couldn't believe she'd never seen the movie before - but we're totally stoked she did now!
9. Kaye of The Road Goes Ever On loves her family, takes incredible photos, and tries to work Lord of the Rings into every Monday Movie Meme topic she can! This week she's showing us a wall of her 2009 reads, a visit down memory lane with a childhood favorite from the fantasy genre, and history via a photo scene in Utah. Her insights into her world are something we look forward to and we have a lot of awe over her talents.
10. Karen of Karen & Gerard Zemek is another Ohio resident and she has given up on her Tribe this season and decided to root for her husband's Red Sox. So you can see the obvious attraction for us! She is a woman of great faith and is relying on it a lot right now as she is learning to battle a cancer diagnosis which is something we are proud to support her in. This week she's posting on a tough topic up for debate in the Christian world, changing her mind about skydiving, and sharing health benefits of sleep - which is one of Molly's favorite hobbies.
11. Margot of Joyfully Retired wanders the country with her husband in their RV and makes us jealous on a daily basis. For example, she has a recurring theme where she posts about her Favorite Places. This week she's showing us all about a part of Alaska we only know from an oil spill. She is also giving a review of a Cancer Survivor Memoir that interested us because so many we know have been touched by this disease. And much to our delight, she too is talking about Fast Times. You'll have to visit her to see if this grandmother rated it the same as child of the 80's Stacy did above.
12. Brenda of The Otherworld Diner is a contributor to a blog run by a group of paranormal romance writers and these authors let you get inside their heads to see what it is like to be a writer, the challenges they deal with, inspirations for their ideas and a guide through pieces of their process. Brenda provides the T13's and she loves to share quotes. Last week she promoted Library Card Week with quotes all about reading. We can't wait to see what gem she's got planned next.
13. Our Friends and Family. They don't have blogs (that we know of!) but they take the time to check in here, visit Molly's posts elsewhere, and have all kinds of supportive things to say to us in person, on the phone, via e-mail and on Facebook, in addition to leaving comments when they can because that's how they roll. And we're forever grateful for them.
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. What do you do? Write Thirteen things about yourself, summarize your week in one entry, make it easy for other bloggers to get to know you on a weekly basis. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is not only encouraged, it is part of being a Thursday Thirteener! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun!
Join The Fun And View More Thursday Thirteen Participants At The Host Site
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
ON PHOTOS ~ Bobblehead...
Yes, that is Molly. That's the closest you are ever going to get to a picture of her here too. Partly because Andy doesn't ever use the zoom. Mostly because she's camera shy. Click HERE to ride-along with her...
Find other Wordless Wednesday photos by clicking on the button below...
Monday, September 28, 2009
ON BOOKS ~ Getting Mother's Body...
MizB asks you to:- Grab your current read.
- Let the book fall open to a random page.
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page.
- Share the title of the book the teaser comes from…that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
- Please avoid spoilers!
From pg. 43 of GETTING MOTHER'S BODY by Suzan-Lori Parks (fiction):
"It's wrong to let Willa Mae's grave get paved over. Being in the ground is bad enough, now she gotta have a Piggly Wiggly or who knows what with all them people walking around and they shopping carts rolling around on top of her."
I think I would have enjoyed this book more if I had not just read Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying" earlier this year. Because all I did while reading this was compare it to the classic that I enjoyed very much.
Faulkner's is about a very poor family's mother who dies and then gets carted all over creation in the best illustration of Murphy's Law you might ever read. There is quite a bit of humor mixed in with some pretty heavy commentary on society.
Parks' is about a very poor family of sorts who decide to dig up the dead body of a mother in order to cash in the jewels she was buried with. There is some humor here too as well as some of the same heavy topics Faulkner covered, like the search for an abortion, dying wishes, class/race and questionable mothers.
I'm chuckling a little as I think back on both stories now. But I think I was kept from seeing all the good stuff because I couldn't get over the use of varying first person narration with each chapter titled by the name of the character giving us that moment's perspective. This is an excellent method for story telling made popular by none other than Faulkner. Parks even employed his same effect of having one chapter be nothing more than a single sentence. Though her's was a lot more humorous than his.
In the end, I enjoyed the book well enough. But I think the story could have stood on its own without the gimmick of paying homage to another. Billy Beede transformed and became less pitiful and more likeable as the story evolved and the story got more entertaining when the characters were tossed together and made to interact. I thought portions of the ending were clever and others disappointed me because I had it ingrained in me that Beedes would never rise above their Beedeism. I guess Parks has a soft spot.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
ON MOVIES ~ School Days...
This week's movie topic is all about School...
September is drawing to a close and that means that lots of Moms & Dads out there are rejoicing that the school system is taking their children in during the week to educate their minds and give the parents a breather. There are lots of college students back in the full swing of course work, research and all nighters. And then there are us Bumbles who have no little ones to send off to school and are far removed from our own school days. So instead, we think of movies that portray various levels of schooling and themes surrounding them. Here are some that we've enjoyed. Share on your blog movies touching upon the world of education and then link back here at The Bumbles. And don't forget to visit your fellow participants!
Do you have a topic to suggest to the Monday Movie Meme? Leave it in the Comments section or send us an e-mail.
Friday, September 25, 2009
ON SPORTS ~ Redemption...
OVAH THE MONSTAH
Redemption:
where previously Molly about had a heart attack in the ALCS...
Oh the drama! In the ALCS of 2004, the weather was chilly and the fans in New England were anxious. I know this, not just because I lived there, but because Fox's cameras felt the need to provide the viewing audience with incessant shots of fans in the stands bundled in jackets, hands clasped in front of their face, eyes riveted to the field as games went on and on and on between the Red Sox and the Yankees.
Game 4 in Fenway had ended in dramatic fashion thanks to two guys named David. Game 5 went much the same way. Except instead of taking a measly 12 innings and 4 hours, this one took 14 innings and 6 hours before Big Papi hit a game winning homer for the second night in a row to keep the Sox alive. Yankee Closer Mariano Rivera blew his second save in as many nights as well. As nicely as Pedro performed against Mussina that evening, the Relief Staff was coming up huge to tow the line and wear the Yankee hitters down.
