This time of year you can't turn on the TV, read the paper or surf the net without running into "The Year in Review" over and over again. Those things seem to come earlier and earlier each year, just like Christmas decorations at the mall. The problem with airing your "Year in Review" show on December 10th is that there are still 21 more days for stuff to happen. Here are two examples of that:
Bernie Madoff - he was arrested on December 11th and charged with investment fraud. His hedge fund investors may have lost $50 Billion - that's Billion with a B. Family fortunes, entire life savings and charitable trusts gone forever in an instant. This is major, big time news and should definitely be in your Year in Review show, list, blog...
The Shoe Thrower - that guy in Iraq threw his shoes at President Bush on December 14th. In the grand scheme of 2008 this is a relatively lame event, but the entire incident is over in 10 seconds. Surely you could cut out 10 seconds of Paris Hilton or Kanye West to fit it in.
Here's my attempt at a review of 2008.
Favorite Memory: Bonfire in Maine
Friday, October 10th. A warm fall night with copious amounts of Miller High Life, smores and Red Sox Playoff baseball via radio in Freeport, ME. It was the perfect ending for my last night of the year in Maine.
Best Song: "Shattered (Turn the Car Around)" by O.A.R.
Best Play: The Catch, Superbowl XLII
Up until February 3, 2008 if you mentioned "The Catch" it was understood that you were talking about the throw from Joe Montana to Dwight Clark to win the 1982 NFC Championship Game against the Dallas Cowboys. Not anymore. Now you are talking about the ball Eli Manning flings in the direction of David Tyree. Tyree leaps into the air to grab the ball, takes a pounding hit from the Patriots' Rodney Harrison and comes down with the ball clutched between his hands and helmet. Thirty six seconds later the Giants score the winning touchdown to end the Patriots hope of a perfect season.
Best Movie: Ironman
Biggest Surprise: Stock Market Collapse.
With one day of trading left the S&P 500 Index, which represents the 500 largest public companies in the US, is down a mind boggling 39.3% for the year. This is the worst year for the S&P Index since 1931. We have had bear markets in the past, but none as severe and swift as what we have seen in 2008.
Underdog of the Year: Tampa Bay Rays
You might expect me to pick my NY Football Giants win in Superbowl 42 but you would be wrong. The Giants proved that they could play with the Patriots in the final game of the regular season on December 29, 2007. It's awfully hard to beat a good team twice in a season, so I don't consider their Superbowl win much of a surprise.
What was a surprise to me was the Tampa Bay Rays making it to the World Series in 2008. This is a team that had never had a winning season since they came into existence in 1994. In fact, they had never finished better than 21 games under .500 in a season. They had finished in last place in their division every year except 2005 when they finished in...next to last place. A worst to first story indeed.
Mood: Hopeful
Song of the Day:
"Banks back then was lendin' money, the banker was the farmer's friend."
- A Month of Sundays
Don Henley
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
No Soup For You!
I tend to eat a lot of soup in the winter when the weather is cold outside. Since graduating from Ramen Noodles in college to actual soup a few years ago my soup buying habits haven't changed much. I buy Progresso soup, cause it tastes so good. My standing favorites are Chicken Noodle and Chicken Rice but I have been known to buy Clam Chowder, Italian Wedding Soup and even Minestrone if the mood strikes.
There is a bit of a soup war going on right now between Campbell's and Progresso. They have been trading barbs in their TV ads about MSG. Your soups have MSG and ours don't, blah, blah, blah. I decided to try the Campbell's Select soups after seeing one of their ads saying their soup is MSG free, so the ads worked on me.
Soup was on sale at Giant (not my trailrunning cousin, the local grocery store I patronize) last week. In fact both brands were on sale, so I decided to have a little taste test to see which I preferred better. Progresso was 2 for $5 and the Campbell's Select was 2 for $4. 1 point for Campbell's! I bought cans of Chicken Noodle and Chicken Rice from both brands.
Upon closer inspection back at the ranch the Campbell's cans are taller but they are also skinnier. They hold 18.6 ounces of soup while the Progresso cans hold 19.0 ounces. 1 point for Progresso! Skimming over the ingridients did indeed show that both Progresso soups contained MSG and neither Campbell's soup contained it. 1 point for Campbell's!
Now the good stuff - the taste test. I started with the Campbell's Chicken Noodle. Poured it in a pot, threw in some minute rice and heated it up on the stove and waited for it to cool. The first taste was...hot! Got to let it cool some more. Once I could wolf it down I really wasn't that impressed with it. I thought it was too bland. It just didn't have the flavor the TV commericals promised. Next was the Progresso Chicken Noodle which I have been eating for years. No comparison here. Progresso wins hands down. It was much more flavorful and hearty. 1 point for Progresso!
A few days later I tried the Chicken Rice soups, starting with Progresso. Same routine - pour, rice, heat, wait. The Campbell's Chicken Rice was very close in taste to the Progresso Chicken Rice. The Progresso seemed to have more chicken in it, the Campbell's had more carrots. I would give Progresso the edge here but by the slimest of margins. 1 point for Progresso!
Final score: Progresso 3, Campbell's 2.
My conclusion is that you get what you pay for and MSG stands for "Makes Soup Good".
Mood: Satiated.
Cheezy Pick Up Line of the Day:
Are you from Mars? Cause your ass is out of this world!
Random Movie Quote:
"We just get Miami Wice on television. Miami Wice is number one new show!" - Eurotrip
There is a bit of a soup war going on right now between Campbell's and Progresso. They have been trading barbs in their TV ads about MSG. Your soups have MSG and ours don't, blah, blah, blah. I decided to try the Campbell's Select soups after seeing one of their ads saying their soup is MSG free, so the ads worked on me.
Soup was on sale at Giant (not my trailrunning cousin, the local grocery store I patronize) last week. In fact both brands were on sale, so I decided to have a little taste test to see which I preferred better. Progresso was 2 for $5 and the Campbell's Select was 2 for $4. 1 point for Campbell's! I bought cans of Chicken Noodle and Chicken Rice from both brands.
Upon closer inspection back at the ranch the Campbell's cans are taller but they are also skinnier. They hold 18.6 ounces of soup while the Progresso cans hold 19.0 ounces. 1 point for Progresso! Skimming over the ingridients did indeed show that both Progresso soups contained MSG and neither Campbell's soup contained it. 1 point for Campbell's!
Now the good stuff - the taste test. I started with the Campbell's Chicken Noodle. Poured it in a pot, threw in some minute rice and heated it up on the stove and waited for it to cool. The first taste was...hot! Got to let it cool some more. Once I could wolf it down I really wasn't that impressed with it. I thought it was too bland. It just didn't have the flavor the TV commericals promised. Next was the Progresso Chicken Noodle which I have been eating for years. No comparison here. Progresso wins hands down. It was much more flavorful and hearty. 1 point for Progresso!
A few days later I tried the Chicken Rice soups, starting with Progresso. Same routine - pour, rice, heat, wait. The Campbell's Chicken Rice was very close in taste to the Progresso Chicken Rice. The Progresso seemed to have more chicken in it, the Campbell's had more carrots. I would give Progresso the edge here but by the slimest of margins. 1 point for Progresso!
Final score: Progresso 3, Campbell's 2.
My conclusion is that you get what you pay for and MSG stands for "Makes Soup Good".
Mood: Satiated.
Cheezy Pick Up Line of the Day:
Are you from Mars? Cause your ass is out of this world!
Random Movie Quote:
"We just get Miami Wice on television. Miami Wice is number one new show!" - Eurotrip
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Gasoline + Collusion = Gasollusion
I started buying gasoline in 1991 and ever since that first day at the pump the spread between the different grades of gasoline has been 10 cents per grade. Premium costs 10 cents more than Midgrade, which costs 10 cents more than Regular. It hasn't mattered if Regular is $1.00 per gallon or $4.00 per gallon, just add 10 or 20 cents to it and you will have the price of the other grades. This means that the spread is a fixed cost. The only variable cost is the price of the gasoline derived from the base commodity oil which constantly changes in price.
Now as prices for gasoline are cascading down the spread between the grades has suddenly increased for no apparent reason. At my local Shell station yesterday Regular was selling for $1.659 per gallon, Midgrade for $1.959 and Premium for 2.059 per gallon. So here in 2008, the spread between Regular and Midgrade has magicially increased to 30 cents per gallon while the spread from Midgrade to Premium remains 10 cents per gallon. This is a clear indication of collusion in the gasoline markets in my opinion.
If the spread between the grades was a percentage of the cost then it would naturally increase as prices went up and drop as prices fell. 5% of $1.00 ($.05) is less than 5% of $4.00 ($.20). This is exactly why Oil Companies like Exxon Mobil and Shell have been seeing record profits as oil rose in price. Their profit is a PERCENTAGE of the base commodity, so as it rises in price so does their profit.
For example, if Regular cost $4.00 then Midgrade might cost $4.20 - 5% higher than Regular grade - and Premium might cost $4.40 - 10% higher than Regular. However that is not what has happened over the past 18 years of ups and downs in the gasoline market. The spread has ALWAYS been 10 cents per grade, no matter what the price.
But suddenly in 2008 the exact opposite has happened. As gas prices have fallen the spread between the grades has RISEN!!! There is no logical answer for this except collusion. I have long wondered why gasoline goes up in price 10 cents at a time but only comes down a penny at a time. That does not speak of an efficient, free flowing market, it speaks of price fixing and collusion in the system between retailers and suppliers.
The next time you hear Congress is holding hearings on something stupid like Steroids in Baseball, call your Representative and ask him why Congress never looks into actual important issues. Things like Collusion in the Gasoline Markets, the Effect of Unregulated Hedge Funds on the Financial Market Meltdown and the Fabrication of Evidence for the War in Iraq to name a few.
Mood: Annoyed
It's Ironic: That my neighbors smoke outside so they don't stink up their own house but they stink up my house if I have my windows open.
