(no subject)

A year ago today, a bunch of us went to a Ren faire. We hung out and had a good time and chatted with fairies and Shakespeare, got tickets from the sheriff, and had the best grilled veggie wrap on the planet. Then, after the faire was over, we got all dressed up and we bore witness to the marriage of peaseblossom03 and twistor.

And I'll tell you what, kids, I'm not a big proponent of marriage, but sometimes it really is meant to be. Happy anniversary, you two.

(no subject)

I can't remember if I've said this yet, so I'd just like to make an official announcement:

My sincerest thanks to americanleaguer, offspeed, and Sam for getting me interested enough in the Tigers so that I ended up checking out the Opening Day game and getting properly hooked. One of my very favorite things baseball-wise this year has been watching Jeremy Bonderman pitch, and I think one of my favorite things baseball-wise for a long time to come will continue to be watching Jeremy Bonderman pitch, and if it weren't for you guys I'd barely even know his name. So, thank you.

Yes, so Bondo started for the Tigers yesterday, I watched as per my delusional imaginings of our agreement, and it was just brilliant. He pitched into the ninth inning and only gave up two runs and seven hits. And you know something? I missed the second run, which was a homer, because I was interviewing a prospective roommate, which just goes to show that I cannot miss a single second of Bondo's starts EVER. (I wonder how people who are not compulsive superstitious watch sports? How boring must that be?) After the homer, he gave up a single, so Tram ran out there and pulled him for Jamie Walker, who promptly gave up a walk. So THE FARNS came in and cleaned up their messes with a nice double-play ball (the third of the game) and a groundout.

Meanwhile, the offense rocked out. Curtis Granderson and Carlos Guillen each got a homer, Granderson also tripled Pudge home, and Magglio sent Shelty to home twice. That was a joy to watch and really what you want from your three/four guys, and I just realized that I already went on about this yesterday, so I'll shut up now, except to say that I hope this becomes a regular thing, because these two could destroy the opposing pitcher all by themselves.

Final score: 5-2. And three out of five in this long-ass series, which makes two winning series in a row, and which also brings them back up to .500. Now off to the West Coast to play the A's and Mariners and hopefully add a few more wins.

Meanwhile, the Astros had a pretty crazy game. That thing was tied at one for thirteen innings - well, okay, technically seven, since the Astros didn't score their run till the sixth. And then in the fourteenth, Eric ".167 BA" Bruntlett not only broke the tie, he did it with a three-run fucking homer.

Oh, and the starter who was so brilliant? Wandy Rodriguez, people. Three hits, a run, four K's, and one walk over seven plus innings. He's not exactly the Astro you'd expect that from, and I am very pleased that he has it in him. He wasn't so great when he first came up this year, but he's been getting better and better and really becoming a solid part of the rotation. And in a rotation that includes Roger Clemens, Roy Oswalt, and Andy Pettitte, that is really saying something.

Final score: 4-1. Three out of four in the series against what used to be the best team in the National League. With one of those wins a 14-1 blowout and another a fourteen-inning game, that feels very special and significant. (Also: Fourteen? Twice? Weird.)

Speaking of the best team in a league, everyone else is driving me crazy over this past Sox-squared series. I am the only damn one not satisfied with splitting the series.

Listen up, kids: In the series before this one, the Tigers - THE TIGERS - owned the White Sox, okay? If it weren't for one unfortunate relief appearance, we would have swept. Our starters wrecked their offense. Our offense wrecked their starters. We scored twenty runs off them in three games.

So why the fuck couldn't the Red Sox manage something similar? True, they won the same number of games, which is something at least, and we didn't lose the series, but that's not really good enough for me. Mostly this year, I've noticed everyone else getting worked up over the Red Soxs' failure to be as amazing as they should be, and I've felt pretty chill, because hi, we've spent most of the past couple of weeks in first place. What's not to love?