So the Sox bid farewell to Fenway, knowing that if they were going to return that season, they would have to accomplish something that had never been done before in baseball - come back from being down in a 7 game series 3-0 and win the final 4 games. They were halfway there, but they would have to finish the job in enemy territory, in New York, relying on Curt Schilling, who failed miserably to begin this series there when his ankle blew up on him.
You see, Schilling's ankle tendon had dislocated from its stabilizing sheath and the team doctor, Dr. Morgan, had played around with a cadaver and figured out a way to surgically attach that tendon to the tissue to immobilize it and keep it from wiggling around. Schilling thought this was a brilliant idea and had no qualms about surgery on a table in the locker room. After it was taken care of, he was cleared to pitch. It was a temporary solution to a massive problem and much ado was made of it. Fox yammered on endlessly with all the gory details, all the while showing extreme closeups of his ankle which began to bleed through his sock during the game.
Scruffy little Second Baseman, Mark Bellhorn, helped his pitcher out by hitting a 3 run homer in the early goings. Only it was originally ruled to have hit the wall and stayed fair rather than leaving the yard. For the first time ever in the history of mankind, the Umpires on the field actually agreed to get together and discuss it for a few gut wrenching minutes before reversing the call and ruling it a home run after all. Which it was, as shown by the replays and admitted to reluctantly by a young Yankees fan in the stands during a silly interview. Another call was reversed in the 8th when they took a run away from the Yankees because despised A-Rod interfered with his nemesis, Pitcher Bronson Arroyo, by slapping the ball out of his glove on his way to 1st Base. Arroyo was the same Pitcher who had hit A-Rod back in July, leading to the legendary fight with Jason Varitek. Curt lasted 7 innings which was in and of itself a miracle considering and belatedly made good on his Game 1 vow to shut up Yankee Stadium by getting a close victory in a paltry 9 inning game. Not without stress however as the Yankees left the tying run at the plate to end the game, making the Sox the first team to force a Game 7 after being 0-3. The Yankees looked stunned. They should have. They were about to be run over by Johnny Damon.
The next day was utter torture while waiting for the final game to be played and decide who would advance to the World Series. Just like the previous season. Except this time our nerves were so fried we really just wanted the game to be decided early - by either team. No more nail biting. No more torturous losses by slim margins or heart pounding victories by the skin of our teeth. Make history or be history - just do it quickly.
David Ortiz hit a 2 run homer in the 1st inning. Johnny Damon hit a Grand Slam in the 2nd and a 2 run homer in the 4th. And that settled it. Not even the Red Sox would blow an 8 run lead. Derek Lowe started the game and Pedro came in as a Reliever just to mess with our minds which were still not over the jarring disaster of his late inning melt-down in last year's ALCS Game 7. It was as if Sox Manager Francona wanted to put us through unneccesary stress to shake things up a little. Cruel but forgiven. Because in the end, the Sox won 10-3. And turned the proud Yankees into the answer to one of sports' most embarrassing trivia questions. Who is the only baseball team to lose a 7 game series after winning the first 3 games? In fact, in all of sports, only 2 hockey teams have ever suffered the same fate. It has never happened in basketball. That wasn't exactly the kind of entry into the record books the 2004 Yankees were looking for. It was very kindly dubbed the biggest collapse in the history of sports.
So I didn't sleep that night. And I didn't do anything at work the next day. No one did. The entire region was exhausted and floating on Cloud 9. To finally be back to the World Series. To have beat their rival to get there. To have humiliated them in the process. To have finally avenged last season's collapse. It felt like we'd just won the whole thing. But the St. Louis Cardinals were next up. And the last time the Sox faced them in a World Series, guess how that turned out? That's right. They lost. In crushing fashion. In Game 7. Optimism was really hard to give in to when such unhappy history kept haunting you. The euphoria of beating the Yankees dissipated as soon as you remembered they hadn't won a World Series in 86 years. But maybe, just maybe, a reverse sweep would lead to a reversed curse.
next week, CURSE REVERSED, in which the Sox git 'er done...
Thursday, September 24, 2009
ON BLOGGING ~ Look At Me...
Welcome to our weekly BlogAnon meeting where we confess a particular blogging sin and turn to you for support, suggestions and that blogging bond so we know we're not all alone. Don't be shy. Read along and let us know if you identify with us this week.
We all promote something on our blogs. Some of you promote books you've written, or crafts that you make. Some promote the support of favorite causes and some promote the word of God. There are photography catalogues and blog designs for sale. And then there is the underlying promotion of ourselves as people, our corner of the world and the desire to have others come and share in it with us. When there's not a particular product or physical item to sell, some of us sell ourselves and our blogs to others willing to pay for our time. No - I don't mean Call Girls - I mean sponsored or paid posts. Or a review in exchange for a free sample - books, furniture, clothing, toys, etc.
We refuse to monetize The Bumbles Blog and have someone else's agenda dictate what we talk about. We want to keep it the way you found it, without ads on the sidebar mixed in with our personal widgets. And we don't want to sneak in sponsored posts passed off as something we really wanted to share with you. We think that might be a turnoff for those looking for a simple, albeit clumsy, reprise from the harsh world wide web hawking and demanding things left and right.
However, (there's always a however isn't there?) we do like to make a buck when we can. Molly went out and found places to write content she wanted to write outside of our personal blog and get paid for it. It means we can avoid the temptations of selling stuff here. But it also means she promotes those other posts here. We try to mix those links in with our everyday posts and not force them on anyone. We try not to be blatant and we try not to beg. What we're trying to say is that we're trying to be polite, humble Bumbles and we feel guilty for plugging these paid posts. But if you don't let people know what you're up to, expect not to be discovered.