Random Movie Quote:
"Brenda?" - Mallrats
Now as prices for gasoline are cascading down the spread between the grades has suddenly increased for no apparent reason. At my local Shell station yesterday Regular was selling for $1.659 per gallon, Midgrade for $1.959 and Premium for 2.059 per gallon. So here in 2008, the spread between Regular and Midgrade has magicially increased to 30 cents per gallon while the spread from Midgrade to Premium remains 10 cents per gallon. This is a clear indication of collusion in the gasoline markets in my opinion.
If the spread between the grades was a percentage of the cost then it would naturally increase as prices went up and drop as prices fell. 5% of $1.00 ($.05) is less than 5% of $4.00 ($.20). This is exactly why Oil Companies like Exxon Mobil and Shell have been seeing record profits as oil rose in price. Their profit is a PERCENTAGE of the base commodity, so as it rises in price so does their profit.
For example, if Regular cost $4.00 then Midgrade might cost $4.20 - 5% higher than Regular grade - and Premium might cost $4.40 - 10% higher than Regular. However that is not what has happened over the past 18 years of ups and downs in the gasoline market. The spread has ALWAYS been 10 cents per grade, no matter what the price.
But suddenly in 2008 the exact opposite has happened. As gas prices have fallen the spread between the grades has RISEN!!! There is no logical answer for this except collusion. I have long wondered why gasoline goes up in price 10 cents at a time but only comes down a penny at a time. That does not speak of an efficient, free flowing market, it speaks of price fixing and collusion in the system between retailers and suppliers.
The next time you hear Congress is holding hearings on something stupid like Steroids in Baseball, call your Representative and ask him why Congress never looks into actual important issues. Things like Collusion in the Gasoline Markets, the Effect of Unregulated Hedge Funds on the Financial Market Meltdown and the Fabrication of Evidence for the War in Iraq to name a few.
Mood: Annoyed
It's Ironic: That my neighbors smoke outside so they don't stink up their own house but they stink up my house if I have my windows open.
Random Movie Quote:
"Brenda?" - Mallrats
Saturday, November 15, 2008
November 15, 1988
I was a 15 year old sophomore at Hermon High School on Tuesday, November 15th, 1988. It was just another day for me. Six hours of school and then walk home. My house was about a half mile from the school via a snowmobile trail that ran through the woods but over a mile away by road, so I always walked home the short way.
On that very afternoon, less than two miles away, a gunshot from a hunter changed the Maine Woods forever. That was the day that hunter Donald Rogerson shot and killed a young mother named Karen Wood while she stood hanging clothes in her own backyard. The most outrageous thing about this unnecessary tragedy was that the hunter was acquitted of any wrongdoing.
An innocent woman was killed and the hunter's excuse was literally - "I thought she was a deer" and that was good enough for a jury to acquit him. An absolutely unacceptable outcome in my opinion. The good news is that Karen's death did shake up the laws and attitudes about hunting in the State of Maine and things have changed for the better since then.
I think this is a perfect example of one of the things that is truly wrong with modern America - personal responsibility. The hunter never took responsibility for his actions. To this day he still won't admit he made a mistake that cost a woman her life. Karen Wood did not get a second chance and I don't think that Donald Rogerson deserved one either.
We are far too eager to let people off the hook for their mistakes or for circumstances beyond their control. Did your daddy molest you as a boy? Then it's OK to kill and eat your neighbors, it's not your fault. Hello, McFly? No, it's not! It's never OK to kill your neighbors or shoot up the school or kill your ex-wife. Certain actions demand consequences, period.
I certainly am glad that Dick Cheney wasn't hunting with Donald Rogerson that day. Who knows how many more innocent Mainers would have been taken out then!
Bangor Daily News Article
Mood of the Day: Empathetic
Song of the Day:
"We both got dreams, we could chase alone, or we could make our own."
-Want To
Sugarland
On that very afternoon, less than two miles away, a gunshot from a hunter changed the Maine Woods forever. That was the day that hunter Donald Rogerson shot and killed a young mother named Karen Wood while she stood hanging clothes in her own backyard. The most outrageous thing about this unnecessary tragedy was that the hunter was acquitted of any wrongdoing.
An innocent woman was killed and the hunter's excuse was literally - "I thought she was a deer" and that was good enough for a jury to acquit him. An absolutely unacceptable outcome in my opinion. The good news is that Karen's death did shake up the laws and attitudes about hunting in the State of Maine and things have changed for the better since then.
I think this is a perfect example of one of the things that is truly wrong with modern America - personal responsibility. The hunter never took responsibility for his actions. To this day he still won't admit he made a mistake that cost a woman her life. Karen Wood did not get a second chance and I don't think that Donald Rogerson deserved one either.
We are far too eager to let people off the hook for their mistakes or for circumstances beyond their control. Did your daddy molest you as a boy? Then it's OK to kill and eat your neighbors, it's not your fault. Hello, McFly? No, it's not! It's never OK to kill your neighbors or shoot up the school or kill your ex-wife. Certain actions demand consequences, period.
I certainly am glad that Dick Cheney wasn't hunting with Donald Rogerson that day. Who knows how many more innocent Mainers would have been taken out then!
Bangor Daily News Article
Mood of the Day: Empathetic
Song of the Day:
"We both got dreams, we could chase alone, or we could make our own."
-Want To
Sugarland
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
270
On any other day I would hear the number 270 and think it was about traffic. I270 in Maryland is just one of the many commuter hells that lurk in greater DC. But not today. Today the number 270 signifies something else entirely. As you all know by now it represents the number of electoral votes needed to be confirmed as the President of the United States.
As I write this it appears that Barack Obama is on his way to doing just that. No matter who wins today it is a truly historical day in the world of American politics. We will either have our first black president or our first female vice president. A glass ceiling will be broken today for sure.
The biggest surprise to me today at the polls was the return of paper ballot. We have had electronic ballots here in Northern Virginia for as long as I can remember. They were still there this year too but in addition you could vote by paper ballot instead if you prefer.
I chose the paper option because I thought when else will I get the chance to do it the old fashion way again? Then an election official told me on the way out that next year it will probably all be paper ballots. It appears the more things change the more they stay the same.
It actually looks as though Virginia may be a crucial cog in the Obama wheel this election day. He has apparently carried the state. A state that has not voted Democratic for President since 1964. Good to know that I was a part of history in the making.
Mood: Energized
Band of the Day:
The Presidents of the United States of America
As I write this it appears that Barack Obama is on his way to doing just that. No matter who wins today it is a truly historical day in the world of American politics. We will either have our first black president or our first female vice president. A glass ceiling will be broken today for sure.
The biggest surprise to me today at the polls was the return of paper ballot. We have had electronic ballots here in Northern Virginia for as long as I can remember. They were still there this year too but in addition you could vote by paper ballot instead if you prefer.
I chose the paper option because I thought when else will I get the chance to do it the old fashion way again? Then an election official told me on the way out that next year it will probably all be paper ballots. It appears the more things change the more they stay the same.
It actually looks as though Virginia may be a crucial cog in the Obama wheel this election day. He has apparently carried the state. A state that has not voted Democratic for President since 1964. Good to know that I was a part of history in the making.
Mood: Energized
Band of the Day:
The Presidents of the United States of America
Monday, October 27, 2008
Free Taco Day!!!
Another wonderful day is drawing near. A day that is up there with Christmas and Talk Like A Pirate Day. It's Free Taco Day and this year is is tomorrow, Tuesday October 28th from 2pm-6pm at your local Taco Bell.
For the second year in a row Taco Bell has offered America a free taco if someone steals a base in any game of the World Series. Last year it was Jacoby Ellsbury of my beloved Boston Red Sox who won us all a free taco, this year it was some Devil Ray. I don't even know which one and his name is not important. It's as trivial as who gave up Mark McGwire's 62nd home run in 1998. The answer to that is: who cares, give me my free taco dammit!
If you are really bored you could go to www.stealabasestealataco.com and read more about Free Taco Day. I nearly fell asleep just typing the name of the website in my browser window so good luck with that. The only thing you really need to know is it's tomorrow, from 2pm-6pm. I learned last year you want to get there early, right at 2pm, before the high school kids get there. You want to savor your free taco, live in the moment and take it all in - and this is all hard to do with 15 whiny teenagers in close proximity.
I even thought about making a map of all the local Taco Bells in the area and hitting each one for a free taco but then I decided that sounds like work. Besides, one meal from Taco Bell is plenty. In fact, the last time I ate at Taco Bell was on Free Taco Day last year.
Mood: Hungry!
Song of the Day:
"I said pressure drop, oh pressure, oh yeah pressures gonna drop on you..."
-Pressure Drop
The Specials (Or Izzy Stradlin's version if you prefer)
For the second year in a row Taco Bell has offered America a free taco if someone steals a base in any game of the World Series. Last year it was Jacoby Ellsbury of my beloved Boston Red Sox who won us all a free taco, this year it was some Devil Ray. I don't even know which one and his name is not important. It's as trivial as who gave up Mark McGwire's 62nd home run in 1998. The answer to that is: who cares, give me my free taco dammit!
If you are really bored you could go to www.stealabasestealataco.com and read more about Free Taco Day. I nearly fell asleep just typing the name of the website in my browser window so good luck with that. The only thing you really need to know is it's tomorrow, from 2pm-6pm. I learned last year you want to get there early, right at 2pm, before the high school kids get there. You want to savor your free taco, live in the moment and take it all in - and this is all hard to do with 15 whiny teenagers in close proximity.
I even thought about making a map of all the local Taco Bells in the area and hitting each one for a free taco but then I decided that sounds like work. Besides, one meal from Taco Bell is plenty. In fact, the last time I ate at Taco Bell was on Free Taco Day last year.
Mood: Hungry!
Song of the Day:
"I said pressure drop, oh pressure, oh yeah pressures gonna drop on you..."
