It was a Nice Day
October 29th, 2007 by 
Ellen
To put it mildly. Where to begin? I could post about seven thousand links–but, I will be merciful, and keep myself to one two three four.
And maybe I lied, because here’s one more, about The Guy Who Was My Favorite All Year Long. Please sign him immediately, Theo. And stay away from The Creepy One. Please.Â
Okay. Deep breath. (and, oddly enough, I am going to have so much more free time between now and next April. Or, actually, until pitchers and catchers report in February. What will I do with myself? Oh. Right. Work.) I will also feel much less emotional turmoil–although, after tonight, I don’t think Red Sox fans are allowed to complain anymore. Ever. We still will, of course, because it’s our nature–but, we really shouldn’t.Â
Well, okay, just one more.  Because I am weak.Â
And in other news, this was pretty excellent, too.
Moving on now.  The end of the baseball season means that I will spend the next few months obsessing about politics. For a change. I’m starting to get the very strong sense that Obama is toast. Part of me is disappointed, because I really wanted to fall in love with the guy as a candidate, but from the very beginning, it has always seemed as though he’s only running because he thinks he can maybe win the nomination–not because he wants to be the President.Â
And we have someone who wants to be the President, and is actually prepared to do the job. In the best of all possible worlds, I’d like the campaign to be joyful, but after the grim, glum nightmare of the current Administration, I think I’d be quite happy with calm, cool, collected competence. There’s actually a lot of food for thought in this article, although it’s not exactly cheery. I’ll back her all the way, though–especially since I think the prospect of Rudy in the White House is absolutely terrifying.
I’m not sure I recommend this novel, but I’m not too proud to admit that I am currently reading it and am reasonably entertained. However, as soon as this Gerald Ford book is released, I’m going to grab it.
Starting tomorrow, I think I need to begin doing this and this. Although I do not enjoy exercise for the sake of exercise–predictably, I only enjoy sports activites–it will be a pleasure.
Posted in Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots, Other Authors' Books, Politics, Skiing |
October 29th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
October 29th, 2007 at 5:45 pm
2003 left me catatonic-ish for a few weeks. 2004 can still seem unreal if I let myself go back and reminisce. 2007 seems almost a let-down. And I feel terrible for thinking that. Is this what it feels like to back a team that has a history of winning?? Goodness!
I heart Papelbon, Ellsbury (that kid can FLY!) and Papi ‘cuz he likes to hug.
-Red Sox Fan In New York
October 30th, 2007 at 3:06 am
And Ellen, you were wrong about Hillary and baseball. According to Media Matters, the Washington Post ran a Sept. 12 1994 article stating, “Mrs. Clinton … as a kid was a ‘big-time’ fan of the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees and ‘understudied’ Ernie Banks and Mickey Mantle.” So yeah, granted, it doesn’t show great character for a Chicago kid to root for the Evil Overlords of baseball, but at least she’s a real fan and not pandering.
October 31st, 2007 at 2:18 am
I can’t really speak intelligently about about baseball (my crush on Curt Schilling was sadly over as soon as it arrived when I found out about his religion/politics), although I’ve always followed the Red Sox and Patriots due to friends’ fandom. So yay for the Sox - I have the cap and the “Entering Fenway/Love That Dirty Water” t-shirt.
I’m writing to say “Darn you, Ellen!” for getting me interested in that Courtney Thorne Smith book.
It’s on hold at the library now.
Watching the debate now. I get the sense that Obama is running for the future. Or isn’t sure what he’s running for. In either case, he does have oodles of charisma and I’m glad I stole his fork.
October 31st, 2007 at 3:47 am
Well…let’s put it this way, I’ve never seen her at a baseball game. Never heard her say anything interesting/informed/clever about baseball.
However, she is smarter than Rudy. And she never called a Red Sox player “Manny Ortez,” or whatever the hell Kerry did.
The Courtney Thorne Smith book has a nice turn of phrase here and there. This one is predictable, but I’m curious to read what she writes next, now that she has this out of her system.
November 1st, 2007 at 2:23 am
*shrugs* Well, she probably doesn’t have a whole lot of time to keep up and hasn’t for a while now, plus if she attempted to discuss baseball publicly, either now or back in ‘94 as FL she would have gotten creamed in a sexist way, they’d pick over every word and mock the hell out of her regardless of how well-or uninformed she sounded. She’s not claiming to be the world’s most passionate lifelong fan, just a sincere supporter of the Yankees, to whetever degree now.
November 1st, 2007 at 4:39 am
You make some excellent points–but I still respectfully have to disagree. At best, if she was a Yankees–and Cubs–fan growing up, given the historical timeline, she was that dreaded breed–a bandwagoner. Which, obviously, is preferable to proclaiming a sudden switch of loyalties to curry favor in a New York Senate campaign, but is still a losing hand.
And shoot, if you claim to be a big fan–and you aren’t, particularly, why shouldn’t you get creamed? Far better just to say, I watched occasionally as a child, but baseball really doesn’t float my boat, or something of that nature. I don’t think you can play it both ways.
Actually, what’s troubling here is that someone like me, who is a supporter and plans to vote for her, is still having so many doubts about her character, and the degree to which she is trustworthy. It makes me fear that the GOP is just _praying_ that she’ll get the nomination. Even though what Rudy did recently is far more disingenuous–and creepy.
November 2nd, 2007 at 12:52 am
Oh, I agree 100% about the bandwagoneer thing. I’d actually use a less polite phrase including the word “star.”
It’s questionable at best. But, considering the article’s from 1994 and I have to assume she wasn’t thinking of running in NY that far ahead, I also have to assume she had no reason to lie.
OTOH, I’ve never heard any politician say, when asked, “Yeah I’m not a big fan, really, don’t care.” If asked, they’ll support their hometown team, and probably with all sincerity even if they don’t even particularly like baseball. None of the other guys refused to name a team when questioned, but I kinda doubt Kusinich has decorated his living room with Indians stuff (I could be wrong). It’s usually not an issue, but when it becomes a huge one only in reference to her, it seems like a double standard by the media imho.
I dunno, for better or worse (and yeah, it’s a lot of worse), I don’t really see a big difference between Clinton, Obama, and Edwards. They’re similar on positions, I’m pretty sure they’d be very similar policy-wise in office (maybe I’m cynical but populist rhetoric doesn’t seem to translate into populist policies), and I think they’d all be really vulnerable to attack in different areas. But it could just be me.