The Wait is Over!

Yesterday suddenly felt like fall. I was walking Little Jerry on the Riverwalk and wearing a long sleeve t-shirt for the first time in months and I began to get a little depressed about the end of summer and my return to work on Monday (yes, I give you permission to curse me out for complaining about having “only” 6 weeks off during the summer). But then I remembered my post from two weeks ago: focus on the positive. So, I decided to spend our walk thinking about all of the things I have to look forward to even as the summer ends.

1. All Things Pumpkin

The person who invented pumpkin beer might be my idol and the yearly anticipation is finally over! Although I don’t know which brewing company started this trend, many companies have followed suit. In my opinion, none compares to The Shipyard’s “Pumpkinhead Ale.”

A common complaint of spicy, flavored beer is that it’s difficult to drink more than 1 or 2, but Pumpkinhead is my personal favorite because the pumpkin flavor is ever so slight. With Pumpkinhead it’s easy to finish off your 6-pack so your $8 doesn’t go to waste. The only thing that bothers me about Pumpkinhead’s growing popularity is that it used to be available well into December, but now you’re VERY lucky if you can find it for a Halloween party. Shipyard really deserves a spot up on a pedestal alongside the person who originally combined chocolate and peanut butter (Reese?).

If you don’t like pumpkin flavored beer there’s always pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin pie, pumpkin ice cream (amazing!) or pumpkin pancakes (Johnny D’s, anyone?). If someone tells me that something is pumpkin flavored, my ears suddenly perk up and I must have it!

*Update: I just tried Dogfishead "Punkin Ale" for the first time and was pleasantly surprised. Actually, I have grown to love this brewing company thanks to my sister-in-law, Liz, who became a fan when she went to school in Delaware (that's where DFH is based out of). The pumpkin flavor is much stronger than Pumpkinhead and it definitely tastes spicier. The alcohol content is 7% so a 4-pack was just fine. I don't think I'd buy it as OFTEN as Pumpkinhead but it seems like it would be a nice little treat once in a while.

2. Candy Corn

As I see it, the world is divided into two groups: those who love candy corn and those who hate candy corn. This is yet another obsession of mine which probably accounts for 90% of my winter weight gain. I have actually been known to get ill after eating too much candy corn. It’s one of those things where I don’t know when to stop and I just keep shoveling handfuls into my mouth and then the stomachache hits me out of nowhere like a ton of bricks. Yet the next time I eat it, I do the same thing all over again, never learning my lesson.

Oh and it can’t be the chewy Brach’s candy corn, it has to be Farley’s or Zachary's candy corn. You know, the brand that has the really grainy sugary texture, comes in the round plastic container and somehow manages to prolong the candy corn season by making Reindeer Corn, Cupid Corn and Bunny Corn? It’s almost as if they knew I wouldn’t make it through a long New England winter without it!

3. Changing Weather

This is why I could never live in CA or FL. As much as I LOVE the summer, I have to admit that by the time the end of August rolls around, I always feel like I need a break from the 85 degree weather. Honestly, the pressure to maintain a “summer body” for bikinis, dresses, tank tops and skirts is quite exhausting. Sometimes I just want to put on my biggest sweatshirt and sweatpants and eat a whole pizza by myself. And then maybe wash it down with several handfuls of candy corn. Is that so bad?

4. Fall Fashion

Once you start packing on that weight for winter, you then have to try your best to hide it in something stylish. Fall fashion is perfect for this! My personal faves: sweaters, hoodies, skinny jeans, knee-high boots, oversized handbags, vests, long cardigans, scarves and Chuck Taylors. Enough said.

5. The Rib ‘n Brews Festival

Lowell is known for its festivals but this one is by far my favorite because it combines two of life’s greatest pleasures: BBQ and microbrews.

This event is held every year on the weekend after Labor Day. It’s the one weekend out of the year that I don’t have to drive to Somerville to enjoy Redbones, but it’s also fun to try the authentic BBQ from the south. It costs $20 to get into the microbrew tent where you can taste several different beers from breweries all around New England. $20 sounds like a lot at first, but it is totally worth it. They give you a checklist to taste each beer once, but a majority of the vendors don’t even look at it and encourage you to keep coming back for more! And don’t let the tiny little tasting cups fool you because I guarantee you’ll be walking home a bit sideways.