-Pressure Drop
The Specials (Or Izzy Stradlin's version if you prefer)
Thursday, October 2, 2008
The Hookup!
There is nothing better than a hookup. No, no, no - I am not talking about THAT kind of hookup. I am talking about GETTING hooked up. You know - free stuff, special deals, insider stock tips (ok, maybe not that last one). Getting something for nothing is one of life's purest pleasures. There are a lot of cool places to have the hookup - the bar, the clothing store, the restaurant, the bike shop. I have been fortunate enough over the years to have the hookup in a variety of areas.
In high school and college I had the hookup at the local rock n roll radio station. That meant all kinds of freebies - t-shirts, cassettes, (remember those?) CDs, concert tix, bumper stickers, unclaimed prizes. It wouldn't surprise me if nearly one third of my current music collection was from being hooked up at WKIT-FM 'back in the day'. I still have a "K100 Bangor's Home of Rock n Roll" t-shirt which I wear all the time. I always listen to Bobby Russell and the gang when I am in range.
A few years later at my first real job after college I had the hookup when it came to sporting events. I got to go to dozens of Orioles, Capitals and Wizards games and never had to pay for any of them. The Caps tickets were the best of the bunch - center ice, 2 or 3 rows behind the penalty box. Left field, club box Orioles tix weren't too shabby either. Gotta love it when they bring the food to you!
Currently, the only place I appear to have the hookup is at Dunkin' Donuts. It doesn't seem to matter what time I go in - 6am, 7pm - or even what state I am in - Virginia, New Jersey, Massachusetts - I always seem to get the hookup now at Dunkin. If I order a box of 6 donuts I usually end up with 7 or 8. One time they even stuffed 9 donuts in the box. They were a little smushed but still very tasty. My last visit I bought a box of 25 munchkins and there were actually 45 munchkins in it. (Yes, I counted them before I ate them.) Not really sure why I am getting this royal treatment by DnD. Maybe they have pity on me because I come in at the weirdest hours. Perhaps I just look really good compared to the weight and IQ of their average customer. Whatever the reason the donut gods are smiling on me is I am very grateful.
Mood: Magnanamous
Quote of the Day:
"Mmmmmmm, donuts." - Homer Simpson
In high school and college I had the hookup at the local rock n roll radio station. That meant all kinds of freebies - t-shirts, cassettes, (remember those?) CDs, concert tix, bumper stickers, unclaimed prizes. It wouldn't surprise me if nearly one third of my current music collection was from being hooked up at WKIT-FM 'back in the day'. I still have a "K100 Bangor's Home of Rock n Roll" t-shirt which I wear all the time. I always listen to Bobby Russell and the gang when I am in range.
A few years later at my first real job after college I had the hookup when it came to sporting events. I got to go to dozens of Orioles, Capitals and Wizards games and never had to pay for any of them. The Caps tickets were the best of the bunch - center ice, 2 or 3 rows behind the penalty box. Left field, club box Orioles tix weren't too shabby either. Gotta love it when they bring the food to you!
Currently, the only place I appear to have the hookup is at Dunkin' Donuts. It doesn't seem to matter what time I go in - 6am, 7pm - or even what state I am in - Virginia, New Jersey, Massachusetts - I always seem to get the hookup now at Dunkin. If I order a box of 6 donuts I usually end up with 7 or 8. One time they even stuffed 9 donuts in the box. They were a little smushed but still very tasty. My last visit I bought a box of 25 munchkins and there were actually 45 munchkins in it. (Yes, I counted them before I ate them.) Not really sure why I am getting this royal treatment by DnD. Maybe they have pity on me because I come in at the weirdest hours. Perhaps I just look really good compared to the weight and IQ of their average customer. Whatever the reason the donut gods are smiling on me is I am very grateful.
Mood: Magnanamous
Quote of the Day:
"Mmmmmmm, donuts." - Homer Simpson
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
A Process of Elimination
Two very wonderful things happened yesterday to all those members of Red Sox Nation and for the benefit of the rest of the world too.
1) The Boston Red Sox secured a spot in the MLB playoffs for the 5th time in the last 6 seasons.
2) The New York Yankees were eliminated from post season contention.
The Sox making the playoffs is nothing new. The members of the Nation are getting accustomed to it. I won't say we expect it but there is a feeling every spring training that we will put a competitive team on the field and have a fair shot of ending up in the post season after the 162nd game is in the books. This year certainly had its trials and tribulations and may even be a sweeter reward than last year when they lead the division coast to coast.
The Yankees not making the playoffs is really the cherry on top of the sundae. Damn is that sweet! The Evil Empire had been in the playoffs for 13 years running with a whole string of division championships over most of those years. Frankly I was surprised the Yankees played as well as they did with their pitching woes. I think they will miss Joe Torre a great deal over the coming years.
In a perfect world the Yankees would have lost to the Orioles Sunday night on national TV and been eliminated from the playoff chase in the last game ever at Yankee Stadium. I had the headline all written in my head: "O's No Hit Yanks, Wait Til Next Year". But of course the Orioles have been no competition for the Yankees for the last dozen years or so. I think it really all goes back to the Jeffrey Maier homerun game. The Yankees have owned the Orioles ever since that game in 1996.
If that play were to happen this postsason it would surely have a different outcome now that MLB uses instant replay. It is designed exactly for that type of play -fair or foul? home run or ball in play? There is no doubt in my mind that the Maier ball would have been ruled fan interference and the batter would have been ruled out. That ruling would have totally changed the outcome of that game, maybe the entire series, perhaps the entire postseason history of both the Orioles and Yankees.
Whoa, that is pretty deep. I better stop now before I mess up the space-time continuum and end up in 1885 with Doc Brown shoeing horses in the Old West.
Mood: Optimistic
Random Movie Quote:
"Marty, you're not thinking fourth dimensionally!" - Back to the Future Part III
1) The Boston Red Sox secured a spot in the MLB playoffs for the 5th time in the last 6 seasons.
2) The New York Yankees were eliminated from post season contention.
The Sox making the playoffs is nothing new. The members of the Nation are getting accustomed to it. I won't say we expect it but there is a feeling every spring training that we will put a competitive team on the field and have a fair shot of ending up in the post season after the 162nd game is in the books. This year certainly had its trials and tribulations and may even be a sweeter reward than last year when they lead the division coast to coast.
The Yankees not making the playoffs is really the cherry on top of the sundae. Damn is that sweet! The Evil Empire had been in the playoffs for 13 years running with a whole string of division championships over most of those years. Frankly I was surprised the Yankees played as well as they did with their pitching woes. I think they will miss Joe Torre a great deal over the coming years.
In a perfect world the Yankees would have lost to the Orioles Sunday night on national TV and been eliminated from the playoff chase in the last game ever at Yankee Stadium. I had the headline all written in my head: "O's No Hit Yanks, Wait Til Next Year". But of course the Orioles have been no competition for the Yankees for the last dozen years or so. I think it really all goes back to the Jeffrey Maier homerun game. The Yankees have owned the Orioles ever since that game in 1996.
If that play were to happen this postsason it would surely have a different outcome now that MLB uses instant replay. It is designed exactly for that type of play -fair or foul? home run or ball in play? There is no doubt in my mind that the Maier ball would have been ruled fan interference and the batter would have been ruled out. That ruling would have totally changed the outcome of that game, maybe the entire series, perhaps the entire postseason history of both the Orioles and Yankees.
Whoa, that is pretty deep. I better stop now before I mess up the space-time continuum and end up in 1885 with Doc Brown shoeing horses in the Old West.
Mood: Optimistic
Random Movie Quote:
"Marty, you're not thinking fourth dimensionally!" - Back to the Future Part III
Sunday, August 24, 2008
The Puppy Who Lost His Way...
I have been quite troubled for some time of what has become of ESPN. You remember ESPN don't you? The original cable sports network, been on the air since 1979, has spun dozens of regional and national clones. Unfortunately ESPN is not what it used to be.
I think it all began a couple years ago when they aired that made for TV drama about the New York Yankees 1978 season. I forget the name of it and I don't feel like looking it up right now. Needless to say it has all been downhill since then.
Here is what is wrong with ESPN in my not so humble opinion.
1) Sportscenter:
What's not to love about a show full of the best plays of the day and highlights from all the days sporting events? Nothing of course, but that isn't what Sportscenter is anymore. Sportscenter is now four hours long and has amazingly little actual sports highlights. It instead has hours of endless commentary. Experts talk about and debate anything they can think of. Did Tiger Woods have a broken leg when he won his last major? Will swimming take off in America thanks to Michael Phelps? Will Barry Bonds urine smell like asparagus tomorrow? Needless to say I have stopped watching Sportscenter.
2) The Ticker:
The sports ticker in itself was a brilliant idea. Flash some scores across the screen at regular intervals to let folks know what other important sporting events are occurring or have occurred today then let them get back to the game at hand. Once again, the ticker ain't what it used to be. The sports ticker these days is a constant stream of information, some of it not even vaguely related to actual sporting events. Things like "Pacman Jones wants to be referred to as Adam Jones" and "Brett Farve and his wife have boarded a plane for Wisconsin" now regularly scroll across the screen taking valuable space away from the sporting event you actually tuned in to watch. Every now and then a sports score or two will slide across the screen too. I bow to the TV and scream "I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy!" when that happens.
3) Non-Sports Content:
As mentioned above, the 78 Yankees drama was the first real crazy thing I remember seeing on ESPN. It was on in prime time and I think it was over the summer and fall months - prime sports time. It seems to me that it would have been pretty easy to pick up a few extra actual sporting events and air them instead. Extra MLB baseball games, preseason NFL football or college football. Perhaps even go so far as to introduce America to a new sport or venue - minor league baseball, major league lacrosse, ultramarathoning. Non-sports content seems to be a regular theme on ESPN these days. My least favorite is when they show the National Spelling Bee. I know that those little dorks need exposure but for gawd's sake put it on ESPNU.
