You know a guy has retired when..

Hart Brachen on life's rich trolley:
When he doesn't really it's Opening Day until the actual morning of Opening Day.

No regrets...

But Go Sox!

 

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Comments

[COD]

It's true kids. Opening Day 2015 was the day the strip truly died. All hopes were dashed when we clicked over expecting a surprise opening day strip, and instead got the T.

Oh well, enjoy retirement HB. You earned it.

[buckner was framed]

yep, the ace left town halfway through last season, and despite a glimmer of hope and promise that he would return, we are left with a bunch of creeps and has-beens to fill out the rotation.

Play ball

[Harwich Rich]

"How does an old man like you stay alive?"..."I try to get up early and watch tv all day"-Firesign Theater

[Natalie]

Have to confess, I had a little hop in my step on the way into work this morning thinking maybe, just maybe, we'd have an Opening Day strip. Alas, not to be (although I appreciate the T and the open thread). Enjoy the well-earned retirement, hb. And to my fellow creepsters, this day always puts me in a spectacular mood; always good to have a quick chance to share it all with you. Go Sox!

[ponch]

The T will have to be good enough. Go Sox!

[Chip]

H.B.,

It's called semi-retirement! All the greats do it...a strip once a week, on a comfortable day of your choosing. Don't go cold turkey.

Btw, the young Charlton Heston in Ben Hur & The Ten Commandments is a dead ringer for TB12.

[h.b.]

I always harbored the idea that I might feel rejuvenated and ready to start up again come Opening Day.

But it's the honest truth that I didn't even realize today was the day. I've almost completely shut down all but a very, very passing interest here and there of what's going on.

That pretty much is all the evidence we need that I'm no longer up for it.

[yazbread]

So let it be written, so let it be done.

[Natalie]

I've been where you are, hb. I get it. In my case, however, I am more excited for this season than any one in recent memory, perhaps because this winter was SO FUCKING LONG. Maybe you'll find some of the magic again in May or July or even September. If not, it's been an awesome run.

[Urm]

"TMR's Fan Cost Index, which includes four average-price tickets, two small draft beers, four small soft drinks, four hot dogs, parking and two adult-size caps, rose 2.5 percent to $211.68. The Red Sox were the high team at $350.86" Even after his start yesterday, I sorta wish they'd've spent some of that hotdog money and re-signed J L.

[Kaz]

People will still come.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ1dZhh0_RQ

[Chairman Meow]

Living like a superior feline can be wonderful,humans! Now, find yourself a warm spot, curl up and sleep for a few hours until you get a yearning for a liver snap.

[mcsnide]

WHAT WILL WE DO WITHOUT H.B., HUB FANS ASK.

I'm a long-time lurker who got a quick jolt from seeing something in my Soxaholix feed this morning.

To open the page in anticipation and see this was obviously a disappointment. And while, when you walk down the street, people won't say, "There goes the greatest Sox cartoonist who ever lived", it's only because you chose anonymity.

I'll miss the strip, but respect your desire to move on. To paraphrase Updike once more, you knew how to do even that, the hardest thing. Quit.

[Bob]

What are you all talking about? There's a new strip. See? Up above? A shiny new trolley car, courtesy of H.B. Unsullied by the winter of 2015, ready to take us to Kenmore. B-C-D, anything but E.

(I'm not very good at this happy,optimistic thing, am I?)

[Bob]

Thank you, HB, for Soxaholix, for its familar characters, its creepy commenters, and for the all friends I've made here. Thank you, so much, for the 10 years of your life that have made ours immeasurably better.

Have a great week, and weekend, all. Hopefully we'll have something fun to yak about, someday, somewhere.

Until then, a thought from Dan Riley:

"The Yankees may have always had the better players, but the Red Sox always had the better writers."

[louclinton]

Pedroia goes deep.

lc

[Kaz]

One of these days, h.b. isn't going to post a placeholder for us to comment/chat on.

Here's a thought for you all to ponder over. We could use Reddit's platform for continuing our community. Making an account is stupid easy there, basically try a username that isn't in use, give it a password, and you've made your account. We could all do "Soxaholix-Kaz" or something similar if people liked.

One option on Reddit would be to start /r/soxaholix, a sub-reddit for Soxaholix. We could ask h.b. what we might be able to borrow to dress the place up similar to here. People could even post their own attempts at strips or whatever.

Alternatively, we could take our new "Soxaholix-" usernames over to /r/redsox where Red Sox fan Redditors hang out and have big gameday threads and discussions on players/moves/etc. and even start our own discussions.

Just a couple different ideas for the day that the last strip expires, the domain expires, etc.

[Kaz]

PS - on /r/redsox or /r/soxaholix, even h.b. could have his own anonymous login still and pop in whenever the feeling was right and drop off a new link to a comic or comment without having to own/maintain the community here in the meantime. So, it might give him the freedom to do as he wished with regards to retiring and yet letting the muse strike as she pleases.

[Natalie]

Kaz, I'm in! Even though Reddit kinda scares the shit out of me. :)

[pseudosanity78]

I've been creepin' for a good long while now but I'd gladly creep elsewhere if it's out there to creep!

[Harwich Rich]

Sawx going yard after yard after yard. ;)

[SonomaSox]

Nice win.

Nice decade, HB. Thanks again for it all. Enjoy retirement.

[Steve in MD]

Ya think this team might score some runs? Boo-YEAH. And the mfy lose. It was a great day, until I opened the Soxaholix and saw the sad news. Thanks hb for a great run. You'll be missed in this small corner of the world.

[Past a Diving Jeter]

I have hope for the Home Opener.

[Rudi]

@Bob said:
>See? Up above? A shiny new trolley car,

Bob, that's NOT a new car. It's the Fitchburg local just getting in after the Spring thaw.