So we struggle with the right balance. We don't want to hit you over the head with it week after week so that you start to become disinterested out of annoyance. But we don't want to be so subtle that no one realizes there's more to explore. You don't come here for ads about content elsewhere. But maybe you might be interested in following us outside of our home. So when we participate in a meme and offer a link to an outside post by Molly or just come right out and ask you to go have a look, we appreciate those of you who do. But we don't ever want anyone to feel obligated because we aren't pushy people. Maybe that's not the best marketing strategy, but it's what we've decided works for us and our goal.
Since we're putting it all out there, might as well share the current links. Visit, skip over, roll your eyes or beam with pride on our behalf. No worries.
Was that totally crass to do? Now we feel bad about it. Should we? What do you promote on your blog? How do you go about it? Upfront or subtle? Do you struggle with methods you employ or take pride in putting it all out there? What has been most effective for you? How often do you promote? Have you ever gotten feedback? Have you ever changed your mind? Don't be afraid to share - your blogger thoughts are safe with us.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
1. A Presidential Library - JFK Presidential Library & Museum in Boston, MA
2. Freedom & Diversity - National Liberty Museum in Philadelphia, PA
3. The History of Golf - USGA Museum & Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History in Far Hills, NJ
4. Musical History from an Icon - Buddy Holly Center in Lubbock, TX
5. Planes, Trains & Automobile - Museum of Transportation in St. Louis, MO
6. Art with a View - J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, CA
7. The Little White House - Harry S. Truman Little White House in Key West, FL
8. Down Home Music - Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, TN
9. Photography Heaven - George Eastman House in Rochester, NY
10. All things Rock & Roll - Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH
11. Visit the Smithsonian site to find a museum or park in your area participating on Saturday and print your free admission pass which covers yourself and a guest
12. If you can't take advantage of the promotion this Saturday, here are some tips for finding great deals on attractions anytime
13. Then again, sometimes all you have to do is know where to go to get a free lesson from Mother Nature
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. What do you do? Write Thirteen things about yourself, summarize your week in one entry, make it easy for other bloggers to get to know you on a weekly basis. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is not only encouraged, it is part of being a Thursday Thirteener! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun!
Join The Fun And View More Thursday Thirteen Participants At The Host SiteON SPORTS ~ Winning Ways...
An update for you on last week's football goings on...First of all, Molly was the only winner this week in the Bumbles world. The Boston Babe team took command in the Momspective/Ladies League. She garnered the most points for the week - which really doesn't matter since all that counts is your score head to head versus your opponent. Kind of like if the Patriots scored 49 points blowing out the Jets (we wish) and no one else in the NFL scored any more than that in their own games, the Pats don't get any extra credit - they just get a W like the team that squeaked out a 1 point victory. But for the purposes of this post - she's taking credit for it. It may go towards playoff tie-breakers down the road, who knows.
The weekly pick 'em pool we participate in does rely on most points however. Each week we each pick the winner of each game on the schedule and then rank them in order from 16 on down to 1 for the team we feel most strongly about. So, whomever is matched up against Detroit for example would be an excellent choice to bank 16 points on. If that team wins, you get 16 points. If that team loses, you don't get any points, etc. So in this pool, it isn't the amount of victories that are most important, but the amount of points you accumulate through the victories you predict correctly that matters. Molly finished first this past week with more points than approximately 90 other people - booya! Andy? Well, lets just say he did not. Two weeks in and Molly has already recouped her cost for the season and most of Andy's expense as well. Now we get to play for free for the rest of the year. Any other winnings are a bonus.
We don't really want to talk about our Giselle and Tom teams this week. Neither of us won. We both lost pretty handily. Molly was hampered by a last minute scheduling change so one of her starters sat and she was too busy picking apples to realize it before swapping in a bench player. Andy just didn't have the right talent this week - although his team made a closer go of it. This coming weekend is the BIG SHOWDOWN though. Molly & Andy's teams face off against each other head to head. Molly will either end up being 0-3 or they'll both be tied 1-2. That would make things more interesting so root for Molly. Plus, as her team name suggests, GiselleWearsThePants so poor Tommy better look out.
ROUND-UP:
Boston Babe (Molly's Team) = Last Week, Won - Overall, 1-1
(modifying this lineup for injuries only, ladies league)
GiselleWearsThePants (Molly's team) = Last Week, Lost - Overall, 0-2
Brady Goes To Miami (Andy's team) = Last Week, Lost - Overall, 1-1
~head to head (Molly vs. Andy) = THIS WEEKEND!!!
(actively modifying this lineup, up against the boys)
Monday, September 21, 2009
ON BOOKS ~ The Innocent Man...
MizB asks you to:- Grab your current read.
- Let the book fall open to a random page.
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page.
- Share the title of the book the teaser comes from…that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
- Please avoid spoilers!
From pg. 285 of THE INNOCENT MAN by John Grisham (non-fiction):
"I am innocent," he said over and over. "And I have nothing to hide."
It is obvious from the title of the book whose side the author is on here. And it is hard not to be on the side of the wrongly convicted. I just wish that the author had taken the approach of presenting both sides of the story rather turning it into a soapbox against the wrongdoers - i.e. the Prosecutors, Police and Prison Staff. It would have brought better balance and made the book more respectable in telling this very important story.
In the early '80's in Oklahoma a young woman is raped and murdered in her own home. Though there is quite a bit of physical evidence, the list of suspects become a challenge to the local authorities. Out of backlog, presumption and frustration, the local authorities begin to find a way to build a case against two local men whom they feel circumstantially fit the bill. After years of anger and suspicion the men are finally arrested, tried and convicted. One is sent to Death Row and the other for Life.
This is not a story of getting into the mind of a killer. Though it could have been - very little was spent on that topic oddly enough. I guess the point was to show how it is to be in the mind of the wrongly convicted. And even though Grisham did not have the ability to interview his subject due to his death, he did build a sad tale from the wealth of information provided from this man's family, friends and legal team. What struck me even more than the injustice from a criminal standpoint was the broken mental health system in this country. I scratched my head consistently wondering what on earth this man had to do or where he had to be in order to get treatment. He never really did. And to me that was the saddest part about it.