4) Schizophrenia:
The final thing that drives me bonkers is when they interrupt a show with another show. This happens a lot on those four hour Sportscenters. Sportscenter is going along and poof all the sudden you are right back into PTI. Hello - didn't those blowhards already have 30 freakin' minutes to spew their goo? Remember the night they interrupted Sunday Night Baseball two or three times to show Brett Farve's fucking plane? What the fuck was that all about? (OK, take deep breaths...Sorry, I'm all better now.) Please pick a topic/event/show and stick with it fellas. If something important happens put it in the (constant) ticker or on ESPNNEWS. Better yet, have the ticker direct people to ESPNNEWS for more coverage of breaking events. I understand breaking into a show for a moment of history - Jon Lester's no hitter for instance - but don't interrupt a live baseball game to show Brett Farve's plane taking off in the dark.
Wow, I'm so worked up I can't even think of a clever ending. The title of this post - The Puppy Who Lost His Way - is from Billy Madison with Adam Sandler in case you were wondering.
Mood: Unimpressed
Random Movie Quote:
"Professional what?" - Ferris Buehler's Day Off
I think it all began a couple years ago when they aired that made for TV drama about the New York Yankees 1978 season. I forget the name of it and I don't feel like looking it up right now. Needless to say it has all been downhill since then.
Here is what is wrong with ESPN in my not so humble opinion.
1) Sportscenter:
What's not to love about a show full of the best plays of the day and highlights from all the days sporting events? Nothing of course, but that isn't what Sportscenter is anymore. Sportscenter is now four hours long and has amazingly little actual sports highlights. It instead has hours of endless commentary. Experts talk about and debate anything they can think of. Did Tiger Woods have a broken leg when he won his last major? Will swimming take off in America thanks to Michael Phelps? Will Barry Bonds urine smell like asparagus tomorrow? Needless to say I have stopped watching Sportscenter.
2) The Ticker:
The sports ticker in itself was a brilliant idea. Flash some scores across the screen at regular intervals to let folks know what other important sporting events are occurring or have occurred today then let them get back to the game at hand. Once again, the ticker ain't what it used to be. The sports ticker these days is a constant stream of information, some of it not even vaguely related to actual sporting events. Things like "Pacman Jones wants to be referred to as Adam Jones" and "Brett Farve and his wife have boarded a plane for Wisconsin" now regularly scroll across the screen taking valuable space away from the sporting event you actually tuned in to watch. Every now and then a sports score or two will slide across the screen too. I bow to the TV and scream "I'm not worthy, I'm not worthy!" when that happens.
3) Non-Sports Content:
As mentioned above, the 78 Yankees drama was the first real crazy thing I remember seeing on ESPN. It was on in prime time and I think it was over the summer and fall months - prime sports time. It seems to me that it would have been pretty easy to pick up a few extra actual sporting events and air them instead. Extra MLB baseball games, preseason NFL football or college football. Perhaps even go so far as to introduce America to a new sport or venue - minor league baseball, major league lacrosse, ultramarathoning. Non-sports content seems to be a regular theme on ESPN these days. My least favorite is when they show the National Spelling Bee. I know that those little dorks need exposure but for gawd's sake put it on ESPNU.
4) Schizophrenia:
The final thing that drives me bonkers is when they interrupt a show with another show. This happens a lot on those four hour Sportscenters. Sportscenter is going along and poof all the sudden you are right back into PTI. Hello - didn't those blowhards already have 30 freakin' minutes to spew their goo? Remember the night they interrupted Sunday Night Baseball two or three times to show Brett Farve's fucking plane? What the fuck was that all about? (OK, take deep breaths...Sorry, I'm all better now.) Please pick a topic/event/show and stick with it fellas. If something important happens put it in the (constant) ticker or on ESPNNEWS. Better yet, have the ticker direct people to ESPNNEWS for more coverage of breaking events. I understand breaking into a show for a moment of history - Jon Lester's no hitter for instance - but don't interrupt a live baseball game to show Brett Farve's plane taking off in the dark.
Wow, I'm so worked up I can't even think of a clever ending. The title of this post - The Puppy Who Lost His Way - is from Billy Madison with Adam Sandler in case you were wondering.
Mood: Unimpressed
Random Movie Quote:
"Professional what?" - Ferris Buehler's Day Off
Monday, August 11, 2008
Pine Tree Top Five
I spend at least one week each summer back in my home state of Maine. No matter what else is on the itinerary I always time to fit these 5 things into each visit.
Lobster – You think lobster and you think Maine, no doubt about it. I always partake when I am there because the lobster there is fresh and crazy cheap. I can crack open a lobster with the best of ‘em but my favorite way to eat it is via the Lobster Roll. Let someone else do all the work and give me the reward. Am I an American or what?
Star Gazing – I always find a few spare moments to make my way out to a dock or a field to star gaze. I am always amazed at how many more stars I can see in the sky without the street lights of the suburbs. I truly understand why our galaxy is called the Milky Way after a few minutes of star gazing in the Pine Tree State.
River Rat – That is the brand name of the inner tube I use to float on Clearwater Pond each summer. There is nothing I enjoy more than paddling out in the River Rat and dubbing around the lake for a few hours or until I need another beer. Good times!
Red Hot Dog – In Maine, the hot dogs are red, bright red. Not exactly fire engine red but pretty much exactly the color red of the red socks in the Boston Red Sox logo. They crunch when you bite them, much like a good dill pickle does. I have never seen Red Hot Dogs anywhere else in the world besides the State of Maine.
Hammock Time – my second favorite way to kill time after the River Rat is to chillax in my mom’s hammock. It is one of those big fancy ones with its own metal stand – no trees harmed thank you very much. Swinging in the breeze with my iPod or WKIT supplying the tunes is a great way to kill a sunny afternoon.
Mood: Refreshed
Song of the Day:
"There's a fire that's been burning, right outside my door..."
-Take Me Home
Phil Collins
Lobster – You think lobster and you think Maine, no doubt about it. I always partake when I am there because the lobster there is fresh and crazy cheap. I can crack open a lobster with the best of ‘em but my favorite way to eat it is via the Lobster Roll. Let someone else do all the work and give me the reward. Am I an American or what?
Star Gazing – I always find a few spare moments to make my way out to a dock or a field to star gaze. I am always amazed at how many more stars I can see in the sky without the street lights of the suburbs. I truly understand why our galaxy is called the Milky Way after a few minutes of star gazing in the Pine Tree State.
River Rat – That is the brand name of the inner tube I use to float on Clearwater Pond each summer. There is nothing I enjoy more than paddling out in the River Rat and dubbing around the lake for a few hours or until I need another beer. Good times!
Red Hot Dog – In Maine, the hot dogs are red, bright red. Not exactly fire engine red but pretty much exactly the color red of the red socks in the Boston Red Sox logo. They crunch when you bite them, much like a good dill pickle does. I have never seen Red Hot Dogs anywhere else in the world besides the State of Maine.
Hammock Time – my second favorite way to kill time after the River Rat is to chillax in my mom’s hammock. It is one of those big fancy ones with its own metal stand – no trees harmed thank you very much. Swinging in the breeze with my iPod or WKIT supplying the tunes is a great way to kill a sunny afternoon.
Mood: Refreshed
Song of the Day:
"There's a fire that's been burning, right outside my door..."
-Take Me Home
Phil Collins
Thursday, July 17, 2008
The Rockets Red Glare....
Happy belated birthday to America!!! There are a lot of good ways to celebrate the founding of a nation. Ice cream and cake are always my choice to celebrate anything - birthday, graduation, driver's license renewal...
One of the most festive ways to celebrate the 4th of July is with fireworks. You can go to pretty much any dot on the map and somewhere nearby there will be a fireworks display. I happened to be in Aurora, Ohio for the 4th this year and sure enough there was a magnificent fireworks display just a couple towns over on the evening of Friday July 4th.
But we all know the real American way to celebrate the 4th is to shoot of some of your own fireworks. Fireworks you bought at Wal-Mart which were made in China by some malnourished 11 year old boy. Now that is what freedom is all about!!! Now, there is some risk associated with setting off your own fireworks. You have all seen the ads and public service announcements on TV where they have a watermelon holding a firecracker and then "whammo" it gets blown to bits. I say "This is America dammit, if we wanna blow off a finger or two then let us!"
Every locality seems to have their own rules surrounding the purchase, transportation and even usage of these pyrotechnic wonders. Some states allow them, some don't. Some cities and counties in states that allow them don't allow them. Some states will let you drive through with a trunk full of em and some won't. By far the oddest regulation of the firework trade I have come across in my travels is by the state of Ohio. (Hi in the middle and round on the ends.)
Fireworks are legal to purchase in Ohio, you can but a whole truckload if you want. You just can't set them off there. It is illegal to light your fireworks in the state of Ohio. In fact when you purchase fireworks in one of Ohio's many fine fireworks establishments you need to sign an affidavit and swear that you are taking them out of state. It is by far the dumbest thing I have ever run across. Having spent July 3rd through 8th in wonderful, wild...Ohio I can assure you there are a lot of liars residing in Portage County, Ohio.
Mood: Mellow
It's Ironic: That you can purchase fireworks in Ohio but can't set them off there.
Song of the Day:
"I'm gonna live where the green grass grows, watch my corn pop up in rows."
-Where The Green Grass Grows
Tim McGraw
One of the most festive ways to celebrate the 4th of July is with fireworks. You can go to pretty much any dot on the map and somewhere nearby there will be a fireworks display. I happened to be in Aurora, Ohio for the 4th this year and sure enough there was a magnificent fireworks display just a couple towns over on the evening of Friday July 4th.
But we all know the real American way to celebrate the 4th is to shoot of some of your own fireworks. Fireworks you bought at Wal-Mart which were made in China by some malnourished 11 year old boy. Now that is what freedom is all about!!! Now, there is some risk associated with setting off your own fireworks. You have all seen the ads and public service announcements on TV where they have a watermelon holding a firecracker and then "whammo" it gets blown to bits. I say "This is America dammit, if we wanna blow off a finger or two then let us!"