The first year Matt and I went to the Rib ‘n Brews Fest, we went by ourselves and just as we were about to leave the tent, it started thundering, lightning and pouring rain. Our first thought: “Hmmmm, stuck in a beer tent in the pouring rain…can’t think of anything better, really.”

If you're free on September 6th, come join us!

*UPDATE: It was announced on 8/21/08 that the Rib 'n Brews Fest has been cancelled! Since I've mentioned this festival in a few posts now, you can imagine my devastation. According to the Lowell Sun, the date has always been "unpopular" and the coordinator recently fell ill. As an alternative, he is trying to plan an Oktober-style beer festival since the microbrew tent has always been a successful component of the festival (no shit).

6. Parker’s Maple Barn

I feel bad for my brother, Gerard, because his “No NH Policy” means that he will never be able to experience this fabulous eatery that our friends, Amber & Matt, introduced us to a few years ago. Yes, it is in Mason, NH, in the middle of nowhere and you might have to wait over an hour for a table for 4 for a weekend brunch, but they have some of the best pumpkin pancakes I’ve ever had in my life, maple baby back ribs (yes the guys order this for brunch!), their own maple coffee, maple cream, maple syrup and…drum roll, please…MAPLE FRAPPES!

The first time we went here for brunch, Amber and I finished our meals and decided that we were going to order maple frappes for the ride home (on the ride there we had to resort to counting red doors to pass the time). Needless to say the frappes made for a very enjoyable ride home!

7. Concerts

So far I have Cold War Kids lined up for October 14th and word on the street is that Vampire Weekend will play in Boston sometime in December!

8. New TV Season

After a summer of reruns, it’s nice to have something to look forward to every night, even if it is a cheesy, 30-minute sitcom that you get way too wrapped up in. Don’t you remember when you were a kid and the season premieres always aired the first week of school? It’s depressing that nowadays we have to wait until the end of September/beginning of October. Except for a lonely few.

Here’s a list of some of my faves:

· Sept. 1 – Gossip Girl
· Sept. 2 – the “new” 90210 (that’s 9/02 for those of you who didn’t make the connection and you bet your ass I’ll be tuning into this show!)
· Sept. 7 – Entourage
· Sept. 16 – The Biggest Loser
· Sept. 22 – How I Met Your Mother
· Sept. 25 – The Office & Grey’s Anatomy
· Oct. 30 – 30 Rock
· Jan. 2009 (Boooooo!) – Lost, American Idol & The Bachelor (with Jason!!!)

And there’s still no word on the 3rd season of Flight of the Conchords (unless someone has some inside info I’m not aware of??). WOW…this is a bit depressing…I guess I really do watch a lot of TV.

9. Sunday Celebrations (and I’m not talking about showers, ladies)

When it comes down to it, the weekend is really only 1 day. Friday night is usually a wash because you’re exhausted from the week and by the time you leave work, go to the gym, stop at the liquor store and grocery store, fight traffic to get home, walk the dog and make dinner, it’s time to fall asleep watching TV on the couch.

And like many other people, I despise Sundays. They are so NOT relaxing for me because all I’m thinking about is how much I’m dreading the start of the work week…which is funny because once Monday morning comes, I’m usually fine. It’s just that Sunday afternoon and evening feeling that gets me every week. So how do I cope? As much as I hate football, I’ve come to realize that it is THE best excuse to go to a friend’s house, “watch” the game, drink a few beers and eat rubbish.

10. Matt Finally Turns 30

For 6 months out of every year my husband gets to rub it in my face that he is younger than me. This year has been especially fun for him because he’s been able to say casually “Yeah…I’m still in my 20s.” Enjoy the last 8 weeks of your 20s, Matt!