Well, it's my damn turn to be a spastic and demanding fan. We should have had that series. We should be better than we are. I am not satisfied right now. If the Tigers can destroy the White Sox, then the Red Sox should be able to annihilate them.

I know there are a thousand factors I'm not considering here - which team is having a hot streak, which team's rotation is struggling, which team's bullpen could use a lot of work - but I don't bloody well have to be logical if I don't want to.

So, as you've probably guessed by now, the Red Sox lost 6-4 yesterday to split the series. =P Next up we hit the Devil Rays, and this time we're missing Kazmir, so that series should go a long way toward making me simmer right back down.

(no subject)

It has been brought to my attention that today is maggiesox's birthday. Happy birthday, Maggie! I made you a couple of icons, but don't feel obligated to use them if you don't want to. =)

( Birthday icons below. )

(no subject)

Random thoughts as I quietly ignore the Red Sox game because way to be outmatched by the Devil Rays pitching, guys, hope you're grateful for David Wells keeping your asses in the game, and WEEEE Johnny Damon for your two-run homer as soon as I typed that:

* Worked up my finances today and found that I don't need as much money from my mom as I thought I would. Talked to her and explained my unhappiness with the situation. She was very understanding, having been there herself at my age, and pointed out that at least I don't have to ask my grandfather like she did. Hee. He's a good man, but not the most nurturing father ever. This is me being lucky.

* On a related note, the porn store down the street is hiring. Hmm.

* Wow, that Congressional hearing Subway commercial is wicked stupid. At least it's short.

* Discovered this week that a nearby store I thought was a convenience store is actually a tiny ghetto supermarket. Since I rely on public transportation, this is wonderful, because now I can buy meat without worrying about it sitting rawly in my backpack for like an hour on a ninety degree day.

* I have made a couple people happy today.

* Getting up at noon, something which I have always abhorred, is nothing to be ashamed up when you didn't go to bed till after three. It represents a perfectly reasonable amount of time to sleep, and believe me when I say I am writing this to convince myself, because I don't care if I'd gone to bed at six in the morning, I'd still be embarrassed that I didn't drag myself out till noon.

* I like how GameCast lives in an alternate universe where getting a two-run homer when you already have a run means that you have scored two runs in the game.

* As it turns out, Jurassic Park (the novel) is not as good when you are twenty-two as it it when you are ten. But then, what is? Actually, I'm amazed my ten year old self made it through, because DAMN is Michael Crichton dry.

* Yes, that is the kind of stuff I read as a kid. I read my first Stephen King novel, Thinner, when I was in third grade. I did it covertly, too, because I was positive my mother would take it away if she saw me reading it. I was probably wrong, though. I have more than once been absolutely amazed in retrospect by what Mom let my sister and I watch and read. She didn't waste time trying to police us, and no doubt she understood that we didn't really get what was going on in Edward Scissorhands. =)

* Why, yes, I am bored. I am bored a lot these days. A three-day work week is not the picnic it sounds like.

* How is it that I have been hypnotized by every iharthdarth icon I have seen, but did not check out the comic until today?

* Lou Piniella sucks and was obviously trying to screw Boomer up with that protracted runner change. Why Jerry and Don were so baffled, I do not know.

Just a few of the things that have been wandering through my head today.

(no subject)

WOW that game was stupid. Mike? Curt? Every single damn one of the offense except Johnny? GO STAND IN THE CORNER. I am not kidding. Go! Don't make me count to three! I don't want to hear a peep from anyone, and yes, MANNY, that includes the actual word "peep." Boomer and Johnny may go start drinking, because they were good boys. The rest of you will all stand there quietly until you think you understand what you have done.

Losing your first extra inning game of the season 4-3 to the Devil Rays. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

(no subject)

Why can't any of my AL teams HOLD A MOTHERFUCKING LEAD OR TIE tonight?

At least the Astros know what to do when they are playing a crappy team. For shame.