So sad.

Maybe I'm just upset right now but I think this trade was completely lame. We just traded one of the best players in Red Sox history for 50 cents on the dollar. The Sox will not make it to the playoffs and you can mark it.  He didn't even get a proper goodbye.

To all you fans that are cheering this, I think you're pretty lame too. We use players in Boston and laugh with them until they prove they're not perfect and we run them out of town. Whatever. I really liked Manny and he was one of the reasons I started watching baseball. And I think he legitimately loved the fans in Boston. We're going to miss more than his bat. 

When the above picture was taken, he came down to the restaurant I worked out, got his car valeted with us, then went to another restaurant. Whatever, a Manny being Manny moment right? I anxiously waited and hoped he would come back, but I got distracted on a super busy night. 

At one point, in the midst of the madness, I looked up and Manny was standing right next to me, leaning against the counter. I was shocked but composed myself to say, "Hey Manny!" he smiled and said "Hey" back. I told him I was at the game last night and he was great and he told me thank you and that he was tired today. I told him, "You're a good guy Manny" and he responded thank you again, then was swept off by fans.

I had, by an amazing coincidence, brought my camera to work that night and was hoping for any break in the action so I could go outside and take a picture with him. Forty-five minutes later, I figured I was out of luck.

I wasn't. Manny was still outside. I ran out, came right up to him, and said, "Manny, can I have a picture?" He said, "Sure!" and threw his arm around me. He stayed for another 10 or so minutes taking pictures and signing autographs. He never got anything to eat anywhere, as far as I know. Why did he even come down there? Who knows. But he made a lot of fans happy that night. 

Boston fans run so hot and cold, you know? That night, we were loving him. Today we're sick of him. Through it all he never stopped hitting. Last night's joke about being traded straight up for Brett Favre showed me he still had humor to the last moment. More than I can say for the Red Sox.

I'm sure Jason Bay will bring us a lot of laughs over the next few years. Right?

Help me waste my life away

I'm currently auditioning spots on my google reader. See left for my interests (pretty broad). Any suggestions?

Injury Report: Day 1

NORTHBRIDGE, Mass. -- One day after attempting a radical workout technique, the Werschaible Bridegrooms have reported that starting bench warmer Emily Werchadlo will be out 2-3 days with a calf.

Werchadlo, against her doctor's orders and common sense, entered Bridegrooms camp with a jump rope in her hand and attempted the childlike exercise several times over the course of the day.

"I feel good," Werchadlo said at the time. "This is so easy!"

Pressed if she was sure she wanted to try this, considering her advanced age and wide-open window where onlookers could observe and giggle, Werchadlo grabbed her 'rope and said, "Watch this!" then fell into a heap on the ground.

Doctors' have prescribed extreme bedrest for Werchadlo, while admitting that's probably why she received the injury in the first place. They estimate she should be back in time for her July 25, 2009 nuptials, but Werchadlo says she will push the envelope.

"Ain't nobody gonna take my prideeeee, ain't no body gonna hollllddd meeee down, oh no, I gotsta keep on moooooovin'," she sang, while her future husband, Jeff, Bridegroom starting QB, looked on in obvious embarrassment. 

This was easier when I was a kid.

So as loyal followers of my blog know by now -- hi mom! -- I have been trying to lose weight for my impending nuptials. The overall goal is 25-30 pounds. Since May, Jeff and I have gone to the gym nearly every day (I'd say 75-80% of the days). We stay for at least a half an hour (usually 45 minutes). I do somewhere from 30  minutes to 45 minutes of cardio, and some crunches. Every once in a while, I'll do some weight machines. And while I can absolutely feel my legs toning up, I've only lost 5 pounds.

There's a diet factor too -- I've been trying to watch what I eat better, but that will always be a struggle.

I feel like the main culprit in my slow weight loss is my inactivity during weekdays. Working from home, you're not given a lot of opportunities to get up and walk around. My job relies on me being by the computer for my ENTIRE shift. Therefore, I've struggled to find ways to exercise during the day:

• I can't see myself doing a workout video. When I was in college I had my ex-boyfriend buy me the Billy Blanks Tai-Bo series on VHS. (Yikes, I already sound dated). I think I watched it like four times. I always felt like I was doing it wrong.
  