Granted, September 1st - January 1st will never compare to April – August, but I really do love this time of year. A new school year means an increase in pay, getting back into a routine and work is busy in a good way. I love postseason baseball, I love not feeling guilty about eating dinner at a French or Italian restaurant, I love Thanksgiving, I love the entire Christmas season, I love the first snowfall (notice I said first) and I even love getting dressed up for a cheesy New Year’s Eve party.

What I don’t love is January 2nd – April 1st: the bitter cold, having to walk the dog in the bitter cold, the thought that warmer weather is NEVER coming, much shorter days, dry white skin, no baseball and feeling like there’s “nothing to do.”

Happy (almost) fall everyone!

More Random Thoughts on the Olympics...

Well, we are now into the second week of the Olympics and most of the exciting events are behind us. I do have some additional thoughts as they begin to wind down...

1. Like the rest of the world, I did not believe that Michael Phelps won a 7th gold medal in the 100m butterfly, but this underwater snapshot from SI.com is proof that he pulled this victory out of his ass. The touchboard doesn't lie.

As Matt said, this is just one reason why he should thank god for those freakishly long swimmer's fingers.

2. I have no idea what is going on with the gymnastics judging but Nastia Liukin was robbed of a gold medal on the parallel bars the other night. The Chinese girls, in addition to being underage, are winning medals they don’t deserve. Bob Costas keeps reminding us that just because the Olympics are held in China, doesn’t mean there are a greater number of Chinese judges. But Bob, there ARE other methods of cheating in the Olympics.

3. Table Tennis – Man I thought I could hold my own in a game of “ping pong” but, after watching these guys, I now realize I suck.

4. Even though he's Swiss, I found myself rooting for Roger Federer in the gold medal doubles tennis match. It probably wasn't as sweet as winning the gold in singles but, hey, good for him...and his partner, whatever his name is, must've been psyched to be along for the ride.

5. As I watched Alicia Sacramone choke, yet again, in the women's vault event finals, I couldn't help but notice that one of the other gymnasts (from Italy) gave her an awkward triple kiss when she completed her 2 vaults. Did anyone else see this? Apparently other people noticed it as well because it did make its way to YouTube. I wanted to post the video here, but it appears as though it's been removed...I wonder why...

6. I still haven't been able to find any javelin coverage...
Matt just sent me a link...apparently Leryn Franco was eliminated from the Olympics on Tuesday after failing to qualify for the javelin finals. Too bad. I'm sure NBC will see their ratings for track and field plummet. And the world won't be seeing a Leryn Franco Olympic calendar any time soon.

7. Men's Basketball is a joke...YAWN.

8. I need to become a hurdler so I can have a body like this...

9. I just finished watching the women's balance beam event finals. Although Nastia came in 2nd, I was so happy to see Shawn Johnson win a gold. Now they're each going home with 3 silvers and 1 gold. And I give you the non-chokers of the women's gymnastics team...

10. Believe it or not, the name Chrystl Bustos is uttered A LOT in my house. And here's why. Can you imagine playing softball against this woman?!?!

11. Did anyone happen to catch the trampoline? Yes, it is an olympic event and, yes, it is hilarious. You should see how high these girls jump. I don't know how they do it. I'm not sure I can even jump on a trampoline without peeing my pants. Seriously, it's happened to me twice.

Quote of the Day

"Michael Phelps just broke another World Record. He got 8 hours of sleep in 7 hours and 52 minutes." -Dan Patrick

Random Thoughts on the Olympics...

Further proof that my brother and I might be the same person...except for that whole gender issue of course.

I had most of this post typed up yesterday but didn't want to post it because A.) I had already written another post and B.) I was up until 1 a.m. watching the chuckers that make up the U.S. men's gymnastics team. Yes, it's the summer and I'm not working, but 1 a.m. is pretty late for me.

So here are some of my thoughts on the Olympics thus far...

First of all, let me start off by saying that the summer olympics are FAR more exciting and interesting than the winter olympics. Also, please remind me that I said this 2 years from now when I'm completely engrossed in the winter olympics and claiming the opposite.

1. I am so obsessed with the Beijing 2008 logo and the way that the font was created to look like Chinese brush strokes and the 3 cute little dots lined up over iji...I know I'm a dork...this infatuation goes back to high school when I was contemplating a career in graphic design. Imagine me a graphic designer? I'd probably be working right now.

