As I was finishing up a term paper and doing some studying, I realized I hadn't checked up on MLB news in a while (that being longer than 24 hours), since Red Sox news has been so... nonexistent lately. I looked on ESPN and a few other sites and my brain exploded.

First, the big news: we got John Lackey for 5 years, $85 million. While this is by no means a bargain, I thought he would go for a bit more, but of course, I also thought he was likely to go to the NYY. While I've had my reservations about him due to his being a sore loser in 2008, he has to be in the 95th percentile for consistency in MLB. And while there is a lot of talk about the horse race with the Yankees, which I can't see us "winning" for a few years at least, this looks to me like a mortal blow for the Angels, which have been the third team which has dominated the AL for the past several years. While they certainly aren't getting much intra-divisional competition (Rangers or Mariners maybe? Perhaps Seattle if this weirdo Halladay/Lee deal goes down), their team looks incredibly unimpressive on paper, even if they were to make a major signing/trade or two.

Second, looks like the Jason Bay era is officially over. Mike Cameron's been signed for 2 years, ~$15.5M. I'm feeling very lukewarm on this move, but it does show that things are falling into place in a hurry. It'll probably a platoon with Hermida to some extent (although I'd expect, unless he's horrible, that the majority of ABs in LF or CF or wherever they want him will go to Cameron, with Hermida giving the rest of the OF frequent days off). I'm going to miss Bay a lot--he was our last totally legit 30+ HR hitter (I love Youk, and while I think his value is comparable or even more than Bay's, he's not as good at hitting the long ball, and we don't know what to expect from Papi at this point), and was generally a really great guy to have around. I will always remember on the eve of my birthday hearing about the Manny trade and being surprised that we'd received someone as good as Bay in compensation, whom I had respected for several years. But I suppose all good things must come to an end, however short they are, so good luck Jason, wherever you end up (unless you're playing Boston, of course).

The implications of both of these moves are enormous. The individual who will feel the greatest effect from these moves is certainly Clay Buchholz, and it looks like judgment day has come for him. Since the Red Sox are still lacking a bit in the lineup, especially in consistent power, it's not the craziest suggestion that the Sox will trade him somewhere in a blockbuster trade for a big bat, Adrian Gonzalez or Miguel Cabrera being the usual suspects. However, while there's a large possibility of such a trade occurring at some point, I do have one alternate theory. If Buchholz stays and pitches well (or heaven forbid, breaks out as an ace), and if the rest of our rotation performs as expected, the singing of Lackey might mean that the Sox are more comfortable letting Beckett go at the end of next season. With the salaries of Beckett, Ortiz, Martinez and Varitek coming off the books along with the deferred salaries of Lugo and Lowell (or regular salary, depending on how this soap opera ends) as well, there will be nearly $50 million coming off the books. I don't know if they'll be going after Mauer or Martinez or someone else, but if Milwaukee doesn't re-sign him, Prince Fielder would be a free agent. My point is that with these two moves, it would greatly surprise me if the Red Sox didn't acquire a younger big power hitter for the long-term by the start of 2011. While I'm still not sure about these moves, I do feel a lot more optimistic about the future.

Jamie and I have gone to Massanutten, VA in Nov for the past 4 years or so, but this was the first time with my new Panasonic Lumix GH1 camera. I assembled a bunch of photos and videos from the camera into this movie with a trial version of Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD.



The video shots are inspired by the style of the Sunrise Earch series on Discovery HD, in case anyone wonders why they're so boring. Incidentally, those static shots bring out the limitations of video compression, particularly where it sacrifices details in the foliage that's in shadow to give more detail to the high-contrast, rippling water.

In other news, car wouldn't start this morning. Turns out the battery was just dead, but we suck at jump-starting. Still, that wasn't the only problem (the aux power shuts off after 20 mins specifically so a dome light can't drain the battery, so something that's not aux drained it, most likely the electrical 4WD control that got stuck trying to change from auto-4WD to 2WD. So I got it towed to Patrick, a dealer within 1 mile of my house, and I'll let them have a stab at it instead of lugging it all the way out to the original dealer in Canandaigua like I've been doing for 10 years. I'm all for customer loyalty, but I have to draw a line, and that line is somewhere between here and Ontario County.

http://www.overheardintheoffice.com/archives/010430.html

Boss, reading e-mail out loud: "Middle cube's a bunch of sheep-shaggers"? Minus Jane*, of course! (laughs)
Coworker: Why? She could get a strap on...

Beverly, Massachusetts

http://www.overheardintheoffice.com/archives/010429.html

Female suit, in Finance & Technology floor of global investment bank: What's an integer?

London
England

Overheard by: lexington

http://www.happiness-project.com/happiness_project/2009/12/in-which-holiday-decorating-reminds-me-of-several-happiness-lessons.html

At long last I am getting round to updating about me! I keep saying I am going to, but haven't got around to sitting down in front of the pc, and focussing on typing.

Health

I am, at long last, feeling a lot better - I finished a week of cough suppressant treatment today, and hadn't realised how tiring coughing was! I have had assorted coughs for years, but this last month was horrendous.

Now I have to wait to see if the week will have broken the pattern and allowed the lungs to heal enough.

The final diagnosis I had, btw, was that of flu - and the problem was that, having had the flu jab, the symptoms were not all present. so, I suppose, the good news is that if I hadn't had the jab, I would have been really ill! The penicillin kicked in though, and I am feeling vaguely human again.

Work

( Read more... )

So - as you see, still lots of non answers - but still wanted to update you all. Thanks for those who have commeneted in the past - your support and friendship means a lot.

http://www.overheardintheoffice.com/archives/010428.html

Boss, about to hang up on someone calling into the meeting: Is there anything else?
Colleague: No, I think I'm done.
Boss: Good, 'cause I got my finger on the button over here. I feel like the little boy with his finger in the dike.

