The list is damn long as to why I am not feeling on top of the world these days. It may seem silly but considering my 'love' for the Yankees and my intense dislike of the Red Sox, last week's loss is a major disappointment. Oh, sure, I know it's just a game. But somehow that doesn't make it any better. Plus, when the person that's your best friend sarcastically says "so they came back from 0-3, and that's never been done before ever" didn't help my state of mind. Probably made me more mad.
But now, as Monday comes upon us, and almost a week has passed since I'm beginning to come out of the depths of disappointment that kept me down most, if not all, of the past week. But in all honesty, to lose that way, to that team, at our own ballpark, well, let's say, it's the worst thing in Yankee history that I can ever think of. And no matter what, it's still going to be a damn long winter. Bring on the snow.
Five hours and forty-eight minutes and still counting. David Ortiz, last night's Red Sox hero is battling the Yankees last pitcher out of the bullpen. A ten-pitch at bat so far. Two outs. Two on.
Damn! A bloop single. Game Six is tomorrow.
4-4 in the bottom of the 11th inning, two outs, with the Yanks up 3 games to 0, and looking to clinch another AL pennant. Of course, no one expects the Red Sox to go down easy, especially at home.
It's one of those nail-bitiing, hide your eyes kind of games. A hold your breath with every pitch to the opposition, hoping for the best. In this case, at this time, that third out of the inning. (Two outs and one on right now, after a walk to Johnny Damon.) Damon's now on second (SB) and I've turned the sound down, and then back up, almost afraid to look for too long. A hit will win the game and force game five. I'd rather just end it tonight. Okay, on to the 12th inning.
Jorge Posada gets a hit. And Ruben Sierra is up. A two-run homer would be a nice treat. (Ruben lines out to the pitcher). Jorge on second. Tony Clark flies out. Miguel Cairo up. Two outs. MC strikes out. We go to the bottom of the 12th. It's 1:15 am. The heart of the Red Sox order is up. I really, really don't want them to win this game. I want the sweep.
Oh well, no sweep. Ortiz just hit a two-run homer in the top of the 12th. So tomorrow at 5 pm, be back here. No team has ever come back from a 0-3 deficit to win a trip to the World Series and the Moose is pitching tomorrow.
The wordsmithing on this site has slowed-down to a crawl. Not sure why, but that's just the way it is. Watched a great Yankee game last night and got home from NYC before 11 pm for once. Had a nice dinner with my cousin Shira and caught up on each others lives and talked a little business. Very distracted today and not at all focused. So, what else is new? Yanks and Red Sox hook up again tonight at 8:15. I'm supposed to go to York, PA for a typography event but I'm not totally in the mood, which is more the reason to go. If I do, you can read about it on my design blog in the next day or two.
So, as I sit here and realize, actually been realizing this for a few days, that this is my first Yankee play-offs without either of the biggest Yankee fans in my life, my Dad and my Nonni Betty. Nonni Betty, who at 90 was still smoking her cigarette in the bar watching the Yankees in the World Series (at her own birthday party) seven years ago. She would pass the next year. But I still had my Dad. I knew that no matter where I was, he was watching the same game, feeling close to the same emotions. But now, I'm alone.
Karen's an Orioles fan. The kids are asleep and I'm actually doing some work to avoid what I was really thinking and feeling. I still can't define what the loss of a parent feels like, it's sort of a numbing emptiness, not really large but there, and a bit on the heavy side. But I do know, if there is a heaven, and they have a TV, then Dad and Nonni B are up there watching this game. (Our team is losing guys but it's only two runs and you know it's not over 'til the fat lady sings) But in any case, this year's play-offs are not the same for me as in year's past. And I doubt they will ever be the same again.
Go Yankees.
So, I'm sitting here on the floor of Pennsylvania Station, the station is now wireless, waiting on the 9 pm train home. Have been here since Thursday for a variety of things, including one very awesome meeting (all about branding), a black-tie gala (where I really missed my wife and kids), plenty of work and meeting with my new boss. The new boss thing seems like it has good potential but I don't see that slowing down any of my other plans.
The big 'meeting' is still a little under wraps, so I can just say that it was just really a great feeling being able to discuss branding issue from a strategic point of view and be understood, appreciated and most of all, sharing the passion to do things the right way, or a least trying to find the right way. What happens from here is anyone's guess but I did make some good contacts as well.
I'm sitting here blogging because I ended up spending over an hour in the NY Verizon store, missing my first train, trying to figure out what was wrong with my new phone service. I was on hold for over twenty-minutes with 'customer service' before one of the manager's offered to help out and straighten things out. It was very, very frustrating and in the end, I also missed the 8 o'clock by just a couple of minutes. So much for getting home early.
The gala was an awesome event, at least if you are a designer. To be in the same room as some of the biggest names and minds in your industry can be both a humbling and inspiring experience. It was also great to see some of my friends that I made in St. Louis and also make some new ones. I think the highlight of my night was meeting Kit Hinrichs, and telling him that he was one of the designers whose work I most admired, and inspired me to become a designer. The other, of course, is Paula Scher who I got to meet and thank last week. Heady times.
Anyhow, it's almost time for my next train and my last chance to grab some dinner.