2. Beijing looks stunning! I NEED to go there soon.

3. Opening Ceremonies = Amazing
The drummers were my personal favorite. Beijing and China really outdid themselves. I mean did you expect anything less? They make up 1/5 of the world and could dominate us tomorrow if they wanted to.

4. Women's weightlifting = Hilarious

5. Water polo = Hardest sport ever

6. Field Hockey = Awesome

7. The Water Cube & Bird's Nest = Coolest facilities EVER

8. Where is all the eye-candy for the girls? (I can't believe I just used that phrase...I've always hated it.) Watching the opening ceremonies, Matt and I saw Leryn Franco, a javelin thrower from Paraguay and immediately looked at each other and said "Who is THAT?!" And it really only begins with this girl. So my question is where are the good looking dudes? The swimmers are all a bunch of butter faces...oh wait...that term doesn't really work for guys now does it?

9. I understand that the basketball gymnasium is a brand new facility, but am I the only person who can't watch more than 5 minutes of a basketball game because of the squeaking sneakers on the floor?!?! (Gerard called me "insane" after making this comment.)

10. I've realized that there are several events that I will never excel at - EVER - even if I spent the past 30 years of my life training for them. And that is because you must be born a FREAK to be any good at these sports.

Example #1: Basketball
I am 5' 2". I quit playing basketball my freshman year of high school after spending a year on the freshman team and realizing that a girl in my grade who was over 6 feet tall and who had never (EVER) played basketball made the varsity team as a freshman. Yao Ming is 7' 5''. You and I will never know what that's like.

Example #2: Swimming
Have you taken a good look at Michael Phelps when he stands next to the pool? At first glance he looks like your average nerdy dude, but most humans cannot do what he does in the pool and for good reason. Phelps is 6' 4" with a wingspan 3 inches longer than his height! He was born with all of the physical qualities of a champion swimmer: height, flexible joints, broad shoulders, narrow waist and a long torso (something that does run in my family but unfortunately is paired with short legs). I think if we look really closely he might have webbed feet too..

Example #3: Gymnastics
Believe it or not, I might actually be a little tall for this sport. These girls are short and muscular - I believe it is called a high strength to weight ratio.

11. Then there are a few events that I could definitely participate in...even with just a few weeks of practicing.

Example #1: Archery
All you need is coordination. Easy.

Example #2: Handball
How is this an olympic sport? This is a game you play at recess. I don't see hopscotch in the olympics.

Example #3: Field Hockey
I had to throw that one in because I rocked the field back in the '90s.

12. Call me a chick all you want, but women's gymnastics and women's figure skating are MY Super Bowls. As you can imagine, I am extremely excited about the women's team finals tonight. However, I'm disappointed that there aren't really any team members that I "love" this time around. Except this girl because I love saying her name:

NASTIA.

13. I'm sorry but there's NO WAY the Chinese women's gymnastics team meets the age requirement of 16.

14. Just minutes after I was crying foul about the age of the Chinese team, the camera showed another "girl" from the German team. I immediately turned to Matt and asked "Is she 40?" As it turns out, I wasn't far off. It was 33-year-old Oksana Chusovitina from Russia who moved to Germany 2 years ago seeking better medical care for her son who had been diagnosed with Leukemia. She continued competing to earn money to pay the medical bills and just never stopped. She is wearing white in the photo below...check her out next to the Chinese gymnast

15. As I mentioned earlier, I was up until 1 a.m. last night watching the men's team competition. These guys apparently weren't expected to come away with ANY team medal after the Hamm brothers bailed on the team because of injuries.

The Chinese team was considered untouchable and favored to win gold. Japan was likely going to win the silver, however, last night "something special" was going on (gotta love those commentators). The guys were flawless up until the very last rotation: pommel horse. Apparently this was the "achilles heel" for the Americans. Only 3 of the men did a pommel horse routine and 2 of those 3 men were not even supposed to be on the team; they were the 2 alternates who joined the team after both Hamm brothers had to bow out. The commentators kept saying how "ironic" it was and how wonderful it would be if these 2 ended up earning the team a silver medal. Alas, they did not. They both choked and because of their horrendous pommel horse scores the team dropped from 2nd to 3rd.