• Crunches. Sound easy enough. But I'll get bored and I don't feel like I'd be motivated to do 5-minute sessions of crunches during the day.
• The most common suggestion I've gotten is, "Take a walk during your lunch break." Well, I don't have a lunch break. We haven't exactly worked out the break situation at my job now. Right now, I'm getting like 20 minutes at 3 o'clock and I use that to go get a coffee (milk only, thanks).

So I was still stuck seeking an alternate solution. Well, I think I found it. The other day I had Jeff take a stroll to Target during his lunch break (HE can walk on HIS lunch break) and buy me a ... jump rope.

I thought -- it's perfect! I can still be by the computer, I don't have to leave the house, it's definitely something that will get my heart pumping, it's great.

Well, I took it for two test drives this morning and I have this to report:  I'm not as young as I used to be.

Wasn't jump roping easier when you were a kid? I could rock a jump rope or a Skip-it for hours. Well, I was huffing after a minute straight of 'roping (nevermind feeling like a doofus in my living room which has a wide open window facing out). But, my lack of dexterity and embarrassment aside -- I think it's a winner. My heart rate definitely gets up. I'm sweating after 30 seconds. My calves and thighs are burning -- in a good way.

I'm going to try and do this for five minutes, every hour, which will add 30-45 minutes of increased heart rate on top of our nightly workouts. According to a few calorie counters I've consulted, you burn around 350 calories per half hour of jump roping. That should make a difference right? 

Stay tuned.

Things that are making it hard for me to work

1. Jeff home today. Love having him home from work. It gets lonely and boring here all day alone during the day and he has a nice face. What can I say?

2. Episodes of 30 Rock on DVD. Could be the funniest show ever? Still sits under Seinfeld, Extras, The Office (British) in my book, but is pretty damn good. (By the way, have you downloaded those Ricky Gervais podcasts yet? What are you waiting for???)

Jeff + 30 Rock + Brett Favre Day 164 = Slooooow day of work :)

Weekend in Review: Pats, poker and my tomato

In my probable last weekend of freedom for a while (football season is starting, meaning I'll have to work weekends), Jeff and I tried to make the most of it.

But first -- Jeff decided on Saturday he would go meet a few friends for a basketball game. Despite me PLEADING with him to eat something and bring some water, he ignored me. He's very stubborn when he's annoyed (traffic). When I came back to pick him up, he was redder than I've ever seen him. Good thing I had just bought a cold bottle of water for him (he drank it in 30 seconds) and a sandwich. But he spent the rest of the day in various stages of moaning, laying down, napping. When will he learn the universal truth: I am always right.

Sunday was much better. We decided we would check out Pats training camp in Foxboro. We went down at 8 a.m. for practice, which is open to the public and totally free (= perfect). It was fun watching the team practice, even if they weren't really hitting each other. 

Sports Nerdz.

Oh hi, Tom Brady. Remember me? (Video is still up on that -- fast forward to the 4:25 mark and you can hear my pre-teen voice squeak out a question. The most exciting and nerve-wracking few hours of my life.) 

We got a little bit lost on the way back from camp, which gave me a perfect excuse to take a detour to Tiffany. I've been wanting to check out what the matching wedding band is for my ring (i.e. how much $$ I will have to put away to get it). Well, I found it, and it's beautiful, and way over my budget, but I'm hoping I can save the cash to buy it. (I feel like people look to wedding bands as a place to save money, but I'm wearing it the rest of my life, I want it to be something I really love).

After lunch at the Cheesecake factory, Jeff and I headed home to clean for the arrival of my other two favorite guys in the world, Justin and Andrew, for poker night. It was the first time I'd played since our weekly ritual in  San Diego, and it was a good time. Justin ended up out $20 on a $5 game, he's a glutton for punishment. I ended up head's up with Andrew, who took me down when I drastically misplayed the final hand. The boys stayed over and Andrew froze us all out by turning down the AC. All in all -- good times with my favorite people.

Poker Sharks.

Sorry I had to knock you out baby.

Where, oh where did all these chips go?

Orange ones worth $1?

Getting ready for poker night with my three favorite guys.

Here's one.

Oh, and necessary poker rations.