When I first moved to California, I felt like I couldn’t get out here fast enough.  After eight years, Boston was stifling me, and I was either going to leave the area or I was going to snap and run screaming down Comm Ave shooting people with a SuperSoaker filled with red paint.  I finally got out to Los Angeles, and a strange thing happened—I began to miss the East Coast.  I missed the changing of the seasons, I missed the public transportation, I missed the idiosyncrasies and I missed the personality of Boston.  Of course, my trip back in May 2004 was like seeing an ex-girlfriend—at first, I was overjoyed to see the city again and saw the places I used to hang out at and live; then, I slowly started to remember the things I didn’t like about Boston and why I wanted to leave.

But there are times when I’d give almost anything to be back there again… and this time is no different.  My beloved Boston Red Sox are about to battle their way through the ALDS, and I’m sure that once again, the city is uniting behind its team.  It’s been four years since I’ve set foot in Fenway Park, but my heart still swells with pride to see the Green Monster and the Cask & Flagon on TV.  And while I thankfully have my own little cadre of Red Sox Nation members out here in Los Angeles, it’s still not the same.  There’s just nothing like sitting in the stands at Fenway with a Fenway Frank and a beer and the Sox on the field, surrounding by thousands of screaming fans. 

Do us all proud, boys.

Boston, you are the only only only
Don’t blame us if we ever doubt you
You know we couldn’t live without you
Red Sox, you are the only only only...
-- Dropkick Murphys - “Tessie”
(Right-click and save as, please.  Then play at high volume.)