The boys were happy with the bronze since they weren't expected to get a medal at all, but I can't help but think how pissed I'd be at those 2 chokers (sounds oddly similar to the word chucker).

16. You mean to tell me that not ONE person on this team DIDN'T think this was a good idea?

17. Not sure what's going on here but had to post this photo.

18. CANNOT wait for table tennis! Only 6 more days to go!

You Can Shove This Up Your Arse

So it appears that in just ONE short summer TWO of my beloved movie series will disappoint and embarrass me.

As you know, I'm still recovering from the travesty that was/is Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Chrystal Skull and now, this Friday, George Lucas releases Star Wars: The Clone Wars, an animated feature film that can easily be confused for a video game when you see the trailer on TV.

My friend, Matt, who rivals my brother, Gerard, in argumentativeness (it can get ugly when they are in the same room together) recently saw this trailer and decided to include me on an email in which he questioned which series has become more embarrassing: Rocky or Star Wars. (If you were part of this email then you will find this post repetitive.) For those of you who do not know Matt, Rocky is to him what Star Wars is to me (what can I say...it's a family thing).

The very first point that Matt made in his email is that while Star Wars won more Oscars, OVERALL, Rocky won more QUALITY Oscars (e.g. Best Picture, Best Director).

Naturally, this got me thinking.

For as much as I love the Oscars, betting on the Oscars and attending Oscar parties (Stuff White People Like!), simply winning an Oscar does not necessarily make a movie great and, in my opinion, doesn't give it any more credibility.

Yes, maybe I AM bitter about Star Wars losing out to Annie Hall for the Best Picture Oscar in 1977 (P.S. I wasn't even born yet), however, I have to remind myself that there is a long list of terrible, forgettable movies that have won Oscars for Best Picture.

Honestly, I can't go back all that far because I'm not a huge fan of old movies. I've tried to be (that should be Stuff White People Like) but I just don't think that many of them have stood the test of time.

So let's review, shall we? In non-chronological order...

Topping my list is a little movie called The English Patient which won Best Picture in 1996. This is a movie that after a few attempts, I am still unable to watch in its entirety. In fact, if I ever have trouble getting my kids to fall asleep in the future, I'm going to threaten them with this movie. In my opinion, The English Patient just might be the WORST movie ever made. And let me say that I had this opinion long before Elaine Benes did.

If there is an award for the cheesiest movie ever made then it should easily go to Titanic, which somehow beat out Good Will Hunting and L.A. Confidential in 1997.

But apparently Hollywood likes its cheesy movies...especially cheesy EPICS...

Gladiator won Best Pic over Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in 2000?

Ghandi over E.T. in 1982? Ok, maybe that one was legit, but I was 4.

1995 was a tough year for nominees. Usual Suspects somehow went UNNOMINATED thus paving the way for the most overrated movie of all time, Braveheart, to win Best Pic.

There was also Dances with Wolves over Goodfellas in 1990.

The cheesy "romantic comedy" Shakespeare in Love beat out Saving Private Ryan in 1998.

How about Chicago over Gangs of New York in 2002? Ok, so Gangs wasn't that great, but it did have Hollywood's ever-precious Daniel Day Lewis in it. Not to mention there should be a law that states that a musical cannot win a Best Picture Oscar...isn't that what the Tony Awards are for? And I just noticed that The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers was also nominated that year. I guess the Academy missed the entire hour in which 2 hobbits were riding around on talking trees.

Crash should never have been nominated yet it beat out Brokeback Mountain in 2005.

And Chariots of Fire over Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981? Ok, so maybe I'm cheating on this one because I've never actually seen Chariots, but I had to throw it in there because Raiders is another binkie of mine.

The farthest I will go back is to 1975; I'm sorry but Jaws should have beat out One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

Driving Miss Daisy, which rivals The English Patient in bore factor (although I did make it all the way through DMD), beat out Field of Dreams, Dead Poet's Society AND Born on the Fourth of July in 1989????