Grisham lays out all of the facts and how they were overlooked, ignored or created from fiction. But his lack of personal interviews with those at fault mean that he had to presume their motivation, sentiments and character. And that is where the credibility begins to weaken for me in this piece of non-fiction. There are always two sides to every story, and I believe that Grisham wanted to portray them - I just wish I could have heard from both directly. I want to know how the Prosecutor could be so blind, so arrogant, so horrifying. I want to know how he got to the position of power that he holds and what motivated him. I want to see for myself the man he is outside of his job and how this murder effected his personal life. I don't want Grisham to tell me what to think - I want to come to that conclusion myself. I guess what I want is In Cold Blood. That's a tough standard for comparison.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
ON MOVIES ~ The Good Old Days...
This week's movie topic is all about Your Childhood Favorite...
Molly spent Sunday surrounded by nieces, nephews and other much loved short people, aka kids. It got her to thinking about how fun life was to be in elementary school without a care in the world and how simple things like going to the movies were such a treat providing endless hours of entertainment after the fact reliving them with friends or in dreams. So when Andy got back from Guy's Weekend she asked him about his favorite childhood movie and found that we had come up with the same one. Share on your blog a movie that rocked your young world and then link back here at The Bumbles. And don't forget to visit your fellow participants!
STAR WARS
Andy got to go with a group of kids when visiting a family friend. He liked it so much he wanted to run out and buy up all the action figures to re-enact all those cool special effects on the big screen. That high-tech drama was a sight to behold, especially on the big screen. Beta tapes and HBO were a few years off so going to see films at the theater or being broadcast on T.V. were the only methods we had. So Star Wars pretty much took over the lives of all young kids and by default, their parents.
We milked our parents for all the Star Wars merchandise there was. We had action figures, Millenium Falcon and Death Star replicas, models, halloween costumes, glow in the dark light sabres that made a "swoosh" noise when you waved them through the air, albums that retold the story so you could listen to it over and over again, not to mention trading cards.
Star Wars consumed much of our childhood and carried us through to the sequels as well. When the movies were re-released in sequence over the span of a few months in the theaters about 15 years ago, we made a pilgrimage to the theater reliving our childhood with glee. And we talked about it all over again with our friends. Just like the good old days.
Friday, September 18, 2009
ON SPORTS ~ Not So Fast...
OVAH THE MONSTAH
Not So Fast:
where previously Molly tried to hold it all together on the verge of a Yankees sweep...
I don't think I've ever met a Dave I didn't like. There's Dave Letterman - he's been cracking me up since high school. There's Dave Thomas - founder of Wendy's, my favorite fast food chain. There's my Brother-In-Law, Dave - I love him even though he's a Yankees fan. But Dave Roberts? He's my hero. Let me tell you why.
In October of 2004, the Sox were matched up against the rival Yankees in the ALCS with the winner advancing to the World Series. In an attempt to make amends for losing in extra innings in the final game of the best of seven series the prior year to the very same foe, the Sox had reloaded and improved their team with big names and shake-ups, trading away the face of their franchise. Lost during all that hubbub was a side deal mid-season to pick up Dave Roberts who was a decent outfielder with a lot of base running speed who was asked to swallow his pride and turn in his starter days for being a bench player, which he did. So it must have been frustrating for him to watch his new team on the verge of being swept right out of the playoffs. You think Dave was frustrated? Humph! Talk to the fans. At least he had an opportunity to do something about it if he could ever get in the game. All we could do was sweat it out.
After getting their hats handed to them in Game 3, losing 19-8, the Sox were down to their last chance. If they didn't win Game 4, the series was over and off the Yankees would go to the World Series again. But they were a loose bunch of guys, joking around before the game with Sox First Basemen Kevin Millar telling the media "Don't let us win one, whatever you do." Ooooo - I'm sure that had the Yanks shaking in their cleats. Whatever Kevin. Most of New England just wanted them to hurry up and get the damn game over with already - such was the conditioning for loss in the region.
Amidst all of this was an interesting development with the Sox pitching. Starter Derek Lowe had fallen out of favor near the end of the season due to poor performance and had been relegated to the bullpen as a Reliever, which didn't make him all that happy. But then prized pick-up Curt Schilling's ankle blew up and he couldn't go. So beloved knuckleballer Tim Wakefield was to take his place. But because of the lengthy loss the night before Timmy Wakes had volunteered to take one for the team to preserve the rest of the pitching staff for this game. So that meant the Sox had to give the ball back to Lowe to make a start. D-Lowe was so pissed off at management for giving up on him, and at himself for even giving them a reason to, that he became a man on a mission.
D-Lowe was doing well until he gave up a homer to A-Rod, the one who Boston felt ditched them for NY before the start of the season. But he hung in there and kept the Yankees at bay long enough for the Sox to scrabble some runs together to take the lead. It was short lived as Lowe and his fellow relievers combined to give that lead right back to the Yanks. Things were getting frickin' stressful. The Sox were clinging to a one run deficit just trying to keep it that way long enough to take a lead again. They were so desperate that they put their Closer, Keith Foulke, in the game in the 7th asking him to pitch three innings when normally one is the max. But this wasn't a normal game - this was the season. And so Foulkie sucked it up and kept the Yankees from scoring all the way through the top of the 9th.
This game was taking forever. It was almost midnight on a Sunday and I had to work in the morning - like everyone else. And like everyone else, there wasn't a chance I was turning off that TV and going to bed. It was the bottom of the 9th, down by a run, with three outs left to try to get things done - or go home for good.
