Today I purchased two new CDs: "Fly by Night" by Rush and "At Budokan" by Cheap Trick. I'm very happy with them. "Fly by Night" was the first Rush album to feature Neil Peart on drums (John Rutsey, their original drummer, refused to tour). Apart from the fact that he's an amazing drummer, he pushed the band into much more interesting musical directions. They started using 5- and 7-beat patterns and longer melodic arcs. While there are still weak spots on this album, it has "Anthem" and "Fly by Night" on it, and both are great tracks. They've got a new album coming out soon, and the one track I've heard from it gives me hope that it will be good. Plainbellied has agreed to go with me to see them live this summer. It will be a major milestone in her life, as she's never been to a rock concert before. This is a pretty good place to start, since Rush has been around for 33 years and has an older following. It will be much mellower than when I went to the Lollapalooza tour in 1993 and Ministry threatened to stop playing because people were throwing sod patches onto the stage. I was on the lawn, and people started ripping the wood fence apart and lighting bonfires. The next year, the venue (Great Woods in Mansfield, MA--now the Tweeter Center), banned the tour.
As I write this, I'm listening to Cheap Trick, and the lead singer just announced that "This next one is the first song on our new AL-bum. It just came out this week, and the song is called 'Surrender.'" Classic. We used to listen to this all the time when I was a kid. Unfortunately, the remastered version has lost a lot of character and made the vocals difficult to distinguish. I'm a bit disappointed. This live album, recorded in Japan, actually pushed the band into popularity. I think that's pretty cool.
Campout!!!!
Well, we finally took Her Nibs camping. It was really fun. We did foil packs for dinner and roasted marshmallows for dessert s'mores. In the morning, our friends made us breakfast, and we all scarfed down eggs, bacon, and pancakes. As if that wasn't enough, then we had a barbecue and an Easter egg hunt for the young 'uns. Her Nibs got 10 candy-filled eggs and had a blast doing it.
There were only two minor glitches: it got down into the 30s at night, and the ground we slept on felt like concrete. The temperature wasn't a problem except that the county has a burn ban on now because of dry conditions, so we could only light charcoal, which isn't as fun as a full-on fire. And the ground wouldn't have been a problem if we owned an air mattress. We don't, so Plainbellied and I both woke up with sore backs. I also have a cut on my knuckle that I don't remember getting. Overall, though it was a great trial campout. I think we're going to try the beach soon.
I'm sure Plainbellied will have more to say on her blog.
There were only two minor glitches: it got down into the 30s at night, and the ground we slept on felt like concrete. The temperature wasn't a problem except that the county has a burn ban on now because of dry conditions, so we could only light charcoal, which isn't as fun as a full-on fire. And the ground wouldn't have been a problem if we owned an air mattress. We don't, so Plainbellied and I both woke up with sore backs. I also have a cut on my knuckle that I don't remember getting. Overall, though it was a great trial campout. I think we're going to try the beach soon.
I'm sure Plainbellied will have more to say on her blog.
On Greg Oden, Billy Packer, and the Florida Gators
If you aren't really interested in sports, go ahead and skip to the last paragraph. One of my brothers took issue with my comments about Greg Oden and Billy Packer. He wrote:
As for Florida's team, I have to admit I'm a little sick of Joakim Noah. It was kind of fun to hear him talk last year, and I think he's a great player, but lately he's been getting under my skin. Living in the Sunshine State we get a lot of coverage, and I really wish he sounded more educated. I do like Al Horford and some of the other players though. I wish them luck in the NBA, since there is no way that they are going back to college now. Next year will be a down year for the Gators, since the football team was decimated after last season, and now the basketball team will have to regroup. Maybe they'll make another run on a couple of titles again in a few years (if Billy Donovan stays).
Anyway, this is the last you'll hear about this topic, and I probably won't be back to sports for a while. I tend to watch sports only when I'm rooting for a team in the playoffs, so you might hear more if the Red Sox make a run on the playoffs.
I do not agree with your assessments of Greg Oden and Billy Packer. Oden is the next dominant NBA center, and if anything, opponents seem to get away with fouling him quite often. As for Packer, my take is that OSU was making a little bit of a run at that point, and it might have been a good idea for Florida to call time out and get everybody calmed down, remind them that they're the favorite, and then send them back out there.I totally agree that Oden might be the next big thing in the NBA (I'm hedging my bets because I'm a wimp). My point in the previous post was that in last night's game, I think Oden got away with a lot. I don't think the refs called too many fouls on Florida. I just think that if they were going to call it tight against Florida, they should use the same standard on Oden. Apart from that, Oden was a monster last night. If the other members of his team had played like he did, I have no doubt that they could have won the game. Fortunately for those of us in the Gator Nation (I know, it sounds stupid), they didn't, and Florida won. As for Packer, my point was that I think he was over-dramatizing what was happening. Yes, OSU put together a decent little run, but I don't think it was time for Florida to panic.
