Red Sox Pre-Season Woes

     After last season, most hope for all Sox fans went down the drain. But then they signed a couple big names in the hopes that they could fill the gigantic hole that was left behind. All was going well until...

1. Former manager, Terry Francona "Rips Boston Ownership" by saying, "...they're good owners. But they don't love the game. It's still more of a toy or a hobby for them,” in new book called Francona: The Red Sox Years.

2. Red Sox outfield prospect Bryce Brentz shoots himself in the leg while cleaning his handgun. 
"He was at home cleaning a gun and it accidentally went off. He was injured in the process," Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington told the newspaper. "Fortunately for him, it was something he's going to recover from and be fine and won't affect his baseball career."

On the bright side, 2B Dustin Pedroia may talk extension with the team this Spring, and Clay Bucholz threw well in his first BP since straining his hamstring. But the best news in that John Farrel who was the Sox's former Pitching Coach is the new manager of the ball club. (At least he isn't Bobby Valentine)

Moustache March

Movember has come and gone and we get it!  Most of us were down for the cause and in solidarity we grew what at first seemed merely like an ironic little flavor savor reminiscent of something worn in the 70′s or 80′s…but then something magical happened.  A symbiotic connection was made between our upper lips and our hearts.  But alas, November came and went and we found ourselves in front of the mirror on December 1st clutching a cold razor and a little unsure of the desecration about to be committed upon our furry little partner in crime.  I couldn’t do it.

The amount of awareness that having a stache created didn’t stop at the charitable aspect for me, rather   broader awareness of facial fur possibilities was born in me!  I reinvested in my shaving kit after many years of shameless neglect.  I stocked up on soap pucks, a vintage shaving bowl and an antique safety razor too, not to mention all the mustache waxes I had collected over the month in anticipation of the Dali style cookie duster I would inevitably be donning.  I had reinvented myself, and at the same time rediscovered something that has been lost in our plastic throw away culture that we have all been unwillingly steeped in.  Shaving and maintaining a moustache is the new alchemy, and I was cultivating gold.

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Celtics 3OT Win

Coming into last nights game of the day, The Denver Nuggets were the hottest team in the NBA, winning nine straight games. On the other side, The Boston Celtics were also picking up the pace, winning 6 straight even without All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo due to torn ACL...coincidence?
     From the beginning, I could tell this was going to be a hard-fought match...(it was) The Celtics brought it to the Nugget by "dishin' and swishin'" This strategy earned an early lead continuing into a confident advantage through the third quarter. The fourth quarter was totally different. Along with one of the best fast-break offenses in the league, they also score the most points. This ability to score tons of points in little time was shown, as they cut the lead down and down, eventually the game was tied at the end of regulation.
And then there was overtime...
     With 45 seconds left in the first OT, the Celtics were down 99-96. Off of a defensive rebound by Avery Bradley, The C's drove down the court and wound down the game clock. With single digits left in the shot clock, KG had the ball and was doubled, leaving Jeff Green open in the corner. He nailed it. 99-99, end of OT.
     The Celtics were in the same situation with 18 seconds in 2OT remaining. They in-bounded the ball to Pierce at the top of the key and had to turn and shoot over a defender who was a little shorter than him. He Nailed it. 107-107 heading into 3OT.
     In Triple OT The C's brought it straight to the Nuggets, but with 1:32 left the game is tied at 113's. Then Jason Terry made his 5th 3-pointer of the game, cruising the Celtics up by 3 points. This was the final nail in the coffin.

Dead End in Norvelt

Dead End in Norvelt is definitely one of the most unique books I have ever read. It takes place post-WW2 in a small town. School just ended and Jack Gantos is has the whole summer ahead of him. One day when his dad, a veteran, was a away from home, Jack took out his war rifle and was pretending to shoot, when it actually gets shot. Jack is thoroughly confused because he's positive he didn't load any bullets.
     Jack's only escape from his house, was to help an elderly neighbor with an...unusual task, to write obituaries.

This story involves Eleanor Rosevelt, Death's Angels, Funeral Homes, and bloody noses, and a lot more.