So the Red Sox are now two games from winning the World Series. Watching the games this weekend, the whole thing hasn’t really sunk in for me yet. It could be because both games have been more reminiscent of spring training games than two teams who are playing at the end of a season for a world championship. The Red Sox defense has been deplorable and the Cardinals pitching has been embarassing. Or it might be because the Sox have already hit their emotional peak when the Yankees series ended. Call it whatever you want, but nobody can deny that the Yankees series carried more weight and meant more (so far) than this one has.
In the ALCS, especially with the Yankees batting, I was throwing tantrums, yelling at the TV, standing up, sitting down, hand over my mouth, my stomach in knots. So far in the World Series I have an eerie sense of calmness. The Cardinals have 2 on and nobody out? I’m sitting back and saying “oh well.” Even when St. Louis came from five runs behind in game one to tie it, I wasn’t freaking out. The World Series is supposed to mean more, but suddenly I feel kind of robotic while watching this. It really is like 1980, with the U.S. hockey team playing Finland after beating the Russians – still a good matchup, but nothing like slaying the beast. Maybe the intensity (and the quality of play) will increase over the next couple of games. It most likely will, as the Red Sox head into a National League park – different rules and certainly a different game. Remember – the Red Sox won the first two games in 1986, too.
Of all the albums I’ve mentioned coming out soon (U2, REM, Earlimart, etc) the one that snuck up on me and has kicked my ass has been the new Anders Parker album, “Tell It To The Dust.” There’s a good chance you haven’t heard of this guy and that is really a shame. He’s the former lead singer for the great ’90s band Varnaline and the guy has got one of those voices. The new album, I kid you not, is nearly as good and sounds a lot like John Lennon’s “Plastic Ono Band.” It’s not much of a departure from the old Varnaline albums, but Parker just keeps getting better, adding small touches like a couple of amazing piano ballads and a song here and there that dips a toe into the blues. I cannot recommend this guy enough – his output over the past few years (solo and Varnaline) makes him a complete heavyweight.
Do yourself a favor and sample a couple of his songs (these are 30-second Quicktime samples)
Finally, a quick follow-up regarding my post last week about the elderly woman who choked and Stephanie’s reaction: the woman sent Steph a thank you note over the weekend with a few words about the experience. A very kind thing to do on her part. I can’t quite post verbatim, but one of the things the woman wrote was that she wasn’t sure she’d be around to write it if it wasn’t for her quick reaction in getting help. Very kind. She also mentioned that she doesn’t remember too much about the experience because she was on the verge of losing consciousness. Goodness…..