As for Florida's team, I have to admit I'm a little sick of Joakim Noah. It was kind of fun to hear him talk last year, and I think he's a great player, but lately he's been getting under my skin. Living in the Sunshine State we get a lot of coverage, and I really wish he sounded more educated. I do like Al Horford and some of the other players though. I wish them luck in the NBA, since there is no way that they are going back to college now. Next year will be a down year for the Gators, since the football team was decimated after last season, and now the basketball team will have to regroup. Maybe they'll make another run on a couple of titles again in a few years (if Billy Donovan stays).
Anyway, this is the last you'll hear about this topic, and I probably won't be back to sports for a while. I tend to watch sports only when I'm rooting for a team in the playoffs, so you might hear more if the Red Sox make a run on the playoffs.
The Surreal Life
Tonight we watched part of 'Dancing with the Stars.' Mostly, I wanted to see Heather Mills dance with her prosthetic leg. It seems unreal that she can do that. Well, the game started before she came on, so we missed it. Her Nibs had a great time, so we let her stay up late to watch until 9:00.
Well, as we were watching, I felt as though I was having an out of body experience when Cliff Claven started dancing the tango. I couldn't help myself, and I burst out laughing. I like John Ratzenberger, but he's still Cliff to me. Later, one of the guys from Nsync danced a tango to the 'Star Wars' theme. What a dork. I don't know if I can ever take that show seriously again.
I also have to say that Billy Packer, who is one of the NCAA championship announcers, needs to work on his delivery. By all accounts, Florida was the favorite to win (if you're not a Gator, you're Gator Bait!). At one point of the game, they went up 12 points. After a few plays, Ohio State cut the lead to 8, and Packer says, "The Gators are really in trouble here. They need to call a timeout." He was trying to inject a little drama into what was getting to look like a done deal, but he really needed to try harder than that. I forgot that teams had to win by at least 8 for it to count, I guess.
Also, I think there might have been some sort of payola going on, because the referees seemed incapable of calling fouls on Greg Oden. He should have fouled out early in the second half, but he lasted the whole game. Maybe they were trying to keep it a close game. But as they say, it's now water under the bridge.
Well, as we were watching, I felt as though I was having an out of body experience when Cliff Claven started dancing the tango. I couldn't help myself, and I burst out laughing. I like John Ratzenberger, but he's still Cliff to me. Later, one of the guys from Nsync danced a tango to the 'Star Wars' theme. What a dork. I don't know if I can ever take that show seriously again.
I also have to say that Billy Packer, who is one of the NCAA championship announcers, needs to work on his delivery. By all accounts, Florida was the favorite to win (if you're not a Gator, you're Gator Bait!). At one point of the game, they went up 12 points. After a few plays, Ohio State cut the lead to 8, and Packer says, "The Gators are really in trouble here. They need to call a timeout." He was trying to inject a little drama into what was getting to look like a done deal, but he really needed to try harder than that. I forgot that teams had to win by at least 8 for it to count, I guess.
Also, I think there might have been some sort of payola going on, because the referees seemed incapable of calling fouls on Greg Oden. He should have fouled out early in the second half, but he lasted the whole game. Maybe they were trying to keep it a close game. But as they say, it's now water under the bridge.
Time Killer
Right now I should be hard at work revising my introduction, but I'd rather write a blog entry. Perhaps I should write about sports? I haven't really touched on that before.
Living in Florida, I am currently enthralled by the University of Florida men's basketball team in the NCAA tournament. I like sports, but I don't usually watch them on television unless a team I like is in the playoffs (college football is a bit different, because 'every game is a playoff'). Well, now the Gators have a chance at winning back-to-back national championships, and to be the first school ever to be basketball and football champions in the same year. The ironic part? For that to happen, they have to beat the same team the football team steamrolled in January. Boy, a lot could really go wrong here. . . .
Actually, I have a real problem with the way college sports are now. People talk about how much money sports programs bring to universities, but that is only true in a handful of cases. Usually, the best they do is pay for the other sports teams, bringing little or no benefit to academic programs. I'm in favor of college sports, but I think people have forgotten the point. It used to be that an athletic scholarship was an opportunity to get an education. Now education has nothing to do with it. This is especially true here in Florida, where big-time college sports (FSU, UF, and Miami) seems more important to people than fixing our public school system (I said seems for a reason--I know people care about the school problems). I'm not sure there is a way to fix things, but surely someone much smarter than me has some ideas?
