It's been a busy few days.

After getting back from Vermont, I've been incredibly busy. It's really difficult to come back from almost a week of vacation - where the hardest thing you were expected to do is put your dishes in the dishwasher - and have to jump right back into school, homework, work, and life/reality in general. Oh, and the stress of Red Sox trade talks. Let's start there.

For those of you who don't know, here's how the schedule runs:
Nov 5-8 general managers' meetings
Nov 12 free agency filing deadline
Nov 14-15 owners' meetings
Dec 1 deadline to offer salary arbitration to former players who became free agents
Dec 3-6 winter meetings
Dec 6 rule five draft
Dec 7 deadline for free agents offered salary arbitration to accept the offers
Dec 12 deadline to offer contracts to unsigned players
Jan 5-15 salary arbitration filing
Feb 1-21 salary arbitration hearings
Feb 14 pitchers & catchers report

In other words, I won't be sleeping well till that annoying, overly-mushy, "remember, you're single!" day that most people like to call "Valentines Day." However, my jumpy nerves will calm down once I find out whether or not Clay Buchholz is going to be traded. If we keep him, expect great rejoicing. If we don't, expect this blog [and its blogger] to be dressed in mourning black for the appropriate period of time. I'm hoping that Jacoby Ellsbury will be Clay's "savior." The young superstar center-fielder, who has stolen more fangirl's hearts then he has stolen bases [amazing, but true] is considered to be the Red Sox's "untouchable" player - meaning that they won't be trading him for
anyone. This is good, because the Twins are asking for Jacoby and either Clay or Jon Lester.

So, you can see the flaw in the Twins' plan. They're going for Jacoby and Clay or Jon...but the Sox aren't willing to give up Jacoby, and they're certainly not going to be dense enough to give both Clay and Jon up. So here's hoping that Jacoby "Tacoby" Ellsbury will save my favorite player. If he does, I'll be much more greatful then I was when he won the USA a free taco apiece.

NOW, to get off the subject of the Red Sox, for all you people who are like, "I hate the Sox and Meredith's constant obsession with them." That's towards you, dearest, darlingist Mummy.

On a less sad note, but still a sad one, my hair isn't straight anymore. The curls have returned, much to my dismay. I miss the staight hair already, but hey...if God wanted me to have curly hair, I guess I can't really complain. But I will straighten it from time to time.

AND GUESS WHAT ELSE?????????????

IT'S THE CHRISTMAS SEASON. Words cannot express how much I love this time of the year.

And with that, I leave you. :) Have a great day/week/month/year/lifetime. :)

~ Meredith

P.S.:
Click here. Watch. Applaud. Repeat.

I'm feeling...tired.

I've had quite a week up in Vermont and I came back to find this in one of my baseball sources:

"The Red Sox might have the best shot at grabbing Santana, though I still don't understand why they need another starting pitcher outside of just trying to keep him away from the Yankees – hardly a good reason to make a high-profile move like this. Boston happens to currently possess a center fielder highly coveted by the Twins in Coco Crisp. The Red Sox would love to part with Crisp and the Twins would love to take him. Unfortunately, it's not that easy for Boston and a lot of other pieces would need to go Minnesota's way. The Red Sox would need to include either Jon Lester or Clay Buchholz several other prospects. Depending on what the final package turns out to be, if Lester or Buchholz are the biggest losses on Boston's end, then it would be a good deal for them considering they're getting the 28-year old Santana in return. But if another big-name veteran needs to be tossed in there, then the Red Sox might have to part with too much."

It's the whole "Clay Buchholz" thing that has me worried. As some of you might know, he's my favorite Red Sox player, and if he leaves the team, I'll be crushed. Expect updates as the trade-talk continues.

Also, there will be a lovely long post about my time in Vermont for all of you people who might be interested in reading it. :)

Let's blame politics.

Looking at the stats, most people would say that you might as well flip a coin to decide whether CC Sabathia or Josh Beckett was the better pitcher. Boston fans [and other intelligent people] know better then this - intelligent people know that, when it comes down to it, Beckett was the better pitcher. But hey - let's blame politics. Joshie was, to put it lightly, not fond of the reporters. He clearly didn't like talking to them, and didn't make it easy for them to talk to him. And hey - sportswriters like a guy who likes them, right? Perhaps that explains why Josh was left so unceremoniously off the ballots of two votes.

Now, I had a really big post in which I named both guys' stats, and then proceeded to rant merrily about how awful the voting system was, how CC Sabathia didn't deserve the win... But then I figured that my mom wouldn't be too fond of the post as I got a bit too into it, and my language wasn't exactly suitable for civilized company. I feel properly ashamed for having written such things [sort of...] and will not post them here for your viewing, er, pleasure...

I did have a lovely time imagining CC shamefully packaging up the Cy Young award and having it over-nighted to Josh's ranch down in TX with the following telegram to accompany it:

TO JOSH BECKETT. STOP.
VERY SORRY TO HAVE WALKED OFF WITH YOUR AWARD. STOP.
WON'T EVER HAPPEN AGAIN. STOP.
SUGGEST THAT YOU TRY BEING MORE FRIENDLY WITH MEDIA. STOP.
ON SECOND HAND, NEVER MIND. STOP.
YOU DON'T NEED ADVICE FROM ME, A MEASLY 19 GAME WINNER. STOP.
HOPE YOU LIKE THE AWARD. STOP.
HAPPY DEER HUNTING. STOP.
RESIGN MIKE LOWELL. END.

I fricken love Winnie the Pooh.

So, how was your day? Mine was great. I got to sleep in, and then I got to hang out with my mom while we went bridesmaid-gown-shopping. Woohoo! It's a really pretty dress too. Here's a picture off of the "David's Bridal" website. Pretty, is it not? So that was fun. And then mom and I went to Farmer Brown's [a fantastic store with like, everything for sale] and got clam chowder, apple cider and crispy, crusty bread. Really fun.

After that, I came home and hung out the rest of the day. And then I found out that Dustin Pedroia had won the AL Rookie of the Year award! I had a happy spazz all to myself, and went off to find a video of his press conference, and when I found it, I watched it. And let me tell you, this guy is so friggin hilarious. Like, I was laughing so hard that my sides hurt. If you want to watch the video, go here. If it doesn't come right up, I'll try to get a direct link for all of you.

Well, another day, another shooting contest. Once again, it was me, Jack and my dad [whose real age I can't recall at this moment, but he assures me that it is not 1048] and once again...I was the victor. It's times like these that I feel really special. But, special mention must go to my mom, who also took a few shots at the cans. She went 3 for 3, something neither my brother nor my father could achieve over the course of the evening. Great shooting mum. <3

And now...let us have some wise words from our very dear, and very wise, friend, Winnie the Pooh.

- "It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like 'What about lunch?'"

- "If the person you are talking to doesn't appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear."

- "'I don't see much sense in that,' said Rabbit. 'No,' said Pooh humbly, 'there isn't. But there was going to be when I began it. It's just that something happened to it along the way.'"

- "Before beginning a Hunt, it is wise to ask someone what you are looking for before you begin looking for it."

- "If you want to make a song more hummy, add a few tiddely poms."

And lastly, my personal favorite:

- "You can't help respecting anybody who can spell TUESDAY, even if he doesn't spell it right; but spelling isn't everything. There are days when spelling Tuesday simply doesn't count."

Jhyjol thys vaeresi ail eir si vol valaer,
Looking for pleasure in all the right places,

~ Meredith