[RedStripeNan]

Sox win big! Soxaholix fans never say die! I'm glad to see you all after the long hard wintah. Thanks for all, h.b.

[Chip]

C'mon H.B., don't tell me you didn't feel a little Hardball tingle up your leg yesterday a la Chris Mathews. Look at the love in these comments!

Every time I think I'm out, they pull me back in?

[PaPesky]

from Starbucks in Jupiter, FL...retirement is great...but I'll miss the creepers. Durty Nellys in June, might see a regular or two.

[soxinsix]

You've earned whatever path you choose to take, hb, so thank you for 10 (11?) awesome years. I've enjoyed every minute of it. Well, not the Veet year, but still.

[COD]

I'm in on Reddit, Facebook, wherever we decide to keep creepin'.

[h.b.]

I still love the community around the here with all you creeps and, seriously, that alone has what had kept things going probably the past 5 years.

[Steve in MD]

hb, if the trolley is your ultimate strip, I'd suggest fixing the typo: "really" to "realize", (unless that's some obscure literary ref I've missed). Loved the strips and the creepy comments, and enjoy your retirement.

[h.b.]

Fixed the "realized" typo. Though a part of me felt like I should leave it as is, since it would be the perfect symbol of my detachment.

The Red Sox won today. Or maybe yesterday; I can't be sure.”

[Chip]

See, you care enough to edit! Of course you're detached, that's just a little age on ya, but this beautiful little strip doesn't need full attachment anymore, just a quick check-in once a week. Kinda like a hippy garden...

[Lazlo Freem]

HB,

Since you are retired and have all this down time, may I suggest a ride up to our beloved Cannon Mt? Still 100% open and no better mental floss.
By chance last week I rode a chairlift up with a Duck Boat Captain who offered me a job. He claims they need licensed Captains.
This bodes well for the upcoming season and I'll be in a good viewing position for the inevitable parade this fall.
HB, I'm saving a seat for you. You earned it.

[IdolFisherman]

But, this is THE year!

[RonF]

Well, h.b., I hope you're still enjoying the games. I'm sitting here watching the Sox spank the Yankees and I'M sure enjoying them.

Well earned retirement indeed. Good Lord, it really HAS been a long time, hasn't it? Think I'll check in once in a while, though, just in case the spirit moves you once in a while.

[yarnista]

ARod at first.I could play it just as well in sore of being older, slower, and larger. I have to work on my piroetting skills, however.

[yarnista]

* in spite of, but sore works as well

[yarnista]

It ate my first comment. I said I could've played first with ARod's 《skills》, except for the piroette

[BigBri]

H.B - enjoy your retirement. Ellsbury is the face of the NY Yankees. The word is upside down. Time to walk away...

[yazbread]

It ain't over till the fat laday gets a gold watch.

[Louclinton]

5

Lc

[COD]

Some sad irony from my LinkedIn feed today.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/229yh1sw2kgzxnq/soxaholix.png?dl=0

[Kaz]

I'm working on the Soxaholix Reddit. However, my account I want to use to create it is brand new as of a week ago. It has to get to 1 month old and have participated enough on Reddit that I can create /r/soxaholix. So it will be a few more weeks still. Just to keep everyone updated.

[yazbread]

Thanks Kaz. Betts should have the MVP award wrapped up by then.

[Harwich Rich]

Wow,didn't realize Guy Smiley was that good...NOT

[louclinton]

Oh little T car, how you mock us so.

lc

[Harwich Rich]

Happy Birthday,Nat!! A new teal dress,perhaps? ;D

[Natalie]

Thanks, Rich! I am wearing a teal bikini right now, does that count??? :)

[soxinsix]

Happy belated b-day Natalie!!

[billyconigliaro]

Thanks for a great decade HB of which I only caught the second half or so here.

Any update on if someone/anyone is stahting up a new strip/blog similar to this one? Thanks

[SonomaSox]

sounds like we might get that Phillies pitcher after all...

[Harwich Rich]

Which one,Papelbon??

[SonomaSox]

yep...not sure if that's a good thing but should be entertaining.

[yazbread]

Could be worse, could be raining.

[Kaz]

Hi, all!

The Soxaholix sub-reddit is up and running (although plain and boring).

https://reddit.com/r/soxaholix

If you're a quiet creep and you just want to read there, you should be able to without even having to register for an account on Reddit. If you want the same name you had here, then sign up on Reddit and it'll let you know if that name's taken or not. I prefaced my user name with "Soxaholix" to make sure it was unique, so you'll find me over there as SoxaholixKaz. Signing up is free and easy and doesn't even require an e-mail address.

I plan to put up some pretty images and things (probably later this week), but feel free to try the place out. Make some links to Red Sox news, off-beat news (use NSFW flag if you post something non-work safe), make your own observations and comparisons in the stylings of h.b. It's a place for this crowd of creeps to keep the conversations going even if/when h.b. might turn the lights out here all the way. If this past week of closed comments gave you any scare at all (Bob, it's ok, breathe...), then check out the new sub-Reddit. I'll even be putting up some links to some other Reddits you might be interested in like /r/RedSox and /r/Boston.

[Harwich Rich]

No luck-after 6 tries. I guess this is the final elbow. ;(

[Dom for HOF]

Give me a kiss to build a dream on ...

[Fdubois]

Thank the good Lord that gun control billboard on the Pike counting dead kids is GONE. It is now an ad for the Jimmy Fund, and they cleverly put up numbers in the same spot to show how many kids they've helped. Good riddance.

[Harwich Rich]

Where have you gone Hart Brachen??-Soxaholix nation turns it's lonely eyes to you.