Anyway, I've said my piece. I need to get back to work. Go Gators!
Living in Florida, I am currently enthralled by the University of Florida men's basketball team in the NCAA tournament. I like sports, but I don't usually watch them on television unless a team I like is in the playoffs (college football is a bit different, because 'every game is a playoff'). Well, now the Gators have a chance at winning back-to-back national championships, and to be the first school ever to be basketball and football champions in the same year. The ironic part? For that to happen, they have to beat the same team the football team steamrolled in January. Boy, a lot could really go wrong here. . . .
Actually, I have a real problem with the way college sports are now. People talk about how much money sports programs bring to universities, but that is only true in a handful of cases. Usually, the best they do is pay for the other sports teams, bringing little or no benefit to academic programs. I'm in favor of college sports, but I think people have forgotten the point. It used to be that an athletic scholarship was an opportunity to get an education. Now education has nothing to do with it. This is especially true here in Florida, where big-time college sports (FSU, UF, and Miami) seems more important to people than fixing our public school system (I said seems for a reason--I know people care about the school problems). I'm not sure there is a way to fix things, but surely someone much smarter than me has some ideas?
Anyway, I've said my piece. I need to get back to work. Go Gators!
Am I an April Fool?
Today is April Fool's Day. In Spain, the equivalent day is December 28, the 'Día de los Inocentes.' Instead of pranks, people pull 'inocentadas.' My favorite story comes from the 1930s, when a newspaper reported that a particular politician had changed party, even though he hadn't. It took about a week for them to sort things out. Someday I'll think of a great prank, and someone is really going to get it.
Here at our house, we simply had fun painting nails today. These are the lengths to which a father will go to please his favorite (read: only) daughter. Her Nibs really wanted me to color my nails, too, so I agreed to let Plainbellied paint my toes. Well, as you can see from the picture, my hands ended up being included, too. Her Nibs picked all of the colors. Does that make me an April fool?
Her Nibs
Here at our house, we simply had fun painting nails today. These are the lengths to which a father will go to please his favorite (read: only) daughter. Her Nibs really wanted me to color my nails, too, so I agreed to let Plainbellied paint my toes. Well, as you can see from the picture, my hands ended up being included, too. Her Nibs picked all of the colors. Does that make me an April fool?
Me
Her Nibs
Twilight Samurai
I just finished watching a wonderful movie, and I have to write about it. The film, 'Twilight Samurai,' follows the experiences of a low-level samurai who is a widower with two young daughters and a senile mother. I won't give away the details, but the plot revolves around how he gets another chance with the girl he has always loved, but complications arise. His clan becomes involved in a leadership conflict, and he is ordered to fulfill a dangerous and morally suspect task. The film, released in 2003, is very different from most samurai movies because it isn't about fighting. And rather than express a reverence for bushido, it portrays a man who puts his family above honor.*
There are two main things that make 'Twilight Samurai' so good. First, the romantic relationship 'feels right.' One can recognize the feelings that Seibei and Tomoe have for one another without any sappy melodrama. Second, the tension that builds throughout the film is excruciating. Only a few movies draw me in like this (once Plainbellied came home while I was screaming at Alec Guinness in 'The Bridge on the River Kwai'). While I kept my composure tonight, I felt nervous and genuinely 'pulled' for Seibei to come out on top.
The only thing I would say detracts from this film is a weak epilogue. Other than that, it is a fabulous film with great acting and a compelling story.
* Bushido is the samurai code of honor. When I say that Seibei put his family above honor, I'm speaking specifically about this exaggerated code to which samurai adhered. I would definitely call him an honorable man by today's standards.
There are two main things that make 'Twilight Samurai' so good. First, the romantic relationship 'feels right.' One can recognize the feelings that Seibei and Tomoe have for one another without any sappy melodrama. Second, the tension that builds throughout the film is excruciating. Only a few movies draw me in like this (once Plainbellied came home while I was screaming at Alec Guinness in 'The Bridge on the River Kwai'). While I kept my composure tonight, I felt nervous and genuinely 'pulled' for Seibei to come out on top.
The only thing I would say detracts from this film is a weak epilogue. Other than that, it is a fabulous film with great acting and a compelling story.
* Bushido is the samurai code of honor. When I say that Seibei put his family above honor, I'm speaking specifically about this exaggerated code to which samurai adhered. I would definitely call him an honorable man by today's standards.
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