Every locality seems to have their own rules surrounding the purchase, transportation and even usage of these pyrotechnic wonders. Some states allow them, some don't. Some cities and counties in states that allow them don't allow them. Some states will let you drive through with a trunk full of em and some won't. By far the oddest regulation of the firework trade I have come across in my travels is by the state of Ohio. (Hi in the middle and round on the ends.)
Fireworks are legal to purchase in Ohio, you can but a whole truckload if you want. You just can't set them off there. It is illegal to light your fireworks in the state of Ohio. In fact when you purchase fireworks in one of Ohio's many fine fireworks establishments you need to sign an affidavit and swear that you are taking them out of state. It is by far the dumbest thing I have ever run across. Having spent July 3rd through 8th in wonderful, wild...Ohio I can assure you there are a lot of liars residing in Portage County, Ohio.
Mood: Mellow
It's Ironic: That you can purchase fireworks in Ohio but can't set them off there.
Song of the Day:
"I'm gonna live where the green grass grows, watch my corn pop up in rows."
-Where The Green Grass Grows
Tim McGraw
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Somewhere in middle America......
This time of year I am glued to the TV watching the NCAA College World Series (CWS) from Omaha, Nebraska. There is something about the ping of the ball off the bat that you just don't get from the pros. As always, you have your national college baseball powerhouses in Omaha - Miami, Rice, LSU - but there is usually a cinderella story somewhere in the field of eight.
This year the Fresno State Bulldogs take the cinderella crown home with them no matter where they finish in the tourney. They are the first regional #4 seed ever to advance to the CWS. The NCAA baseball tourney starts with 16 regionals of four teams. If you win your regional you play in a super regional, you win that and you go to Omaha. Having a number four seed win the regional and super regional is equivalent to a 13 thru 16 seed in the NCAA men's basketball tourney reaching the Elite 8 during March Madness. It does not happen - ever. Until this year.
In fact, Fresno State has advanced all the way to the championship series against another set of Bulldogs - the Georgia Bulldogs. The Georgia Bulldogs won a squeaker in the first game of the series by scoring 4 runs in the 8th inning to come back from a 6-3 deficit and win 7-6. Game two featured a barrage of offense from both clubs with the Fresno State Bulldogs coming out on top by a score of 19-10. 29 runs and 34 hits in the game, proving that virtually no lead is safe with aluminum bats.
The deciding game is to be played on Wednesday evening and televised live on ESPN beginning at 7:05pm EST. Only one thing can be guaranteed at this point - the Bulldogs are going to win a National Championship on Wednesday night. Only time will tell if it's the good old boys from Georgia or the cinderella kids from Fresno. I am hoping Fresno State pulls it out. I always root for the underdog unless my Red Sox are involved.
Mood: Relaxed
Song of the Day:
"Omaha, somewhere in middle America....."
-Omaha
Counting Crows
This year the Fresno State Bulldogs take the cinderella crown home with them no matter where they finish in the tourney. They are the first regional #4 seed ever to advance to the CWS. The NCAA baseball tourney starts with 16 regionals of four teams. If you win your regional you play in a super regional, you win that and you go to Omaha. Having a number four seed win the regional and super regional is equivalent to a 13 thru 16 seed in the NCAA men's basketball tourney reaching the Elite 8 during March Madness. It does not happen - ever. Until this year.
In fact, Fresno State has advanced all the way to the championship series against another set of Bulldogs - the Georgia Bulldogs. The Georgia Bulldogs won a squeaker in the first game of the series by scoring 4 runs in the 8th inning to come back from a 6-3 deficit and win 7-6. Game two featured a barrage of offense from both clubs with the Fresno State Bulldogs coming out on top by a score of 19-10. 29 runs and 34 hits in the game, proving that virtually no lead is safe with aluminum bats.
The deciding game is to be played on Wednesday evening and televised live on ESPN beginning at 7:05pm EST. Only one thing can be guaranteed at this point - the Bulldogs are going to win a National Championship on Wednesday night. Only time will tell if it's the good old boys from Georgia or the cinderella kids from Fresno. I am hoping Fresno State pulls it out. I always root for the underdog unless my Red Sox are involved.
Mood: Relaxed
Song of the Day:
"Omaha, somewhere in middle America....."
-Omaha
Counting Crows
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Deadlines
If it weren't for deadlines I would clearly get nothing done. The 2009 NCAA Frozen Four is being held in my backyard next April at the Verizon Center in Washington DC - our nation's capital. I have had an eye on this event for probably a little over 2 years since I first noticed in early 2006 that DC was the 2009 host city.
The Frozen Four is a very popular event and in order to get tickets you have to register online for a lottery drawing. The application process began on April 1, 2008 and ends today, June 1, 2008 at 11:59pm EST. I have literally had a note on my whiteboard that states: "2009 Frozen Four; April 9-11, 2009; apply 4/1/08 - 6/1/08" since February or March 2007. So when did I apply for tickets? Sunday, June 1, 2008 at 9:25pm! Nothing like waiting until the last minute, eh?
The ticket process is quite interesting in itself and is part of the reason I waited until the very end to apply. The NCAA charges your credit card, or debits your checking account, the day after they receive your application for the full amount of the tickets, $177 per seat, plus a $7 handling fee. This, however, does not mean that you are going to get tickets in the lottery. So I spent $361 today for the privilege of being selected in the ticket lottery to be held sometime this summer. If my application is not picked they will refund me $354 sometime in July or August and keep the other $7 for themselves.
In the financial world that is known as "float". They get to collect money from thousands of fans, sit on it for upwards of 5 months, earn interest on it and then refund some of it to the unlucky applicants who are not chosen for tix. That is a pretty good racket. In fact, dozens of Fortune 500 companies specialize in doing just this for a living. Ever heard of American Express? Sorry American Express, the Frozen Four only accepts Visa or Mastercard.
Mood: Fabulous!
Song of the Day:
"I get knocked down, but I get up again, you're never going keep me down"
-Tubthumping
Chumbawamba
The Frozen Four is a very popular event and in order to get tickets you have to register online for a lottery drawing. The application process began on April 1, 2008 and ends today, June 1, 2008 at 11:59pm EST. I have literally had a note on my whiteboard that states: "2009 Frozen Four; April 9-11, 2009; apply 4/1/08 - 6/1/08" since February or March 2007. So when did I apply for tickets? Sunday, June 1, 2008 at 9:25pm! Nothing like waiting until the last minute, eh?
The ticket process is quite interesting in itself and is part of the reason I waited until the very end to apply. The NCAA charges your credit card, or debits your checking account, the day after they receive your application for the full amount of the tickets, $177 per seat, plus a $7 handling fee. This, however, does not mean that you are going to get tickets in the lottery. So I spent $361 today for the privilege of being selected in the ticket lottery to be held sometime this summer. If my application is not picked they will refund me $354 sometime in July or August and keep the other $7 for themselves.
In the financial world that is known as "float". They get to collect money from thousands of fans, sit on it for upwards of 5 months, earn interest on it and then refund some of it to the unlucky applicants who are not chosen for tix. That is a pretty good racket. In fact, dozens of Fortune 500 companies specialize in doing just this for a living. Ever heard of American Express? Sorry American Express, the Frozen Four only accepts Visa or Mastercard.
Mood: Fabulous!
Song of the Day:
"I get knocked down, but I get up again, you're never going keep me down"
-Tubthumping
Chumbawamba
Monday, May 26, 2008
The Sting of Summer
Memorial Day Weekend is often referred to as the "unofficial start of summer". Works for me! Spring 2008 in NoVa has been a wet one. The good news is the drought is over. In fact, we have had a whopping 22 inches of rain since April 1st. That is just over 7 months worth of rain in 55 days. It certainly isn't time to start building an arch but it has made spring rather cold, damp and miserable.
Summer is my favorite season. You can keep winter for yourself, send me pictures of the spring and write me a postcard about autumn. Summer is where it's at! I will take 12 months of July - no school and my birthday to boot! To me, summer means road trips to the beach, baseball games on sweltering summer nights, campfires and smores with the family and getting off the beaten path for a little while.
With gas at $4.00 per gallon I will probably be a little more conservative with my travel time this year. I am more likely to attend a Potomac Nationals game - a round trip of 28 miles - than to make a trip to Baltimore, Frederick or Pittsburgh to watch a game - all places I have ventured to in the past to see a game.
I will most likely make one trip to New England instead of two but it will be a few days longer than in the past. I will probably squeeze in a trip to the Midwest to visit my bro somewhere too. Places to go and people to see this summer for sure.
My long weekend was nice. Got in my first baseball game of the year. Hot dog, nachos and a soda for $10.50 at Pfitzner Stadium - gotta love the minor leagues. I even had the ambition to make some ice cream on Sunday but I have apparently misplaced my ice cream maker. I have the thing you freeze but not the big arm that churns it. It's kind of like having a car without an engine. I hope psycho doesn't have it. The bitch definitely has my smores maker - grrrrrrrrrrr!
Mood: Adventurous
Song of the Day:
"As we are dancing, Mary's wrapping her arms around me and I can feel the sting of summer on my skin."
-Anything But Mine
Kenny Chesney
It's Ironic: That too much fertilizer will kill your lawn and garden.
Summer is my favorite season. You can keep winter for yourself, send me pictures of the spring and write me a postcard about autumn. Summer is where it's at! I will take 12 months of July - no school and my birthday to boot! To me, summer means road trips to the beach, baseball games on sweltering summer nights, campfires and smores with the family and getting off the beaten path for a little while.
With gas at $4.00 per gallon I will probably be a little more conservative with my travel time this year. I am more likely to attend a Potomac Nationals game - a round trip of 28 miles - than to make a trip to Baltimore, Frederick or Pittsburgh to watch a game - all places I have ventured to in the past to see a game.
