Thanksgiving in Birdland

by Stacey on Nov 27, 2008 12:31 AM EST Comment 12 comments

The truth about me is that, outside of my friends and family, I don't really care about many things. But one thing I really do love is the holiday season. From Thanksgiving to New Years I'm happy to be around the decorations and the music and the food. I revel in it. I love finding new recipes for Thanksgiving and buying new ornaments for the tree. I love Christmas cookies and Christmas music. I love the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and finding that perfect present for someone.

I get schmaltzy this time of year; I can't help it. It's a time when I feel thankful and happy and grateful for pretty much anything that gets in my way. That includes the Orioles and Camden Chat and Andy MacPhail.

I wrote a Thanksgiving post here a few years ago and I feel that since then we have a lot more to be thankful for. Don't get me wrong, I know the work isn't even close to being done. There are plenty of questions to be asked, plenty of criticisms to be made. The Orioles need 4/5 of a rotation and at least half of an infield. They need to be more proactive in searching for international talent and they need to continue to woo the fan base beyond new uniforms. Oh, and winning would be nice too.

But.

Our farm system has gone from barren to respectable. Recent drafts have given us Matt Wieters and Jake Arrieta. Trades that just a few years ago wouldn't have been pulled off provided us with Chris Tillman and Adam Jones. Gone are the days when the GM not only tries to build a .500 team and nothing more, but actually admits it in public. No longer do we hear the infuriating assurances from Peter Angelos that next year the team will definitely be competitive even though everyone knows it isn't true. In Andy MacPhail, the team has a man at the helm with a track record and a plan. And of course there's Nick Markakis.

There are positives here in Birdland. I can only hope that the Orioles will continue to address shortcomings and needs of this broken franchise and provide us with even more reasons to be thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Well said.

I was going to do a schmalzy Thanksgiving post, but you are far more eloquent than I would have been.

So I’ll just suggest that everyone on the thread give two things they’re thankful for—one in life, and one in Birdland.

In life, I’m thankful that my wife and I got across the country with our two 17-year-old cats relatively unscathed and are starting to relax a little.

In Birdland, I’m thankful for the strong possibility that Weiters will be up next year.

by zknower on Nov 27, 2008 2:31 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I guess some goose fat

isn’t always bad. Nice post, Stacey.

Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words—"mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
-Jack Handey

by jobe on Nov 27, 2008 2:44 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Birdland: Adam Jones!

Life: That I have a job. I complain about my job a lot. I generally like the people I work with, but I really don’t enjoy my work much at all. But, in pretty bad economic times, right now I really am just thankful to have a job. (Also, family, friends, cats, etc.)

(Z, if i had to travel cross-country w/my cats, I’d need to get them their own trailer so I wouldn’t have to hear them.)

I wonder if I can bill Jeff Lurie and Peter Angelos for the years of therapy their teams are going to put me through.

by BrianS on Nov 27, 2008 7:28 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

hee hee hee.

They were actually in the cargo hold of the plane. I’m sure they drove a few dogs nuts. :)

by zknower on Nov 27, 2008 2:10 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Thx, Stacey, nice thoughts.

In Birdland: OPACY, a great venue others drool over. And I will too, of course, as AARP looms ever larger.

Life-wise, I’m very blessed today: I’m about to have Thanksgiving dinner with 4 generations of Titovs, one of whom is a pro chef (and darn good) and none of whom, in today’s crowd, are PHNers, praise be.

"Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." Churchill,1942-- a rebuilding year.

by Titov on Nov 27, 2008 1:46 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I have amended your post slightly

I’m currently watching the Lions get the crap beaten out of them by Tennessee’s Titans, and I hope everyone is seeing this. Football season has been no relief from baseball season for me — not that the NFL ever is, but even Meeeeechigan went 3-9 this year.

In sports in general, I’m thankful for…umm…lemme get back to you.

In Birdland, I’m thankful for Nick Markakis.

In life, I’m thankful for the Toyotathon of all Toyotathons. I kid. I have a few family members I like and my fiancée puts up with the fact that we almost never go out on Saturdays because I’m watching boxing. Bless her heart she’s even tried to learn something about sports.

"Yesterday I was lying, today I am telling the truth." -- Bob Arum

Camden Chat
Bad Left Hook

by SC on Nov 27, 2008 2:13 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I like Thanksgiving ok

but overall I hate the holidays (sorry if I am raining on anyone’s parade or anything). Growing up, I used to have the best holidays, but my parents divorced, my family lives in different parts of the country, and on top of that, I am not religious in the least.

In the past few years, I’ve begun to start new traditions with my soon to be fiancee and her family, but really, it’s just two months of being depressed. Plus the Eagles are playing like shit, so things are even worse.

I am thankful for a lot of things — work is good and I am going to Scandinavia in the new year. So not all is bad. Actually not much is bad, I am just being crotchety.

"This world extends way beyond this little field of dreams we're dancing in and I want to see that world"

by exitfare on Nov 27, 2008 4:28 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

I’ve already listed my Birdland thankfuls. As for personal? I agree with BrianS about being thankful for my job. Prior to my entrance into government service I worked for a financial investment firm. I haven’t heard anything about them doing layoffs but given our current state of affairs I’d imagine it’s not the most enjoyable place to work right now. So I’ll take the government job.

In addition to that, I want to say that I’m thankful for my house. I love my house and I am going to have to move out in the next few months. I’m really going to miss this place so I’ve been feeling all nostalgic. I just went out on the back deck to get the trash and I was thinking, “oh back deck! All the beers I’ve sipped out here on a summer evening. I’ll miss you!” Ah well. Such is the life of a renter.

[Guthrie's] president of my heart. ~PhilR8

by Stacey on Nov 27, 2008 10:39 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Happy Thanksgiving

Nice post, Stacey.

Personal life: I’m thankful for being in a position where I have complete jurisdiction over my work.

Birdland: I’m thankful that we can still be somewhat optimistic even though our situation remains absolutely dreadful.

My best game plan is to sit on the bench and call out specific instructions like 'C'mon Boog,' 'Get ahold of one, Frank,' or 'Let's go, Brooks.' -Earl Weaver

by Baltimo on Nov 28, 2008 1:18 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Happy Day After Thanksgiving, folks!

Birdland: Firstly, I am thankful for the genius marketing team that brought us “BIRDLAND”. Additionally, I am thankful for a farm system I can get excited about, GM and manager I don’t want fired and for the guys on the team who actually seem proud to put on the Oriole uniform every day and play baseball for a living.

Personal: I am thankful for my Thanksgiving hangover, for my truly remarkable friends and family, and I am especially thankful for our shiny new President Elect. Also, though I’m “between campaigns” at the moment, I’m grateful to have found a career I love.

And of course, I’m thankful for Camden Chat.

"The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again."

by 2632 on Nov 28, 2008 3:10 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Happy day after

Life: Two great kids and great wife. Doesn’t get much better than that.

Baseball? Nick Markakis, Adam Jones and Jeremy Guthrie. Bad as things may get next year, we’ll have those 3 for the next 3 years minimum. And that makes me happy.

Duck Around - a progressive blog about the Eastern Shore of Maryland. And getting off my lawn.

by duck on Nov 28, 2008 8:37 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Happy Belated

Birdland Thanks: The Orioles Magic video. Even if some of those guys are already gone or up in the air (Loewen, Millar), that video is comic genius and will live on.

Life thanks: That I’m currently planning my first cross-country flight to visit some friends in San Diego. ETA: February.

Enjoy the rest of what I hope is a long weekend for everyone at CC!

by Brotz13 on Nov 28, 2008 11:10 PM EST reply actions 0 recs