Washington, DC

As you could see in the picture I posted earlier, DJ was one filthy boy this morning. Apparantly Toni had been putting in some fences yesterday and all 5 horses had spent their day playing - chasing each other, and the path of the tractor - so were all tired by last night .... looks as he DJ still had the energy to roll lots and lots though!

So he had a good groom, and Toni tacked Junior and led Smudge, and we just went up the road and back - on our way out, we met Ros and Shadow returning from their outing!

It was a lovely morning - cold, but bright.

When back, Toni asked me for money - as DJ was due to be wormed before all the field placing were moved around again! So, an early Christmas pressie for him!!!

He was happier with his feed, before heading back to his field - no doubt to roll again!

http://www.overheardintheoffice.com/archives/010427.html

Old hen: My granddaughter wants to ride on a fire truck in the parade, who should I call?
Fire dept. rep: We don't do that anymore, because of the liability.
Old hen: What liability?
Fire dept. rep: Some silly kid will be jumping around all excited and fall off the truck and break their head, and then the parents will sue us for a zillion dollars.
Old hen: Well, not if it was the kid's fault, they wouldn't.
Fire dept. rep: What cartoon planet are you from, exactly?

Oregon

Overheard by: b-mac

http://dilbert.com/blog/entry/freedom_is_a_zero_sum_game/

http://dilbert.com/blog/entry/393/

Lately I've been wondering if freedom is a zero sum game. In other words, for one person to get more freedom, someone else has to lose the same amount, but usually in a different way.

I predict that you just reflexively rejected that concept, but your stubborness won't stop me from unfolding the idea a bit more. To that end, only examples can help.

Example one: In order for me to be free to walk down the sidewalk, other people must be prohibited from driving on them.

You could argue that I'm still free to take my chances and walk on the sidewalk. But that argument can be made for any restricted freedom. I'm also free to rob and kill as long as I accept the risks of doing so. But as a practical matter, my freedom to walk down the sidewalk depends heavily on restricting your freedom to use it in some other fashion.

Example two: Your freedom to marry the person of your choice depends on the person of your choice having only one option: you. That's the opposite of freedom. The two of you cancelled out, freedom-wise. On the other hand, if the two of you agree that the other is an ideal mate, that's an example of coincidence and not freedom. You just got lucky. Too bad the other people who wanted to mate with each of you are now restricted in their freedom to do so.

You can play this at home. Think of any freedom you enjoy, and consider how someone else's freedom had to be curtailed for you to have it.

The universe isn't making more freedom. If you want some, it comes at someone else's expense.

But that's okay because free will is an illusion anyway. I'll say it before you do.

http://www.overheardintheoffice.com/archives/010426.html

Director: How you doing?
Sales rep #1: I'm good... but I've had a migraine all week.
Director: That sucks, doing anything this weekend?
Sales rep #1: Nah, I haven't done anything all week. I saw District 9 last night, though.
Director: Did you like it? I've heard mixed reviews.
Sales rep #1: I liked the social commentary. Plus, shit blows up. It can be the worst movie ever, but if shit blows up, I'm gonna watch it.
Director: Oh, hell yeah! You gotta watch it if shit blows up. That's like Terminator. You watch it cause shit blows up.
Sales rep #1: Yeah, or every Rambo movie.
Sales rep #2: How can you watch Rambo movies?
Director and sales rep #1: Shit blows up!

Charlotte, North Carolina

http://www.overheardintheoffice.com/archives/010425.html

Office manager during staff meeting: Children should wash their hands for as long as it takes them to sing the ABCs. For adults, it's Bohemian Rhapsody.

Miami, Florida

Overheard by: Lady L

[001 - 027] LOST - behind the scenes
[028 - 222] LOST - cast w/ Santa hats


- Teaser





Here!

http://www.overheardintheoffice.com/archives/010424.html

Doctor: Okay, so what are you having done today? Varicose veins?
Woman waiting for surgery: What? No. I'm having a port put in.
Nurse: A port? Well, you don't need a port for varicose veins.
Woman waiting for surgery: I know it's for my chemo.
Nurse: Oh, I get it now. I thought your form said "Cheerios."

Australia

http://www.overheardintheoffice.com/archives/010423.html

Awkward bald man, walking into conference room: Does this work for you?
Obviously lesbian woman meeting with him: Whatever you want, this is all about you.
Awkward bald man: Wow! I wish my wife would say that! She never says anything like that.

Richmond, Virginia

http://www.overheardintheoffice.com/archives/010422.html

Coworker to another: Hey, man, if you want to call 'em ramparts, you call 'em ramparts.

Pasadena, California

Suprise, suprise - you get a few of my favourite Spuffy fics listed - if I listed them all, I would still be typing at Christmas. There are so many - where do I start? Anyway - here are 4 of my favourite ones ... then a couple of my favourite Christmas ones ... seeing as it is a good excuse to get festive!


Actions Past by Dutchbuffy2305
Season 2 & 7 Buffy's keep swapping places.

Masks and Mirrors by pfeifferpack
Season 5 - Dawn's resurrection spell works .... but it is Spike's mum who returns.

Dreams & Desotas by Bloodshedbaby
End of Season 2 - Spike stakes dru and Buffy and Spike leave Sunnydal together.

Lost in Time by seductivembrace
The ultimate Time travel fic - Buffy and Spike and sent back, during the season 2 episode, Hallowean, into the past ... 200 years into the past.

Christmas Fics
Who Needs 5 Gold Rings by slaymesoftly
At the end of the series, Dawn starts looking on E-bay ... and spots a perfect pressie for Buffy - "his" ring

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear by hollydb
Re-write of A Christmas Carol