I will most likely make one trip to New England instead of two but it will be a few days longer than in the past. I will probably squeeze in a trip to the Midwest to visit my bro somewhere too. Places to go and people to see this summer for sure.
My long weekend was nice. Got in my first baseball game of the year. Hot dog, nachos and a soda for $10.50 at Pfitzner Stadium - gotta love the minor leagues. I even had the ambition to make some ice cream on Sunday but I have apparently misplaced my ice cream maker. I have the thing you freeze but not the big arm that churns it. It's kind of like having a car without an engine. I hope psycho doesn't have it. The bitch definitely has my smores maker - grrrrrrrrrrr!
Mood: Adventurous
Song of the Day:
"As we are dancing, Mary's wrapping her arms around me and I can feel the sting of summer on my skin."
-Anything But Mine
Kenny Chesney
It's Ironic: That too much fertilizer will kill your lawn and garden.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Road Trip
Got my first road trip of the year in last week. 1,530 miles in 5 days. Truth be told, it was a little rushed. Another day to relax before the drive back to the VA would have been nice. All in all it was a good trip and I got to see some new territory along the way.
I sucked it up and took I-76 through Pennsylvania as I headed West because with gas at $4.00 per gallon it offers the shortest trip mileage wise to my brother's in Ohio. I-76 is one of my least favorite roads. They literally cut I-76 into the earth when they built it which means you are two to five feet below the surrounding countryside during much of the ride. There is a lot of pretty scenery in Pennsylvania but it is hard to see from I-76. Add in the huge concrete barrier that is always 15 inches to your left and you get a fairly stressful ride. An accident, road construction or rush hour traffic can quickly turn the ride into a nightmare. I hit the construction jackpot on my trip, seemed like the whole thing was torn up but it was really probably only 20 miles or so. 6 hours and 45 minutes to Westlake, not horrible but not great either. The highlight of the day was going through the Allegheny Tunnel on I-76. It is always exciting to drive THROUGH a mountain.
Day two found me West bound and down from there on the Ohio Turnpike. I have only been West of my brother's a couple times and it always amazes me how flat western Ohio is. It isn't Illinois flat, but it is pretty flat. Headed up Route 23 and into Michigan - wahoo new territory! I was surprised by how flat Michigan was too. I bypassed the big cities and headed for Lake Huron. Now I have seen 2 of the Great Lakes, 3 more to go! Lake Huron was cool, the entire shoreline was sand which is a trip for me. There ain't much sand in Maine, just a lotta rocks. I was far enough north that it wasn't million dollar estates on the shores of Lake Huron, it was just everyday homes. I think it would be pretty cool to live on the shore of the world's 5th largest lake.
I always try to eat at new places when I am on the road and I hit the jackpot in Michigan. I hit a Big Boy for dessert one evening and a Tim Horton's for breakfast the next day. I had never been to either before. They just aren't around in my neck of Virginia. I would have liked to try the Big Boy - the hamburger the Big Mac was cloned after - but it was late so I settled for a simple slice of pie. Tim Horton's was good - really I have never met a donut I didn't like.
I had to boogie back to Ohio to make it to my Brother's slightly belated Cinco de Mayo party. What's 5 days when free margarita's are involved? I was really too pooped to party at this point, so I took it pretty easy at the party. I even snuck upstairs for a nap at one point during the evening.
Had Sunday to relax with the fam before heading back to VA on Monday. We went and saw Iron Man on Mother's Day. Not sure if my sis-in-law picked this one or if she was simply out voted. I wanted soooooo much to hate this movie but it was a really good flick. I still think Robert Downey is a cock master but he was a perfect fit for this movie.
The drive back to NoVa started out fine but it came to a screeching halt in Pennsylvania on, you guessed it, I-76. An accident 10 miles up the highway had traffic at a standstill at mile 34. I put the car in park, shut off the ignition and cranked up the iPod. Eventually, I got bored enough to dig my camera out from the trunk to document the standstill. 7 hours and 45 minutes back home - yucko!
Miles: 1,530
States Visited: Ohio, Michigan
States Along the Way: Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania
Food Stops: Big Boy, Tim Horton's, Roy Rogers
Highlight: Standing on the beach looking out at Lake Huron
Lowlight: Traffic jam on I-76 in Pennsylvania
I sucked it up and took I-76 through Pennsylvania as I headed West because with gas at $4.00 per gallon it offers the shortest trip mileage wise to my brother's in Ohio. I-76 is one of my least favorite roads. They literally cut I-76 into the earth when they built it which means you are two to five feet below the surrounding countryside during much of the ride. There is a lot of pretty scenery in Pennsylvania but it is hard to see from I-76. Add in the huge concrete barrier that is always 15 inches to your left and you get a fairly stressful ride. An accident, road construction or rush hour traffic can quickly turn the ride into a nightmare. I hit the construction jackpot on my trip, seemed like the whole thing was torn up but it was really probably only 20 miles or so. 6 hours and 45 minutes to Westlake, not horrible but not great either. The highlight of the day was going through the Allegheny Tunnel on I-76. It is always exciting to drive THROUGH a mountain.
Day two found me West bound and down from there on the Ohio Turnpike. I have only been West of my brother's a couple times and it always amazes me how flat western Ohio is. It isn't Illinois flat, but it is pretty flat. Headed up Route 23 and into Michigan - wahoo new territory! I was surprised by how flat Michigan was too. I bypassed the big cities and headed for Lake Huron. Now I have seen 2 of the Great Lakes, 3 more to go! Lake Huron was cool, the entire shoreline was sand which is a trip for me. There ain't much sand in Maine, just a lotta rocks. I was far enough north that it wasn't million dollar estates on the shores of Lake Huron, it was just everyday homes. I think it would be pretty cool to live on the shore of the world's 5th largest lake.
I always try to eat at new places when I am on the road and I hit the jackpot in Michigan. I hit a Big Boy for dessert one evening and a Tim Horton's for breakfast the next day. I had never been to either before. They just aren't around in my neck of Virginia. I would have liked to try the Big Boy - the hamburger the Big Mac was cloned after - but it was late so I settled for a simple slice of pie. Tim Horton's was good - really I have never met a donut I didn't like.
I had to boogie back to Ohio to make it to my Brother's slightly belated Cinco de Mayo party. What's 5 days when free margarita's are involved? I was really too pooped to party at this point, so I took it pretty easy at the party. I even snuck upstairs for a nap at one point during the evening.
Had Sunday to relax with the fam before heading back to VA on Monday. We went and saw Iron Man on Mother's Day. Not sure if my sis-in-law picked this one or if she was simply out voted. I wanted soooooo much to hate this movie but it was a really good flick. I still think Robert Downey is a cock master but he was a perfect fit for this movie.
The drive back to NoVa started out fine but it came to a screeching halt in Pennsylvania on, you guessed it, I-76. An accident 10 miles up the highway had traffic at a standstill at mile 34. I put the car in park, shut off the ignition and cranked up the iPod. Eventually, I got bored enough to dig my camera out from the trunk to document the standstill. 7 hours and 45 minutes back home - yucko!
Miles: 1,530
States Visited: Ohio, Michigan
States Along the Way: Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania
Food Stops: Big Boy, Tim Horton's, Roy Rogers
Highlight: Standing on the beach looking out at Lake Huron
Lowlight: Traffic jam on I-76 in Pennsylvania
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Marathon Monday
Growing up, the third Monday of April always meant one thing to me - the start of school vacation. Any day without school was a gift from the gods, especially in the spring after being cooped up for months over the long Maine winter.
Officially, the third Monday of April is Patriots Day, to celebrate the ride of Paul Revere - who in 1775 warned the American Revolutionists that the British were on their way and were ticked! Today, only Massachusetts, Maine and Wisconsin celebrate Patriots Day and really only Massachusetts does it in style.
Need something to do on your holiday Monday? How about getting up early and running 26.2 miles with 25,000 of your closest friends? If running the Boston Marathon isn't your thing no problem, you know the Sox will be at Fenway for a game that day. They have played a game at the Fens on Marathon Monday every year since 1959. Just don't sleep in or you may miss it, first pitch will be mighty early. It was an 11:00am start this year but it has been as early as 10:00am in the past. Nothing like a Fenway Frank and some Narragansett for breakfast.
This year's Marathon Monday had an extra twist to it. A Game 7 match-up between the Bruins and Canadiens. Unfortunately, that one didn't turn out so good for the Habs. They lost 5-0 but nobody said they'd even get as far as they did, so no reason for shame there.
My part in Marathon Monday this year was simply to cheer the Sox onto victory in their match-up against the Texas Rangers via NESN HD. It didn't start out real pretty, but they pulled it out of the fire and came out on top in the end. Their 8th come from behind win of the young season. Looks like we do have a legitimate shot to repeat in 08. Oh my, doesn't that have a nice ring to it!
Mood: Victorious
Song of the Day:
"Hands, touchin' hands. Reachin' out. Touchin' me. Touchin' you!"
-Sweet Caroline
Neil Diamond
Officially, the third Monday of April is Patriots Day, to celebrate the ride of Paul Revere - who in 1775 warned the American Revolutionists that the British were on their way and were ticked! Today, only Massachusetts, Maine and Wisconsin celebrate Patriots Day and really only Massachusetts does it in style.
Need something to do on your holiday Monday? How about getting up early and running 26.2 miles with 25,000 of your closest friends? If running the Boston Marathon isn't your thing no problem, you know the Sox will be at Fenway for a game that day. They have played a game at the Fens on Marathon Monday every year since 1959. Just don't sleep in or you may miss it, first pitch will be mighty early. It was an 11:00am start this year but it has been as early as 10:00am in the past. Nothing like a Fenway Frank and some Narragansett for breakfast.
This year's Marathon Monday had an extra twist to it. A Game 7 match-up between the Bruins and Canadiens. Unfortunately, that one didn't turn out so good for the Habs. They lost 5-0 but nobody said they'd even get as far as they did, so no reason for shame there.
