Finally. Here. Opening Day 2008.
Baseball - I think in my first post I said we'd talk about it here. And now we have plenty of games to discuss. I especially like OD 'cause I can watch game after game on local cable and ESPN and the Deuce (do they still call it that in Bristol?).
Right now I have Angels-Twins on, caught the last few innings of the Mets win and Johan Santana's regular season debut for the Mets on SNY, and if I'm really ambitious, I can watch Astros vs. Padres at 10PM. Then I can watch Baseball Tonight and really live the life.
I did watch a little of the Nationals-Braves game on TV last night, even listening in as the President joined the team in the booth. Good to see him out and about.
My 9u Travel Team played their first game in Spring league yesterday. We lost, but all of the boys were swinging the bats and playing well. Those walks and hit batters will get you every time. Extra practice this week is upcoming.
Other items of note - one week until the latest edition of Hell's Kitchen -great TV. Chef Ramsey is a terror, and quite a funny guy to boot. Give it a taste.
Also watched Wrestlemania XXIV last night. I used to be a huge fan of rasslin', but not so much anymore. I caught a few matches, mostly with guys who've been wrestling so long they should be collecting SS soon. Maybe we can dissect later this week. A ranking of pro wrestlers. Get the fanboy's blood boiling.
Carlos Gomez just made a great catch, so I'm going to get back to some serious Baseball viewing.
Blog outside and high.
3.31.2008
3.28.2008
Being Mickey Rourke
What an existential name for a post!
Anyway, Mr. Rourke has been spotted all over NJ filming his latest blockbuster, The Wrestler (catchy name).
Why is this important? It's not really. I just kind of like Mickey Rourke. Once described as the next great American actor when Diner came out, he was an in-demand star in the mid-late 80's. Then the train came off the tracks.
Doing a Brando that would make Marlon proud, he became an enigma. Talented actor, middle aged boxer, and a royal P.I.T.A. (figure it out) if you believe the press. But he perservered. Oft photographed with his chihuaha dog, he gives new meaning to the word 'eccentric'.
He is worthy of praise on this blog. Now for the list of some of the Mickey Rourke movies we like:
Anyway, Mr. Rourke has been spotted all over NJ filming his latest blockbuster, The Wrestler (catchy name).
Why is this important? It's not really. I just kind of like Mickey Rourke. Once described as the next great American actor when Diner came out, he was an in-demand star in the mid-late 80's. Then the train came off the tracks.
Doing a Brando that would make Marlon proud, he became an enigma. Talented actor, middle aged boxer, and a royal P.I.T.A. (figure it out) if you believe the press. But he perservered. Oft photographed with his chihuaha dog, he gives new meaning to the word 'eccentric'.
He is worthy of praise on this blog. Now for the list of some of the Mickey Rourke movies we like:
- Diner
- Rumble Fish (should have seen the signs here)
- Pope of Greenwich Village (starring another 'go to' guy, Eric Roberts)
- Year of the Dragon (GREAT MOVIE)
- Angel Heart
- A Prayer for the Dying (seen by at least 23 people)
- Homeboy (only 5 people saw this one, unless you live in France)
- Fall Time (with another 'go to' guy, Stephen Baldwin)
- Man on Fire
- Sin City
I know, you have a different list. That's OK, that is what a democracy is for.
Anyway, enough about Mr. Rourke. But if you have the time, check out this website:
http://www.uniquelyrourke.com/
Now that is devotion. Blog out.
3.24.2008
Idle Time
Anyone have Hassenpfeffer yesterday?
Tomorrow morning at 6AM EST, ESPN will broadcast the Oakland Athletics vs. the Boston Red Sox to open the season a full five days before the rest of the league. The reason for the early date and milkman hours is the game is being played in Japan, namely the Tokyo Dome. I'll set my TV to turn on at 5:55AM so I can catch a few innings before work.
I've been to Japan a few times for work, and it is like landing on another planet, but some of the signs are in English. It's almost like being in a cartoon. And in this cartoon, I'm a large invader, hellbent on destruction. Well, almost. Last time there, I couldn't sleep more than 2 hours a night, which made functioning a bit of a challenge. They have these drinks called Boss Coffees that you can buy for 100yen. Great deal for a kick.
Anyway back to MLB - why is it that MLB opens the season in the Land of the Rising Sun? Bud (the Owner's butler) Selig claims it is to broaden the appeal of baseball globally. But we would never have a team in Japan or anywhere else that would take 12-14 hours to get to since that would seriously disrupt the game. Is it to move merchandise? That may be part of the reason, but I find it hard to believe that there are millions of Japanese people and other cultures clamoring to wear a Big Papi jersey. Is it for Bud's legacy? Ahhh, now we get to something interesting. Bud Selig, Lord of the Steroid era, could go down in history as making the game international. Big deal.
Anyway - Go Red Sox.
Play ball!
Tomorrow morning at 6AM EST, ESPN will broadcast the Oakland Athletics vs. the Boston Red Sox to open the season a full five days before the rest of the league. The reason for the early date and milkman hours is the game is being played in Japan, namely the Tokyo Dome. I'll set my TV to turn on at 5:55AM so I can catch a few innings before work.
I've been to Japan a few times for work, and it is like landing on another planet, but some of the signs are in English. It's almost like being in a cartoon. And in this cartoon, I'm a large invader, hellbent on destruction. Well, almost. Last time there, I couldn't sleep more than 2 hours a night, which made functioning a bit of a challenge. They have these drinks called Boss Coffees that you can buy for 100yen. Great deal for a kick.
Anyway back to MLB - why is it that MLB opens the season in the Land of the Rising Sun? Bud (the Owner's butler) Selig claims it is to broaden the appeal of baseball globally. But we would never have a team in Japan or anywhere else that would take 12-14 hours to get to since that would seriously disrupt the game. Is it to move merchandise? That may be part of the reason, but I find it hard to believe that there are millions of Japanese people and other cultures clamoring to wear a Big Papi jersey. Is it for Bud's legacy? Ahhh, now we get to something interesting. Bud Selig, Lord of the Steroid era, could go down in history as making the game international. Big deal.
Anyway - Go Red Sox.
Play ball!
3.21.2008
Spring
But not really. Here in the great state of North Jersey it's about 42 degrees and the wind is whipping about 30 mph with gusts to 45. So it's a bit cold.
Which doesn't make baseball practice any fun. Spring season for travel baseball teams in these parts starts about April 1, so unless you have access to an indoor facility on a regular basis, it makes for tough practices.
I missed LOST last night, away at a meeting. I also forgot to set my DVDR. So I was SOL. Then my wife told me that I could watch it on-line. So I sat in her office watching it in HD on her Apple Cinema Display. SWEEEEEET! Better than my TVs. So now I have to go get an HDTV in short order. That's on my next week agenda.
Anyway, my fascination with LOST. I like a show that makes me think. I also like shows that let me not think. It's a dichotomy.
And now my rant. I am using a laptop running Vista. And while I'm typing away, a message comes up saying IE will close because of some software glitch. But it's never Microsoft's issue. Now that's a way to spin it.
Spring, baseball, life is good. Blog ya later.
Which doesn't make baseball practice any fun. Spring season for travel baseball teams in these parts starts about April 1, so unless you have access to an indoor facility on a regular basis, it makes for tough practices.
I missed LOST last night, away at a meeting. I also forgot to set my DVDR. So I was SOL. Then my wife told me that I could watch it on-line. So I sat in her office watching it in HD on her Apple Cinema Display. SWEEEEEET! Better than my TVs. So now I have to go get an HDTV in short order. That's on my next week agenda.
Anyway, my fascination with LOST. I like a show that makes me think. I also like shows that let me not think. It's a dichotomy.
And now my rant. I am using a laptop running Vista. And while I'm typing away, a message comes up saying IE will close because of some software glitch. But it's never Microsoft's issue. Now that's a way to spin it.
Spring, baseball, life is good. Blog ya later.
3.13.2008
Last (Prehistoric) Man Standing
After speaking to a former colleague last night, he encouraged me to write my thoughts down.
I do not have a cellphone. Nor a PDA. There, I said it.
I do have a couple of laptops and a Mac - and I communicate via e-mail all the time. I have Digital Cable service at home. I regularly surf the web. I just have no desire to walk around talking on a cellphone.
Funny thing is, I started out in sales working in an electronics store, selling many the phone. I remember selling Novatel 3watt bag phones, and the Motorola 'brick' phone, as well as the Motorola PC500 and PC550. Press the 'zero' 13 times to program the ESN! And I remember when you had to make a 120 day commitment to Cellular One to get the price of the phone. the PC550 went for about $1200 then (not a typo). I sold a lot of phones.
So now, 15-17 years later, I see everybody chatting it up. In the supermarket, husbands are calling wives, wondering what kind of bread they should buy. And I laugh, because I'm independent, and can make that type of nutritious decision myself. Or when a plane lands, and everybody whips out there phones (or uses the blue tooth, looking a lot like Uhura in Star Trek), and says to the mysterious person on the other side, "we've landed". Of course, if the plane had gone down, they probably would have seen it on the news, but it's good to let people know you are within driving distance of the house.
So I have a goal - to be the Last Man Standing in the USA, without a cellphone. I know that the world is too lofty, with the whole Third World thing - so the US it is. Problem is, I have a brother-in-law in Indiana that s going to give me a run for my money. Maybe I'll buy him a cellphone as a gift when it's down to the wire, so I can claim the crown. You may call it cheating, but I call it survival of the fittest.
I do not have a cellphone. Nor a PDA. There, I said it.
I do have a couple of laptops and a Mac - and I communicate via e-mail all the time. I have Digital Cable service at home. I regularly surf the web. I just have no desire to walk around talking on a cellphone.
Funny thing is, I started out in sales working in an electronics store, selling many the phone. I remember selling Novatel 3watt bag phones, and the Motorola 'brick' phone, as well as the Motorola PC500 and PC550. Press the 'zero' 13 times to program the ESN! And I remember when you had to make a 120 day commitment to Cellular One to get the price of the phone. the PC550 went for about $1200 then (not a typo). I sold a lot of phones.
So now, 15-17 years later, I see everybody chatting it up. In the supermarket, husbands are calling wives, wondering what kind of bread they should buy. And I laugh, because I'm independent, and can make that type of nutritious decision myself. Or when a plane lands, and everybody whips out there phones (or uses the blue tooth, looking a lot like Uhura in Star Trek), and says to the mysterious person on the other side, "we've landed". Of course, if the plane had gone down, they probably would have seen it on the news, but it's good to let people know you are within driving distance of the house.
So I have a goal - to be the Last Man Standing in the USA, without a cellphone. I know that the world is too lofty, with the whole Third World thing - so the US it is. Problem is, I have a brother-in-law in Indiana that s going to give me a run for my money. Maybe I'll buy him a cellphone as a gift when it's down to the wire, so I can claim the crown. You may call it cheating, but I call it survival of the fittest.
3.08.2008
Rain, Rain, Go Away
Remember that little song you sung when you were in elementary school? It's the song I'm singing today. Here in the great state of New Jersey (aka Weird NJ!), more specifically North Jersey, we have a lot of rain coming. Coupled with the saturated ground from melting snow and more rain last week, and it looks like some flooding is coming. If you've never been through it, you have no idea how devastating it can be. I'm lucky, I only get residual water from the ground up, but some of my townsfolk live by a raging river. Good luck to all.
While I mentioned the whole North Jersey thing - if you don't know, Jersey is basically two regions - North and South Jersey. I joke with most that the dividing line is Rt. 22 - a stretch of very intense road. Some folks in that area call where they live 'Central Jersey', but they are basically suffering from an identity crisis.
Anyway, how to sum up the two regions - watch the "Pine Barrens" episode of The Sopranos. In this stellar episode, Paulie Walnuts and Christopher are lost when they have some of the funniest exchanges ever (but only if you live in NJ) - watch this compilation here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ISBAuaFYTE
While I mentioned the whole North Jersey thing - if you don't know, Jersey is basically two regions - North and South Jersey. I joke with most that the dividing line is Rt. 22 - a stretch of very intense road. Some folks in that area call where they live 'Central Jersey', but they are basically suffering from an identity crisis.
Anyway, how to sum up the two regions - watch the "Pine Barrens" episode of The Sopranos. In this stellar episode, Paulie Walnuts and Christopher are lost when they have some of the funniest exchanges ever (but only if you live in NJ) - watch this compilation here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ISBAuaFYTE
3.03.2008
The Wire
Last night, HBO played the penultimate episode of The Wire. This show has consistently provided riveting drama, exceptional acting and storylines that transcend the typical television show. Nothing is neat and clean, and the portrayal of inner-city life, in Baltimore, Maryland (aka Bodyfall, Murderland), has been fun to watch.
It's a shame that quality TV can't go on forever. Here's a tribute to some other shows that were put to pasture:
This is just a partial list - your results and opinions may vary.
Speaking of Baltimore; going there this summer to Oriole Park at Camden Yards to see Angels-Orioles.
It's a shame that quality TV can't go on forever. Here's a tribute to some other shows that were put to pasture:
- Homicide Life on the Street (another Baltimore show)
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Deadwood
- Carnivale
- Angel
- Nowhere Man (try to look this one up)
- The X-Files (though the last season was the nail in that coffin)
- Millennium
- Harsh Realm (that would make 3 Chris Carter shows)
- The Sopranos
- Oz
- The Job (a Denis Leary comedy)
- The Night Stalker (version 2 - never given enough time to mature)
- American Gothic
This is just a partial list - your results and opinions may vary.
Speaking of Baltimore; going there this summer to Oriole Park at Camden Yards to see Angels-Orioles.
3.01.2008
The Ides of March
Missed it! My opporunity to post something on February 29th. Now I have to wait four years.
March. Time to wait for spring weather here in the Northeast. Sun gets higher in the sky, days getting longer. Lots of spring training news. St. Patrick's Day.
Speaking of St. Patrick's Day - have you heard the latest from the Dropkick Murphys? Great album, great band. Check it out.
Gotta Go.
March. Time to wait for spring weather here in the Northeast. Sun gets higher in the sky, days getting longer. Lots of spring training news. St. Patrick's Day.
Speaking of St. Patrick's Day - have you heard the latest from the Dropkick Murphys? Great album, great band. Check it out.
Gotta Go.
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