Not to be outdone, the Yankees had brought in their vaunted Closer, Mariano Rivera, in the 8th asking him to go long as well. The Sox and I weren't as fearful of Mo anymore however. Not after coming from behind to beat him in dramatic fashion earlier that season. And wouldn't you know, that blabber mouth, Kevin Millar, led off the 9th with a walk. So here came speedy Dave off the bench to pinch run for Millar. Finally, he could do something to help his team out. What he needed to do was steal 2nd. That would put him in scoring position to come home with ease to tie the game on a single. Dave knew he was going to go for the steal. Rivera knew he wanted to steal. The entire viewing audience knew he was going to try to steal. He kept leading farther and farther off of 1st and Rivera kept trying to pick him off. When Rivera finally conceded that he would eventually have to actually throw a pitch to the batter we sat on the edge of our seats, afraid to look through our fingers covering our sleepy eyes, as Dave took off.
Dave swiped that bag by the narrowest of margins. Now we had something to feel hopeful about. Because, did I mention? The batter standing at home plate waiting for Rivera to pitch to him and watching Dave do his thing was none other than Bill Mueller - the same Bill Mueller who had the game winning hit on that magical victory over Rivera back in July. And so, with that knowledge and confidence in the back of his mind, the crowd invigorated by Dave's daring steal, and perhaps a tiring Mo on the mound, Billy smacked that pitch right up the middle scoring Dave to tie the game, giving Rivera another rare blown save.
Going from the tense anxiety of waiting for Dave's steal to the hope and subsequent euphoria of that tying run was an incredible roller coaster. It got the adrenaline pumping which was a good thing because this game went into extra innings late in the evening. The clock passed 1:00 AM and we began to wonder when the hell the Sox were going to end this thing. Because you just knew they were meant to. It didn't cross my mind that they wouldn't after Dave's steal. Something had changed. Momentum certainly. But something else. Who knows. I was probably just overtired and imagining things. But all I know is that in the bottom of the 12th with Manny on 1st Base with a single, Big Papi came up to bat and smashed that little ball into the bullpen for a walk off 2 run homer to finally win the game at 1:30 in the morning - reminiscient of his performance in the ALDS.
Suddenly Kevin Millar's words before the game, about telling the Yankees they'd better not let them win one, started to make sense. And I think they got into the Yanks' heads. Because when Dave stole that base, the Sox found a reason to live, and anyone knows a second chance is a dangerous thing for those in the way.
next week, REDEMPTION, in which the roles are reversed...
ON PHOTOS ~ Clean...
to post or VOTE for this (Bumbles) or other interpretations of this week's challenge
Thursday, September 17, 2009
ON BLOGGING ~ Cyber Speak...
So since last week's BlogAnon meeting was so well attended I thought I'd open the virtual doors again this Friday. It seems that everyone felt better sharing their blogging sins and learning a thing or two along the way. Grab some coffee and stale donuts and come on in.
I have a grandmother who chastises me for not writing her more often. I used to have all kinds of pen pals with friends and family due to all the moving around I did growing up. But now, with e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, texting and of course, blogs, to choose from, I have found that the only time I ever pick up a pen to convey my thoughts is when we send out holiday cards. So my rebuttal to my Grandma is that she should get connected. Fat chance.
I know more details about my friends and family than ever before, but physically talk to them less than I used to. I don't need to call people any more to catch up and see what they're doing. I know already from all their electronic "alerts". I can watch their kids grow up before my eyes from all the photos and videos I receive on a regular basis. So the need to actually get together isn't as urgent.
Being the throwback Bumbles that we are, Andy and I do actually speak to each other in person on a daily basis. But we also exchange messages throughout the day on e-mail. If we needed to we could communicate through the blog or Facebook. I could set up a Twitter account and he could follow me throughout the day. He could text me updates to let me know what he was up to in between Facebook status updates. We could send photos of each other through our phones. By the time we got home there'd be nothing left to share. More time for online.
Since I see so many people constantly on their phones and other devices staying in touch wherever they go, I wonder how in touch they really are with the ones they love. Are you guilty of communicating with your loved ones more through technology than you do in person? Do you think it brings you closer together or is it tearing you apart? Or had you not even noticed, what with all that blogging you do?
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
1. My boss' recovery from several life threatening medical issues
2. Another niece or nephew to spoil this Spring
3. Patient family down South waiting for an upcoming and long overdue visit
4. New blogging opportunities on LifeSnips
5. Continued support at UpTake
6. A rooting interest in baseball's post-season
7. Wise Football Gods who will surely crown GiselleWearsThePants as champion
8. Hockey at Fenway to ring in the New Year and more skating on the neighbor's rink
9. The online book community who recommend books to touch the soul and motivate the mind
10. The people who take the time to share a love of movies here
11. Awesome innovations in new cameras (hint hint Andrew)
12. People who step out from behind the blog and build relationships
13. Andy
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. What do you do? Write Thirteen things about yourself, summarize your week in one entry, make it easy for other bloggers to get to know you on a weekly basis. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is not only encouraged, it is part of being a Thursday Thirteener! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun!
Join The Fun And View More Thursday Thirteen Participants At The Host SiteTuesday, September 15, 2009
ON PHOTOS ~ N'awlins...
Click HERE to see where we found this displaced slice of cajun...
Find other Wordless Wednesday photos by clicking on the button below...
Monday, September 14, 2009
ON SPORTS ~ Life Is Just A Fantasy...
I have always been a fan of football. Football provided me life lessons as a little girl by teaching me about the underdog, persistence, and that life, like sports, is not always fair. When I became a teenager I learned that football players were pretty damn hot, along with more life lessons about how working as a team is easier than going it alone, along with the pride felt in supporting your own. As a college student I found the experience of attending a professional game and got good lessons in humility and economics. And then, as an adult, I had sexism reinforced by none other than my own friends when they refused to admit me into their fantasy football league because I was a girl.
Screw that. This year, I am managing two fantasy football teams online in addition to participating in the same weekly football pick 'em pool that I have been playing for as long as I've been employed. Andy, not being sexist, recommended me to the commissioner of his new online fantasy football league and happily I was welcomed to join. To make sure my 5 male opponents knew where I was coming from, I named my team "GiselleWearsThePants" in honor of New England Patriots' Quarterback Tom Brady's supermodel wife. Andy's team name is "Brady Goes To Miami" reflecting the desire to see the Pats return to the Superbowl this year in Miami.