Forrest Gump, although a great movie, should not have beat out Pulp Fiction OR Shawshank Redemption in 1994. Seriously, have you ever watched Gump a 2nd time all the way through? No. But you've definitely seen Pulp Fiction at least 5 times (I saw it twice in the theater) and you definitely stop to watch Shawshank every time you stumble across it when you're flipping through the channels on a random weeknight.

I think I've made my point.

There's not a LOT to like about Lowell...but maybe there's a little...

A week has gone by since I returned to reality here in Lowell. After drowning myself in my sorrows (i.e. Watermelon Ale) for 7 days, I decided to try something I’m not very good at: focusing on the positive. And that starts with a simple reminder that it is still summer!

Thinking positively does not come naturally to me; it’s something that I have to remind myself to do on a daily basis. I’m hoping maybe 50 years from now this daily training will eventually pay off and I will be the most positive, most chipper, most popular person in the nursing home…oh wait…there will be no one to hang out with because we’ll probably all be dead. I’ll be sure to send you a postcard from hell and let you know just how hot it really is.

There I go again with my negativity.

One of the great things about growing older (get ready for the cliché) is that you gain a better understanding of who you really are, for better or worse. You can reflect on the reasons why you think the way you do, feel the way you do and act the way you do. And you realize you have the power to change those things, if you want to. No, I'm not reading you an excerpt from The Secret or A New Earth. This is common sense. Don't waste your time on these self-improvement books; you are capable of reflection and change as long as you have common sense.

I know that I am a pessimist and that sometimes (often?) I am too critical or judgmental. I find flaws in everything (mostly things having to do with myself). What’s worse is that my filter appears to be disintegrating with each passing day, so I’m beginning to understand why old people say exactly what’s on their minds. I procrastinate, I'm self-conscious, I'm stubborn, I'm opinionated without being smart enough to back up most of my opinions, I lack political knowledge, I'm irresponsible with money, I'm selfish, I'm cynical, I have OCD tendencies...the list goes on. (FYI – I can hear you continuing this list in your head right now so please stop!)

The real issue comes after you identify the problem areas (a more positive person would probably refer to them as “areas of improvement”); marked improvements don’t always come as quickly and as easily as you might picture them in your mind. For that reason, you may have to rely on the help of others.

My husband and my brothers have grown accustomed to calling me out on my whining, complaining and judgmental comments. And I appreciate that. I now find myself laughing at…well…myself. Sometimes I even like to stir the pot by blatantly complaining about something ridiculous just to get a reaction out of them. (It’s funny when you’re there.)

If you ask me whether or not I complain more than the average person, I’m not really sure. How do you measure that? Yes, some complaints are justified, but MOST are just plain silly, especially complaints about things that we have no control over. When I hated my most recent haircut, my husband had to hear me say that I hated it 100 times in just 3 days. For some reason I just wasn't born with the natural ability to say “This haircut sucks, but it’s just hair. It will grow back.” See…there I go again…now I'm complaining about my inabilities.

I’m currently working on incorporating this phrase into my life: “Yes, (insert sucky subject here) sucks, but there’s nothing I can do to change it so let’s move on.”

But let's get back to the topic at hand. Today I am working on positivity.

The New York Times Travel section recently printed an article that listed the top 25 destinations in the northeast. You might want to sit down for this one because Lowell, MA, was #3 on that list. Are you thinking what I’m thinking? The person that wrote the article clearly hasn’t visited too many places in the northeast. (Oops...that wasn't a positive beginning.)

Now that I’ve been living in #3 Lowell for more than 3 years, I’ll be frank and say that I’ve never “loved” it, but I consider it to be “fine” and there are some new additions that are making it a better place to live. And since we’re not moving to Dublin anytime soon, I’ve decided to make a list (surprise, surprise) of the positive things about Lowell so that I can make the most of my time here.

