Catching Up, Again...

Random tidbits to bring the blogging world up to speed...

What do you do when you have a blog but haven't updated consistently lately? You agree to contribute to a 2nd one of course! I have been contributing to Parents2Parents, a blog started by my good friend Jen. It's just a bunch of parents sharing their parenting stories. Good stuff - check it out!

I'm officially at the half-way point in my effort to grow 10 inches of hair for Locks For Love. So far I've resisted putting it back into a ponytail, but with the summer heat coming around, I may have no choice. If the average growth of 1/2 inch per month holds, I'm looking getting my next haircut March 2009! My wife, who is also growing her hair out, has decided to donate hers instead to breast cancer victims. Obviously influenced by my mom's situation, but with the added benefit of needing only 8 inches. (If she cuts her hair short, she's at 7 already!)

Victoria continues to grow way too fast. She hasn't started walking yet, but has recently started taking steps. She has begun to say/understand the word "up" and even said my sister's name "Abbey" while we were up in New York.

I'm still working two jobs. Things have been slow lately at both, although there have been some real nasty computer viruses coming in lately at LCC that have been keeping us on our toes.

Tomorrow I get to go to Baltimore to see the Red Sox play the Orioles. Maybe if I'm lucky, I'll get to see Manny hit his 500th HR.

An Evening With Tito

As many of you know, I'm a huge Red Sox fan. This past Saturday I was lucky enough to meet the manager of the team, Terry "Tito" Francona. He was the guest speaker for the UVa baseball team's annual fund raiser. Meredith got me tickets to the event as a Christmas gift.

Thinking this was a somewhat fancy event, I put aside my championship hat and sweatshirt and actually got dressed up. Fortunately, I just happen to possess a Red Sox tie, so I was set. It wasn't that fancy, but it was worth getting dressed up purely for the compliments my tie got. We entered the auditorium along with over 900 other people, and immediately got in line to meet the 2008 Virginia baseball team. Everyone got posters, which each player signed as you passed through the line. After making my way through the line, Meredith and I spent a good 15 minutes looking for a seat. Most of the best seats near the dais were taken, so we ended up on one of the outside tables. At each seat was a UVa baseball T-shirt and a goodies bag filled with gum, Baby Ruth, and other baseball assorted treats. Dinner was also baseball/summer related - hot dogs BBQ pork, fried chicken, potato salad, etc. It was good, and since we were on the outer fringes, our table was among the first to feed.

After everyone ate, they started the program with a recap of the season and speeches by some of the college bigwigs. Terry was introduced, and shared some stories ranging from being the lucky manager of Michael Jordan's ill-fated attempt at baseball to the diminutive Dustin Pedroia swinging like he's David Ortiz. He then kindly answered questions from the crowd. Unfortunately, by the time I decided to raise my hand, they stopped taking questions.

Once everything ended, I joined the majority of the crowd by getting to the front and hopefully getting an autograph or picture. Fortunately I got both, as well as the opportunity to shake his hand and thank him for a great season. Yeah, this is definitely the coolest Christmas gift ever.

Boston Red Sox - 2007 World Champions

Random baseball thoughts as I soak in the joy of knowing my team has won the World Series for the second time in four years...

...Sometimes the best trades are the ones you don't make. Last winter, the Red Sox almost traded for the Rockies' Todd Helton. The player they would have lost? 2007 World Series MVP Mike Lowell. In 2003, Boston almost traded with the Texas Rangers for Alex Rodriguez. They would have given up 2004 World Series MVP Manny Ramierez and 2007 Game 4 Winner Jon Lester.

...Speaking of Lester. If Disney needs another feel-good baseball movie (a la The Rookie), look no further than the incredible tale of Jon Lester. At this time last year he was going through chemotherapy treatments.

...The Red Sox need to re-sign Mike Lowell. He's another Bill Mueller - classy, works hard, does the little things

...Jonathan Papelbon has offically obtained cult status in Boston, all because of that jig

...Prediction: Yankees don't make the playoffs next year. The only reasons they survived that horrible start this year were Torre and A-Rod.

It Begins Tonight!

For the 2nd time in 4 years, my beloved Red Sox will be playing in the World Series. I'm excited and I personally feel the Red Sox can easily win it all this year. My official prediction will be Sox in 5 games.

Equally exciting, my wife and in-laws are having a collective lapse in judgment. My father-in-law, a die hard Yankees fan, actually said two weeks ago that if Boston advanced to the World Series, he'd allow Victoria to wear the Red Sox onesies my family got for her over the summer. Needless to say, I'm taking advantage of the situation.





Go Sox!

Sister-In-Law Meets A Former Sox Star

So apparently, my sis-in-law Inez was at a salsa club in DC last night and got to met a few members of the L.A. Dodgers, who were in town to play the Washington Nationals. Among those she got to meet was former Red Sox Star Nomar Garciaparra. Pretty nifty, huh? Nomar was such a great player before he suffered so many injuries. It's good to see him healthy and productive again.