My other team is in an all-girl league run by Julie @ Momspective (it is open to both sexes but I believe in my particular division all teams are managed by women). Julie was not a fan of football but then her husband took the time to teach her the game and now they spend quality time together on Sundays. She participates in a Fantasy Football league with her neighbors and decided to try to convert other football widows into fans of the game themselves by setting up this online league through her blog. I named this team "Boston Babe" to show my regional leanings and because, who's to say I'm not?
For my Boston Babe team, the league was set up to draft our teams for us automatically. I wasn't all that stoked with the results and certainly would have done things differently selection wise given the opportunity.
For my Giselle team, we did a manual draft so I got to make all my own selections (like making sure Tom Terrific stayed at home where he belongs with GiselleWearsThePants). I was really pleased this time around - and ending up with the first pick overall didn't hurt. Luck of the random draft selection order draw - not because of ladies first.
So I have decided to let each of my teams go their own way. I am going to leave the Boston Babe lineup alone and only make personnel changes due to injury. I will actively make changes to the Giselle team if players aren't performing or irritate me in general. I think it will be interesting to see how they do comparatively. I'll let you know as the season progresses.
And for the record, I had a blast seeing my research come to fruition on draft night and loved the rush of snagging a player from my competition. I stressed during the week setting my starters and deciding who to leave on the bench. I had a heart attack when one of my bench players (Steelers' Santonio Holmes) tallied up a ridiculous amount of points on the bench meaning they didn't count toward my team's score. And I had a bit of overload trying to keep track of both teams, in addition to my regular pool picks, while the games were going on. But now that the first week is under my belt, I am more comfortable and excited to follow the game that I love even more closely than before by learning more about the people (aka players) involved. A rooting interest is all you need to fit in and have fun. And beating the boys doesn't hurt either. (sorry Honey)
ROUND-UP:
Boston Babe (Molly's Team) = Last Week, Lost - Overall, 0-1
(modifying this lineup for injuries only, ladies league)
GiselleWearsThePants (Molly's team) = Last Week, Lost - Overall, 0-1
Brady Goes To Miami (Andy's team) = Last Week, Won - Overall, 1-0
~head to head (Molly vs. Andy) = Not Yet
(actively modifying this lineup, up against the boys)
Sunday, September 13, 2009
ON MOVIES ~ On Location...
This week's movie topic is all about Regional Representation...
We live outside of Boston and in addition to a growth in the filmmaking business going on in the region, there are lots of films being made about our hometown. Sometimes they get the accent right, sometimes they don't. In many instances the city is painted in a beautiful light, often times ugly pieces from the past are shoved into the spotlight. There are times when we are intimately familiar with the settings, and in others we are introduced to new spots. It is hard to not be drawn to a movie set in your home city, state or region. Here are some that have portrayed pieces of our area. Share on your blog movies set in your part of the world and then link back here at The Bumbles. And don't forget to visit your fellow participants!
Do you have a topic to suggest to the Monday Movie Meme? Leave it in the Comments section or send us an e-mail.
Friday, September 11, 2009
ON SPORTS ~ Impending Doom...
OVAH THE MONSTAH
Impending Doom:
where previously Molly basked in the sweep of the Angels...
I spent the night of my 2nd wedding anniversary watching the Sox face the Yankees in a rematch of the prior year's playoffs. You may recall that the 2003 ALCS didn't end up the way I had hoped. In the blink of an eye it went from the Sox moving on to the World Series to a bench player crushing my dreams. But in 2004 it felt different. I was confident again. I wasn't afraid of the Yankees. I wasn't afraid of their vaunted offense. I wasn't afraid of their pitching matchups. I wasn't afraid of their Closer. I wasn't afraid of their clutch hitting. I wasn't afraid of their Manager's experience. I knew that this time around it would be different.
And then, after Curt Schilling went on T.V. before the game and said he was looking forward to making all those thousands of Yankee fans shut up by starting the series on the mound in Yankee Stadium, he BOMBED. By the third inning he had given up 6 runs and was obviously struggling with a balky ankle that just couldn't hold up when it counted. And to make things worse, Mike Mussina was spinning a No Hitter into the 7th inning.
But wouldn't you know, those Sox came storming back and not only broke up the No Hitter, they came within a run of tying things up. But in the end, the Yankees came out on top and took Game 1 by 3 runs. I was a bit afraid of Curt's weak ankle. But I still knew the Sox would take Game 2 with Pedro on the mound. And Pedro held up his end of the bargain. He kept the Sox in the game only giving up a few runs but in the end, the Sox bats went to sleep and they lost Game 2 by 2 runs. I was getting annoyed with this falling short business. Game 3 for sure.
After a rainout, Game 3 came with much anticipation. We gathered with family and watched the Sox give up several runs early but then rally back and take the lead. The game saw both starters get knocked out early and then got out of control. The Sox pen couldn't hold back that powerful Yankees offense. I have never had a more deflating feeling than after watching the Sox take that beating, losing 19-8 at home and on the brink of being swept.
Have you ever been picked on by a bully? Have you ever worked so hard only to fall on your face at the end? Did anyone ever swoop in and steal the show? Intimidation, shame, jealousy. Nasty feelings. I was surrounded by dejected people who threw in the towel. They were angry and didn't want to see a Sox/Yankees matchup ever again. What was the point?
I'll tell you what the point was. The fat lady hadn't sung yet. I tried to tell them this at my niece's Christening the next morning. I got laughed at - as much as one could laugh during such depression. Thankfully religion and an adorable baby girl helped everyone through the day. Only Andy's Great Aunt was on my side with a shred of optimism. But then again, in her early 90's, she was the only person we knew who had been alive the last time the Sox had won the World Series. So we went home that night to watch Game 4 alone. No group gathering for the impending doom.
next week, NOT SO FAST, in which Dave saves the season...
ON PHOTOS ~ Dance...
to post or VOTE for this (Bumbles) or other interpretations of this week's challenge
Thursday, September 10, 2009
ON BLOGGING ~ Reader Dumping...
Last month, I put together a post about juggling time for blogging along with the rest of my life. And Margot left a thoughtful confession about Google Reader feeding her addiction. She wondered if she had just attended her first Bloggers Anonymous meeting. Well, I would never want anyone to feel all alone without a sponsor to help them through their addiction, so here I present our first ever BlogAnon post - a new Friday feature. Grab some coffee and stale donuts and come on in.
Since Margot started things off with Google Reader, I'll chime in and fess up as well. I avoided Google Reader for months. I didn't see the need. That's probably because I didn't have a lot of blog friends. But I finally gave in to the blogger pressure and started adding feeds to my Reader of all our known Followers. Seemed like a nice, organized, simple way to keep track of everyone. No more poking through our blog roll for sites and posts. Now I could stay right on top of those who cared about us the most, as well as those who didn't give a rat's ass who we were but who we enjoyed visiting anyway.
Oh - it always starts off that way doesn't it? Peer pressure to check out a fun and easy rush that helps you through struggles. Silly me - who has one of the most addictive personalities on the planet. You think I'd recognize an evil substance when I see it. Especially when it has words like "feed" associated with it.
I've got 73 subscriptions in my Reader. And 157 unread posts - since freakin' two days ago!!! I had that sucker down to ZERO when I went to bed after the Monday holiday. I woke up to almost 100 posts on Tuesday. I knocked off a few during lunch at work. Then I went home and went to bed and the beast doubled overnight. I've been trying desperately to tame that sucker ever since. And therein lies the problem. For me at least. I can't stand to see anything left. Be it cigarettes, beers, poker chips or posts. I want to consume them all. Completely.
Knowing this about myself, I would be smart to just MARK ALL AS READ. That gets rid of the temptation and gives me a nice empty slate without gorging myself with hours of reading. But that would be like flushing those smokes, pouring that beer down the sink, cashing in those chips. Where's the fun in all of that common sense? And so I read them all. And stress about all the time it is taking me away from other things - like work for example. You know, that one part of my life that actually makes all of this other stuff possible?
I want to dump - I really do. But that seems so cruel. Why even bother following all those people if I'm not going to take the time to see what they have to offer? If I dump their posts I might be missing out on that special post that comes along every now and then to spark a great discussion, idea or friendship. Will I miss out on some terrific bargain or a book that might just change my life? I can't do it. I can't do the dump. And I can't stop following - I just can't go cold turkey. Maybe I'll try skimming - kind of like social smoking. I know that won't work and I'll be sucked right back in.
So Margot. I hear ya. I know what you go through. I confess. And I feel much better. Deep breath. Now - I turn the Comments section over to you. Does Google Reader feed your blogging addiction? Or can you freely dump posts willy nilly without getting the shakes? Or maybe your true blogging sins lie elsewhere? Do tell! Your confessions are safe here - and you can even post anonymously if you prefer.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
1. The Help (fiction) by Kathryn Stockett (5 *'s) discovered on At Home With Books
2. The Wordy Shipmates (non-fiction) by Sarah Vowell (3 *'s) discovered on You've GOTTA Read This!
3. Three Day Road (historical fiction) by Joseph Boyden (4 *'s) discovered on Goodreads via the Constant Reader Group
4. Shelf Monkey (fiction) by Corey Redekop (3 *'s) discovered on A Season To Read
5. The Time Traveler's Wife (fiction) by Audrey Niffenegger (4 *'s) discovered on Goodreads via Donna @ From Little Acorns
6. Perfume - The Story of a Murderer (fiction) by Patrick Suskind (2 *'s) discovered on Betty's Books
7. The Book of Lost Things (fiction) by John Connolly (5 *'s) discovered on At Home With Books
8. Suite Francaise (historical fiction) by Irene Nemirovsky (5 *'s) discovered on Amazon and encouraged by Sandy @ You've GOTTA Read This!
9. Dewey: The Small Time Library Cat Who Touched The World (non-fiction) by Vicki Myron (3 *'s) discovered on Monniblog
10. Albert The Fix-It Man (kid-lit) by Janet Lord (4 *'s) discovered on Beth Fish Reads
11. Water for Elephants (fiction) by Sara Gruen (3 *'s) discovered in a newspaper review but encouraged and discussed in detail with Betty on Betty's Books
12. The Handmaid's Tale (fiction) by Margaret Atwood (5 *'s) discovered via Molly's Mom and discussed passionately in the You'll Love This One group on Goodreads created by Jenny at Sunny Sweet Pea
13. Pretty much ALL of our To Read titles come from the Teaser Tuesdays weekly meme brought to you by Miz B @ Should Be Reading - the reason our blog was created!!!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. What do you do? Write Thirteen things about yourself, summarize your week in one entry, make it easy for other bloggers to get to know you on a weekly basis. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is not only encouraged, it is part of being a Thursday Thirteener! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun!
Join The Fun And View More Thursday Thirteen Participants At The Host SiteON BLOGGING ~ Off You Go!...
OK - so we are going to do something that goes against all blogging instincts - tell you to leave our blog. No, no, no - not forever! Just for today. You see, Molly has a new post out there in the blogosphere that she'd like you to go visit if you have the time, and the love, for your favorite Bumbles.
Those of you who have been visiting since our beginning on the blogosphere may remember the Gym Rats weekly feature where Molly shared observations on the people we saw working out around us at the gym. Quite the characters they were!
Well, if you click HERE you can read about how Molly found her way into a gym to begin with and tips for how that whole health battle unfolds. This is a Guest Post on a new website that may lead to another paid gig so go read and leave a comment over there to let them know what you think of her effort!
ON PHOTOS ~ A Flat & A Fancy Stay...