1. I get to live in a pretty good-sized condo with the best guy and best dog in the world.
2. It’s a city, not a white suburban town.
3. I’m not embarrassed to say that I live there (mainly as a result of #2).
4. My sister lives down the street.
5. Two of our closest friends live within a few miles.
6. I can walk Little Jerry or run on the Riverwalk.
7. It’s not a bad commute to work.
8. The movie theater is never too crowded and it has stadium seating.
9. A cute new boutique called Humanity just opened up downtown.
10. I can drive to NH to purchase things tax-free. (Unlike my brother I do NOT have a “No NH Policy” although whenever I return home I do feel like I just visited another planet.)
11. The Good Times 5k Race is a fun weekly event.
12. The festivals are always a blast, particularly the Rib ‘n Brews Fest in September. (I love my microbrews!)
13. We are within walking distance of the downtown area, Lowell Beerworks, Lelacheur Park (home of the Spinners), Tsongas Arena, the post office, a liquor store, The Coffee Mill (our favorite local coffeehouse), Mambo Grill (our favorite burrito place), good sushi restaurants, Café Paradiso (for frozen watermelon martinis) and The Old Court (our favorite Irish pub in the area) – that should count as 11 things!!

Now, I know this post was supposed to focus on the POSITIVE, but did you really think I wasn’t going to include a list of negatives? In my defense, please note that the positive list is LONGER than the negative list. I’d call that “making satisfactory progress.”

1. It’s not Boston, Cambridge or Somerville. And going into Boston, Cambridge or Somerville on a weekend night is considered a “trek” and therefore must be carefully planned.
2. It’s too close to NH.
3. I drive past 6 Market Baskets on my way to a decent grocery store in Tewksbury.
4. I also have to drive to Tewksbury to workout in a decent gym. Unfortunately this often plays a major role in whether or not I actually make it to the gym on a given day.
5. Poor driving/pedestrian etiquette (see previous post dated 5/31/08).
6. Hearing gunshots in front of our house in the middle of the night (one time).
7. Witnessing a drug deal go down on the corner of our street (more than once).
8. The Reggaeton base coming from the unit next door.
9. There are very few “memorable” restaurants. We have our favorites, naturally, because we live here, but we won't find our all-time favorite restaurants in Lowell.

10. The nearest halfway-decent shopping mall is located in Burlington which means that I have to wear a disguise.

Here’s to positive thoughts!

You Will Be Missed...

I can't believe I'm admitting this, but I have tears in my eyes as I write this post.

And I also can’t believe that I’m comparing this to an old post about reality TV and the fact that I always seem to get too attached to people I’ve never even met.

So, yes, as of 4 pm yesterday, it is the end of an era. And no longer do I have a hands-down favorite Boston athlete...or team, for that matter, as I'm not sure how interested I will be in the Red Sox anymore.

My favorite Boston team has changed several times over the course of my life, but only because my favorite athlete has changed over the years. My love for a specific sport has always been a direct result of my love for one specific athlete. The reasons behind my top-choices have varied from “he’s hot” to “he’s the best player on the team” to “he’s fun.” But when I add up the total number of years I have dedicated to one specific athlete or team, Manny and the Red Sox win. Hands down.

The Bruins suck. Hockey sucks. Tom Brady is dreamy but boring. Football gives me something to do on Sunday, but I will never fully understand the game and I don’t really care to (sorry Matt). And, yes, the Celtics are the world champions, but basketball puts me to bed earlier than football and I don’t consider any of the players on the team to be “exciting” (I used to be an Iverson fan).

While I completely understand the world of sports and the fact that athletes come and go, they get traded, they get hurt, they simply choose another team or they retire, I’m going to have a hard time getting over this one.

No, I did not know Manny personally. I can’t even quote his statistics. So, once again, I find myself wondering why I am so distraught over the loss of someone I never even knew.

People are always complaining that the game of baseball is boring. But for the past 7 years, Manny made it fun, exciting and easy to watch all 9 innings without ever changing the channel. Many fans had a love-hate relationship with him but, in my eyes, he simply could do no wrong.

So although you aren’t aware of my existence, Manny, I want you to know that I will miss you dearly.

IN MEMORIUM: