"Harvey"

I don't want to sound like a know-it-all, been there, type of typist...but where I come from we have our fair share of flooding. In 2011 we had Irene, that basically brought water, water everywhere near my home. And we were not displaced, like these poor folks in TX and LA. But I can empathize with the despair and hopelessness they feel, from just the way it affected me. Help if you can.

DONATE to RED CROSS

Sometimes "Bittersweet" is Best It Can Be

So vacation over. During vacation, OSSS had a freak accident that resulted in a bad injury to forehead and eye area. But after some time, he will be ok with no permanent injury to his eyesight. So we get that miracle somehow.

Small things matter, big things too.

Countdown

To vacation. T minus 3 days.

What Happened?

back in the day, SoulSlam played in bands (hence the name)...and listened to a lot of music. It was a dream to make it a profession. Alas, it was not to be. That's OK.

As it happens, music took less and less of an importance in life with marriage and kids and career and making the ends meet. SoulSlam has not had a traditional stereo in years and years. I have my Sirius radio in the vehicle. I have my iPhone (which blows lately) and my iTunes. But I still have loads of CDs and vinyl...

So recently I've been listening more and more and interested in digitalizing (is that a word?) music. Problem is the really old stuff is mostly on vinyl, which is basically useless for my endeavors. So I've walked into a couple of places that may/did/used to sell music. Places like Best Buy, Target, Wal-mart, etc. And they have about 38 CDs in stock and it's none of what I want. So where did all the music go?

It got SoulSlam thinking. Now obviously you can stream or buy on iTunes or someplace. But where is the music, the bands, the kids/fans? When I see what I assume to be kids listening nowadays it's not rock. It's some pop/hip-hop thing. It's pretty troublesome. Everybody is a model. Everything is planned to perfection. It's sad.

But the record companies have nobody to blame but themselves. Boom!

The Beantown Post

A few weeks ago I mentioned the Men of the House of SoulSlam we're going up to Boston for a game and then coming back. Mission accomplished.

We've discussed a trip to Boston to see the Red Sox for a few years, but the boys summer baseball schedules, then work and vacation had always gotten in the way. With OSSS now in college, the door for my moments with my sons before they are gone on their won is slowly closing. So the boys picked a game and we went.

Now about the game: it was Game of Thrones night at Fenway. I do not watch GoT, but they do. The upside was a sweet limited edition Andrew Benetendi GoT bobble head.

Drove up, left the 07035 around 11:30 AM or so, smooth sailing all the way in. Gassed up right near the park, then drove over to Pru Center for special Bosox game parking. $18.00! Had to walk about a mile but that was cool. We walked through the Back Bay (past McGreevey's!) to Fenway. What a place. The oldest park I guess I've ever been at was at Yankee Stadium, so this was cool. We wandered about waiting for the 5PM entry (we got to go in early). Had a slice of pizza at a place called Sal's. Big slice. Not a NY/NJ slice though.

Went inside around 5PM or so. Got in and it was the scene from The Town! As a matter of fact they have a tribute to Fenway in movies display inside. Anyway, we had Grandstand seats, which apart from being the most uncomfortable seat I've ever sat in was still pretty awesome.

Now, remember we were going up and coming back? About 10 minutes to 7, they lay a tarp on pitcher's mound. Then they announce there will be a rain delay, big tarp on field. Game is delayed an hour to 8:10 or so. OK. Well the game was a 3-3 tie and going no place. Back and forth. Some really exciting baseball. My valiant sons decided we should skedaddle in teh 8th inning, since they had to work the next day and I had at least a 3.5 hour drive home. We walk back (!) to Pru Center and get on the road about 11:30 or so. At some point on some south-bound highway, OSSS wakes up in back seat, looks at his phone around 1:15AM and says "game just ended". They went 15! Wow.

Now besides the memory of the trip with my sons, I did get a treasure. Across Yawkey Way (which is shut down during the game so you can leave the stadium and go across the street. I checked out the Red Sox Team Store. And in the store was one of my favorite Sports Illustrated covers ever of the ultimate grinder, Jonny Gomes. Enlarged and autographed! Had to have it!

POSTSCRIPT: We pulled into driveway around 3AM. I got about 2 hours of sleep. YSSS had a 16U game that night, I was afraid he would be super-tired (I was)...he was 3-3 with 3 doubles, two RBIs, 3 runs scored and a stolen base. Big game!

It's Friday

And here I sit at the J-O-B waiting for the quittin' bell to ring. Tick-tick-tick.

Anyways it's mid-summer in North J and the weather is what the weather is. We had a storm the other day that featured hailstones. Sweet. Right now we're sitting at about 85 degrees and humid. Looks like we are in for a cool down over the next few days.

August is vacation time for the House of SoulSlam...that's something to look forward to. Going to FLA (we like it hot!). Gulf coast.

Some summer TV shows you should catch:

Broadchurch (season 3)

Snowfall

Animal Kingdom

Twin Peaks: The Return

The Sinner (haven't seen but I will)

Power

Mets are not too good. Will be at Citifield manana for Dodgers-Mets game. At least one of them are awesome.