My part in Marathon Monday this year was simply to cheer the Sox onto victory in their match-up against the Texas Rangers via NESN HD. It didn't start out real pretty, but they pulled it out of the fire and came out on top in the end. Their 8th come from behind win of the young season. Looks like we do have a legitimate shot to repeat in 08. Oh my, doesn't that have a nice ring to it!
Mood: Victorious
Song of the Day:
"Hands, touchin' hands. Reachin' out. Touchin' me. Touchin' you!"
-Sweet Caroline
Neil Diamond
Friday, April 4, 2008
Signs of Spring
I hate winter. I don't think I can even put into words how much I despise snow and cold and wind. Luckily the winter was a mild one here in NoVa. A mere 10 inches of snow this year, less than half of what we normally get. Maybe global warming isn't so bad after all. No, perish that thought. I don't want to get a sunburn walking from the house to my car in 2035. But that's a whole 'nother blog.
After our mild winter of 2008 spring is in full effect in greater DC. The Cherry Blossoms are out, the grass is green and it is only a matter of time until I will be burning my butt on the black leather seats of my car when I hop in. Here are my Top 5 Favorite Signs of Spring.
#5) Green Grass. Just looking out the window and seeing a vibrant green carpet of lawn. The grass turning green is about a month long process. You may catch a fresh green sprig or two in early March or even late February. But it takes 3 or 4 more weeks for several thousand of the little buggers to sprout up and form a lawn.
#4) Daffodils. The earliest breed of flowers to sprout up and show their elegance each year. I am always amazed how many daffodils you see when traveling around the local highways. It seems they are planted in every median strip and next to every off ramp in addition to being a garden staple. I-395 in Alexandria and Arlington is just chock full of daffodils.
#3) The smell of a fresh cut lawn. I am the only one in my family who is not stricken with big time allergies. As a result, I just love the unmistakable scent of a fresh cut lawn. That is a sign that spring is truly here to stay. I haven't got a whiff of it yet, but any day now it will hit me and I will drink it in.
#2) MLB Opening Day. Yes, I am slightly obsessed with baseball. I would probably watch 2 kids play 1-on-1 wiffleball if you gave me a hot dog, a Coke and a lawn chair. Just hearing the crack of the bat and the roar of the crowd gives me tingles. Everyone is in first place on Opening Day - even the Rays, Pirates and Royals. I have been to a few opening days. It snowed at the last one I went to in 2003. I decided at that time that the best seat for Opening Day is on my couch.
#1) Forsythia. You know that bright yellow shrub you see every spring and don't know the name of. It's called forsythia. I didn't have to look it up. We had some in front of our house growing up. Its bright, vibrant, electric-yellow blossoms can brighten up even the most dreary March day. Just like with daffodils, I am always amazed how much forsythia there is. It is everywhere but you only notice it with its yellow bloomers a showing. The rest of the year it is very conspicuous with its standard green leaves.
Honorable Mention: Spring Training.
When pitchers and catchers report to Florida and Arizona in mid-February it is a pseudo-sign of spring. That at least means that the grass is green and the temps are warm in Florida and spring will be working its way up the East Coast soon.
Mood: Energetic
Listening To:
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name ain't John this is somebody else's greasy shirt, my name's Kurt."
-Famous People
Brad Paisley
After our mild winter of 2008 spring is in full effect in greater DC. The Cherry Blossoms are out, the grass is green and it is only a matter of time until I will be burning my butt on the black leather seats of my car when I hop in. Here are my Top 5 Favorite Signs of Spring.
#5) Green Grass. Just looking out the window and seeing a vibrant green carpet of lawn. The grass turning green is about a month long process. You may catch a fresh green sprig or two in early March or even late February. But it takes 3 or 4 more weeks for several thousand of the little buggers to sprout up and form a lawn.
#4) Daffodils. The earliest breed of flowers to sprout up and show their elegance each year. I am always amazed how many daffodils you see when traveling around the local highways. It seems they are planted in every median strip and next to every off ramp in addition to being a garden staple. I-395 in Alexandria and Arlington is just chock full of daffodils.
#3) The smell of a fresh cut lawn. I am the only one in my family who is not stricken with big time allergies. As a result, I just love the unmistakable scent of a fresh cut lawn. That is a sign that spring is truly here to stay. I haven't got a whiff of it yet, but any day now it will hit me and I will drink it in.
#2) MLB Opening Day. Yes, I am slightly obsessed with baseball. I would probably watch 2 kids play 1-on-1 wiffleball if you gave me a hot dog, a Coke and a lawn chair. Just hearing the crack of the bat and the roar of the crowd gives me tingles. Everyone is in first place on Opening Day - even the Rays, Pirates and Royals. I have been to a few opening days. It snowed at the last one I went to in 2003. I decided at that time that the best seat for Opening Day is on my couch.
#1) Forsythia. You know that bright yellow shrub you see every spring and don't know the name of. It's called forsythia. I didn't have to look it up. We had some in front of our house growing up. Its bright, vibrant, electric-yellow blossoms can brighten up even the most dreary March day. Just like with daffodils, I am always amazed how much forsythia there is. It is everywhere but you only notice it with its yellow bloomers a showing. The rest of the year it is very conspicuous with its standard green leaves.
Honorable Mention: Spring Training.
When pitchers and catchers report to Florida and Arizona in mid-February it is a pseudo-sign of spring. That at least means that the grass is green and the temps are warm in Florida and spring will be working its way up the East Coast soon.
Mood: Energetic
Listening To:
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name ain't John this is somebody else's greasy shirt, my name's Kurt."
-Famous People
Brad Paisley
Monday, March 17, 2008
The Ghost of Shamrocks Past
I love St. Patrick's Day. It's one of those fun days where adults can dress up, drink profusely and act like an ass for a few hours. It's like Halloween but with a few less women dressed like whores. I believe that EVERYBODY is Irish on St. Patrick's Day!
I do have my limits though. There was no green beer for me today. Strictly the good stuff, the high test, numero uno - Guinness on tap. That's what I am talking about!
Besides Guinness, St. Pattie's Day always makes me crave big time for one other thing - a Shamrock Shake from McDonald's. I had a major jonesing for that light green concoction today. Growing up it was the first real sign of spring. The grass in Maine didn't turn green until April but you could always get a mint green Shamrock Shake at Mickey Dees in early March.
I strolled happily into McDonald's this afternoon to get me one. Alas, it seems that the Shamrock Shake has gone the way of the McRib sandwich. The girl at the counter looked at me like I had 3 eyes when I asked if they still sold it. No Shamrock Shake for me it appears. Looks like I will have to drown my sorrows in Guinness, what a shame!
I do have my limits though. There was no green beer for me today. Strictly the good stuff, the high test, numero uno - Guinness on tap. That's what I am talking about!
Besides Guinness, St. Pattie's Day always makes me crave big time for one other thing - a Shamrock Shake from McDonald's. I had a major jonesing for that light green concoction today. Growing up it was the first real sign of spring. The grass in Maine didn't turn green until April but you could always get a mint green Shamrock Shake at Mickey Dees in early March.
I strolled happily into McDonald's this afternoon to get me one. Alas, it seems that the Shamrock Shake has gone the way of the McRib sandwich. The girl at the counter looked at me like I had 3 eyes when I asked if they still sold it. No Shamrock Shake for me it appears. Looks like I will have to drown my sorrows in Guinness, what a shame!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Leap Day 2008
Today was a very special day. A day that only comes along once every four years - it was leap day. The day we make up for the fact that it actually takes our planet 365 and 1/4 days to orbit the sun. I knew it was going to be a good day today when something unique happened to me this morning. I saw a guy sporting a mullet haircut.
Yes it's true that mullets were all the rage back in the early 1990s. Heck, even Jason Priestly sported one in the early days of Beverly Hills 90210. But to see a mullet in greater Washington DC in 2008 is a rare treat. And this was no ordinary mullet. It was a gift from the mullet gods. It can only be described as a baldmullet. A bald guy with a mullet. I checked www.mulletsgalore.com - the ultimate mullet classification website - and they did not even have a category for it. Perhaps, I discovered a new species of mullet today. If so, it was quite a find. This guy was not shy about his mulletude. He was sporting a bright orange polo shirt. The only way he could have been more obvious was if he actually had a neon arrow on his shirt pointing to his head. You go boy!
I figured since February 29th only comes along once every four years I should do something out of the ordinary today. I heard on the radio that my bank was collecting winter coats today. So I dug out a couple coats I no longer wear, dusted them off and took them over. It was hard for me to say goodbye to my "Crayola Rocks" LL Bean coat. It has served me well through the years. My college buds always teased me about wearing a bright yellow winter coat. "Crayola Rocks", "Bumblebee", "I can see you 5 miles away" - I heard it all. Luckily, it just bounced right off me. I was like a duck in my LL Bean coat - a bright yellow duck!
Mood: Pensive
Random Movie Line:
"Hey sweet thang. Can I buy you a fish sandwich? " - The Ladies Man
Listening To:
The Cars Greatest Hits
Yes it's true that mullets were all the rage back in the early 1990s. Heck, even Jason Priestly sported one in the early days of Beverly Hills 90210. But to see a mullet in greater Washington DC in 2008 is a rare treat. And this was no ordinary mullet. It was a gift from the mullet gods. It can only be described as a baldmullet. A bald guy with a mullet. I checked www.mulletsgalore.com - the ultimate mullet classification website - and they did not even have a category for it. Perhaps, I discovered a new species of mullet today. If so, it was quite a find. This guy was not shy about his mulletude. He was sporting a bright orange polo shirt. The only way he could have been more obvious was if he actually had a neon arrow on his shirt pointing to his head. You go boy!