Click HERE to see where we were visiting when this happened.
Click HERE to see what we thought of the writing perk we received on vacation.
Find other Wordless Wednesday photos by clicking on the button below...
Monday, September 7, 2009
ON BOOKS ~ The Help...
MizB asks you to:- Grab your current read.
- Let the book fall open to a random page.
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page.
- Share the title of the book the teaser comes from…that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
- Please avoid spoilers!
From pg. 29 of THE HELP by Kathryn Stockett (fiction) - "Aibileen":
"All I know is, I ain't saying it. And I know she ain't saying what she want a say either and it's a strange thing happening here cause nobody saying nothing and we still managing to have us a conversation."
From pg. 148 of THE HELP by Kathryn Stockett (fiction) - "Skeeter":
"I give in and light another cigarette even though last night the surgeon general came on the television set and shook his finger at everybody, trying to convince us that smoking will kill us. But Mother once told me tongue kissing would turn me blind and I'm starting to think it's all just a big plot between the surgeon general and Mother to make sure no one ever has any fun."
From pg. 317 of THE HELP by Kathryn Stockett (fiction) - "Minny":
"I might as well be Little Stevie Wonder I am so blinded by that dress. Hot pink and silver sequins glitter from her extra-large boobies all the way to her hot pink toes."
I first heard about this book on Alyce's wonderful blog, At Home With Books. It was probably even through Teaser Tuesdays. I added it to my To Read list on Goodreads and then for the next few months read nothing but glowing reviews everywhere I turned. Friends told me I just had to read it. So when an online bookgroup I belong to on Goodreads was looking for nominations for books taking place in the American Deep South, I couldn't resist. Needless to say, the book won the voting and here I was in line behind over 700 other people on the library waiting list needing to read this book in order to lead a discussion. Pure luck and good timing got a copy into my hands before this past holiday weekend and I was hoping I could get it finished in the 2 weeks needed before it was due back. I finished it in 2 days. I would have finished it in 1 if I had started reading sooner on the first day.
The Teasers above are taken from each of the three main characters in this debut novel. All three are women living in Jackson, Mississippi in 1962. Two are black maids. One is a white woman who was raised by a black maid. Their paths cross in everyday life, though their everyday lives are vastly different. But they come to realize there really isn't all that much separating them except the "rules" that some other people created in their minds. And they are forever connected by an idea to tell their stories to the masses, without anyone knowing who they are.
You need to read this book. It is such incredible story telling. From three different personalities. About the good, the bad, and the downright ugly. A part of history so near it still creates touchy reactions. And a way of thinking that some people still cling to. So it needs to be read. And the message of tolerance, equality, and doing what is right for yourself and to others as human beings, becomes the only way to live.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
ON MOVIES ~ Workin' It...
This week's movie topic is all about Work...
In honor of the Labor Day holiday here in the U.S. we thought we'd focus this week's topic on movies centered around work - finding a job, getting a job, loving a job, hating a job - you get the idea. Here are some that we thought of while being lazy Bumbles enjoying our long weekend away from work. Share on your blog movies all about making a living and then link back here at The Bumbles. And don't forget to visit your fellow participants!
Do you have a topic to suggest to the Monday Movie Meme? Leave it in the Comments section or send us an e-mail.
Friday, September 4, 2009
ON SPORTS ~ Angelic Sweep...
OVAH THE MONSTAH
Angelic Sweep:
where previously Molly flew home in time for first pitch...
As the 2004 playoffs began the Sox made their entrance as the Wild Card paired off against the Anaheim Angels. In the best of 5 series they opened on the road in CA so the game times were all screwy on the East Coast. I suffered through the beginning of the first game sitting at my desk in the middle of the work day listening on the radio and tracking pitch by pitch graphics online. No streaming video feeds, no TV signal - goin' old school. This is normally fine during the regular season. But for the start of the much anticipated playoffs, not so much.
In the middle of the action my employer called me from the road to check in with a work related question (what nerve!). I barely got the answer he needed out of my mouth before all kinds of offensive prowess was happening on the field so I hung up on him. Lucky for me I had worked for him for 9 years at that point so he was aware that trying to compete with me and the Sox was a losing battle.
The afternoon dragged and I was sitting around in an empty office because every one else had skipped out and gone home to watch the game. Having pity on me, my boss called me back (between innings so as not to distract me again) and told me to go home. The Sox were rolling it up on the Angels so there was no tense need to see the game, but after so much suffering it is nice to see the happy stuff every now and then.
The next game was an evening start but didn't begin until 10PM on the East Coast. Propping my eyelids open with toothpicks I delighted in watching Pedro better Colón in a tight game all the way through to the end when the Sox' bats broke out and sent that damn Angels rally monkey into hiding.
Game 3 was another problematic afternoon start although this one was back in Boston. I didn't get anything accomplished at the office and my boss took pity on me eventually sending me on my way. I figured I would get home just in time for the end of the game which was turning into another blow-out. But just when I got home the Sox pitching fell into a free fall, loading the bases and giving up a Grand Slam to Vlad Guerrero near the end of things to send it all into extra innings. I went from rushing home to see the first round victory celebration to wishing I'd stayed away to avoid witnessing the collapse and giving the Angels a chance in the series.
But then, David Ortíz (aka Big Papi) stepped up to the plate in the 10th. He had gotten on base in the 8th and the announcers had criticized why Sox Manager, Terry Francona, hadn't sent in a pinch runner for Ortíz. That would have removed him from the game and a bench player would have been up in this pressure situation with all of Fenway on its feet. Thankfully, Francona didn't think that way and instead Papi came to the plate and belted the pitch right into the Bleachers for the game winner that swept the Angels right out of the playoffs and sent the Sox on to the next round. Their next opponent? Who else? Boy I was happy! Grand heroics in style and a tone was set. Including the pattern of late, sleepless nights and not a lot of work getting done.
next week, IMPENDING DOOM, in which Molly's Sox faith is severely challenged...
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