I figured since February 29th only comes along once every four years I should do something out of the ordinary today. I heard on the radio that my bank was collecting winter coats today. So I dug out a couple coats I no longer wear, dusted them off and took them over. It was hard for me to say goodbye to my "Crayola Rocks" LL Bean coat. It has served me well through the years. My college buds always teased me about wearing a bright yellow winter coat. "Crayola Rocks", "Bumblebee", "I can see you 5 miles away" - I heard it all. Luckily, it just bounced right off me. I was like a duck in my LL Bean coat - a bright yellow duck!
Mood: Pensive
Random Movie Line:
"Hey sweet thang. Can I buy you a fish sandwich? " - The Ladies Man
Listening To:
The Cars Greatest Hits
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Rites of Passage
There are certain events in your life that even as they occur you are aware of their significance. You immediately know you will carry their memory with you for all time. They are called rites of passage. Things such as:
* Riding Your Bike Without Training Wheels
* Obtaining Your Driver's License
* Your First Sexual Conquest
* Graduating High School
* Buying Your First Car
* Getting Married
* Having a Child
* Retirement
Rites of passage should evoke warm memories for years to come. I experienced my very own rite of passage today. I joined the ranks and ranks of Americans who rent a storage locker. Yes, this is a very important date indeed! It was the day I determined I had accumulated too much stuff to store it all in my home. I need an extra place to store some of my crap - wahoo! Am I living the dream or what?
Truth be told, I am getting ready for some major home improvements and I simply need to make some of my stuff disappear for a while. So really this is just a temporary phenomenon. I hope to be storage locker free within two months. Talk may be cheap but storage is not!
Mood: Stoked!
Listening To:
"High time we made a stand and shook up the views of the common man"
-Sowing The Seeds of Love
Tears For Fears
* Riding Your Bike Without Training Wheels
* Obtaining Your Driver's License
* Your First Sexual Conquest
* Graduating High School
* Buying Your First Car
* Getting Married
* Having a Child
* Retirement
Rites of passage should evoke warm memories for years to come. I experienced my very own rite of passage today. I joined the ranks and ranks of Americans who rent a storage locker. Yes, this is a very important date indeed! It was the day I determined I had accumulated too much stuff to store it all in my home. I need an extra place to store some of my crap - wahoo! Am I living the dream or what?
Truth be told, I am getting ready for some major home improvements and I simply need to make some of my stuff disappear for a while. So really this is just a temporary phenomenon. I hope to be storage locker free within two months. Talk may be cheap but storage is not!
Mood: Stoked!
Listening To:
"High time we made a stand and shook up the views of the common man"
-Sowing The Seeds of Love
Tears For Fears
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Nine-Hundred Thirty-Five
935, thats a pretty big number. It's too big to be a credit score, they only go to 850. Not long enough to be a phone number (just press 2 for a while) or a social security number. Besides, who'd be dumb enough to post either of them on the web these days. So what could it be? Oh, it could be an SAT score. If that was my SAT score I certainly wouldn't be telling it to anyone.
Oh yea, now I remember! 935 is the number of false statements the Bush Administration made about Iraq and the threat it posed to our national security in the 2 years leading up to the war. Remember all that talk about how Iraq is linked to Osama and al-Qaida and Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. Finally, someone went back and reviewed the video tape and transcripts of all that rhetoric and that is the number they came up with - 935. (Search for "Misinformation Study" on Yahoo News.)
935 times someone in the administration lied or provided us with inaccurate information to build a case for war. If that doesn't piss you off I don't know what ever will. No wait, I know something else that might piss you off more. Congress is STILL investigating steroid use in baseball. That's right, Congress isn't investigating the sub-prime mortgage crisis or the lack of accurate prewar intelligence. They are still dealing with whether Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were juiced up during their inflated careers. Give me a friggin break!
Random Movie Quote:
"Stalking is such an ugly word. I prefer to think of it as compulsive following." - Accepted
Oh yea, now I remember! 935 is the number of false statements the Bush Administration made about Iraq and the threat it posed to our national security in the 2 years leading up to the war. Remember all that talk about how Iraq is linked to Osama and al-Qaida and Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. Finally, someone went back and reviewed the video tape and transcripts of all that rhetoric and that is the number they came up with - 935. (Search for "Misinformation Study" on Yahoo News.)
935 times someone in the administration lied or provided us with inaccurate information to build a case for war. If that doesn't piss you off I don't know what ever will. No wait, I know something else that might piss you off more. Congress is STILL investigating steroid use in baseball. That's right, Congress isn't investigating the sub-prime mortgage crisis or the lack of accurate prewar intelligence. They are still dealing with whether Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were juiced up during their inflated careers. Give me a friggin break!
Random Movie Quote:
"Stalking is such an ugly word. I prefer to think of it as compulsive following." - Accepted
Monday, January 7, 2008
January Thaw
One of the things I love most about living in NoVa is the weather. I spent 21 long winters in the frozen tundra of the Pine Tree State. Winters here are much more pleasant than they are so far North. I can deal with the cold to a certain degree but there is no doubt that my blood has thinned out over the past 12 years south of the Mason-Dixon Line.
The best thing about winter in the mid-Atlantic region is that every now and then there is a day of total respite. A day that feels like you have magically drifted back in time to a day of Indian summer from the fall or somehow leaped ahead to the spring season still to come. Today was one of those magical days. Sunny and warm with a gentle southern breeze and a high of 71 degrees.
We are lucky enough in NoVa to have a couple of these magical days sprinkled into our winter season each year. They seem to come out of nowhere and they seem to disappear in a flash. They make up for the miserable days of winter. The windy, snowy, cold days that make you want to move to Arizona.
All good things in moderation of course. If you string together too many of these wonderful days in a row or in a month it is just a sucker punch for the days of actual winter weather that await you down the line. Remember last January? I do. I also remember how cold and miserable last February was. Here's to hoping that today was indeed a day of magic not a sucker punch for what the rest of winter 2008 holds.
The best thing about winter in the mid-Atlantic region is that every now and then there is a day of total respite. A day that feels like you have magically drifted back in time to a day of Indian summer from the fall or somehow leaped ahead to the spring season still to come. Today was one of those magical days. Sunny and warm with a gentle southern breeze and a high of 71 degrees.
We are lucky enough in NoVa to have a couple of these magical days sprinkled into our winter season each year. They seem to come out of nowhere and they seem to disappear in a flash. They make up for the miserable days of winter. The windy, snowy, cold days that make you want to move to Arizona.
All good things in moderation of course. If you string together too many of these wonderful days in a row or in a month it is just a sucker punch for the days of actual winter weather that await you down the line. Remember last January? I do. I also remember how cold and miserable last February was. Here's to hoping that today was indeed a day of magic not a sucker punch for what the rest of winter 2008 holds.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Downtown Countdown 2008
Another year is upon us and people all over the planet celebrated the dawning of a new year on Monday evening and Tuesday morning. Maybe you were one of the million plus crammed into Times Square in New York City or perhaps you watched it from the comfort of your warm and cozy living room. Maybe you decided to fly to another part of the world and see how foreigners ring in the new year. I've heard that Sydney, Australia throws quite a party. They have the pleasure of being the first major city in the world to turn the page each year.
Yes, even my hometown of Bangor, Maine has it's own celebration these days. It's called The Downtown Countdown. It has all the traditional New Year's Eve fanfare - music, funny hats, food - and an event that is uniquely Maine. It is quintessential Maine in fact. The highlight of the Countdown is when, precisely at midnight, a green beach ball covered in holiday lights is flung off the roof of 26 Main Street to the sidewalk below. The instant the ball hits the pavement all the holiday lights are smashed into tiny fragments to mark the new year. Check out the video at www.bangordailynews.com You really have to see the video - it is quite a sight!
Doesn't sound too exciting does it? I didn't think so either but 1,200 Bangorians turned out for the celebration this year in 14 degree weather. This proves two things: 1) There is nothing to do in Bangor, Maine and 2) Give people a reason to get out of the house and they will show.
I left Maine for two primary reasons 1) Their wasn't much work or entertainment there for young people and 2) I despise Winter. Downtown Countdown confirms reason # 1 is still valid twelve years later and the Winter of 2007-08 is confirming reason # 2. As of this morning my hometown had received 62 inches of snow in the past 30 days. That is 5 feet of snow people! I don't miss those days.
Still, part of me wants to see that green ball covered in lights smack the pavement. I am not ruling out a trip to the frozen tundra to take part in the Downtown Countdown sometime in the future. You can take the boy out of Maine, but you can't take Maine out of the boy!
Random Movie Quote:
"What? Friends listen to Endless Love in the dark." - Happy Gilmore
Yes, even my hometown of Bangor, Maine has it's own celebration these days. It's called The Downtown Countdown. It has all the traditional New Year's Eve fanfare - music, funny hats, food - and an event that is uniquely Maine. It is quintessential Maine in fact. The highlight of the Countdown is when, precisely at midnight, a green beach ball covered in holiday lights is flung off the roof of 26 Main Street to the sidewalk below. The instant the ball hits the pavement all the holiday lights are smashed into tiny fragments to mark the new year. Check out the video at www.bangordailynews.com You really have to see the video - it is quite a sight!
Doesn't sound too exciting does it? I didn't think so either but 1,200 Bangorians turned out for the celebration this year in 14 degree weather. This proves two things: 1) There is nothing to do in Bangor, Maine and 2) Give people a reason to get out of the house and they will show.
I left Maine for two primary reasons 1) Their wasn't much work or entertainment there for young people and 2) I despise Winter. Downtown Countdown confirms reason # 1 is still valid twelve years later and the Winter of 2007-08 is confirming reason # 2. As of this morning my hometown had received 62 inches of snow in the past 30 days. That is 5 feet of snow people! I don't miss those days.
Still, part of me wants to see that green ball covered in lights smack the pavement. I am not ruling out a trip to the frozen tundra to take part in the Downtown Countdown sometime in the future. You can take the boy out of Maine, but you can't take Maine out of the boy!
Random Movie Quote:
"What? Friends listen to Endless Love in the dark." - Happy Gilmore
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