Monday, October 29, 2007
Saddest day of the year
Any baseball fan knows that today begins the long off-season. True, it isn't as long as it once was -- blame the extended postseason and the Arizona Fall League -- but it remains sad to think it will take 105 days until pitchers and catchers report.
Lucky for me, some of them report just a mile down the road. 2008 will bring the Dodgers and their history, adding to the Cactus League magic. If Vin Scully is still calling their games in 2008, it would be great to hear him in the stands. I'm don't think he does spring games in Florida -- hey, he's in his seventies -- but Arizona may be close enough for him.
Thinking of baseball on the radio with Vin Scully might just help make the day less sad.
Lucky for me, some of them report just a mile down the road. 2008 will bring the Dodgers and their history, adding to the Cactus League magic. If Vin Scully is still calling their games in 2008, it would be great to hear him in the stands. I'm don't think he does spring games in Florida -- hey, he's in his seventies -- but Arizona may be close enough for him.
Thinking of baseball on the radio with Vin Scully might just help make the day less sad.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Turkey, turkey, turkey
Is there no end to this bird?
Fifteen pounds, eight diners at the holiday table. You do the math.
My Sweetie and I enjoyed leftovers for the third night in a row. The sisters-in-law and their men have returned to the left coast, and the boy and his true love are back up in the mountains. We're here with the cranberry sauce.
And with Denzel Washington, too. Saw him at the new suburban shopping plaza multiplex in 'Deja Vu'. I liked it up to the end. Sweetie felt likewise. But Junior explained to us that the ending was actually valid, if we just thought about it. After some contemplation, I decided he was correct. So the flick is solid genre entertainment from start to finish.
But the movies experience may be changing for us, but soon. The theatre was OK -- an AMC with 20 screens, endless concession tables with a few options, comfy seats. But the price is now $7.50 for a matinee. The concessions feature only soda, popcorn and nachos -- along with endless candy, but we don't care about that stuff. The medium soda was $4.00 -- it was perhaps 20 to 24 oz. A medium popcorn was another $4.00 -- it may have been the size of a couple of home-popped bags. Nachos were $5.00 and looked to be smaller than a store-size bag of Doritos.
The thought of paying $15 for tickets and $8-$9 for snacks and drinks -- assuming we split one of each -- makes the risk significant for many couples. For families, this is an astonishing cost.
We're already in the Netflix audience and our cable package has HBO and its replicants, making it easier to decide when our $23 is better spent elsewhere.
So Denzel wasn't just good today, he and the film were worth the money.
No small comment there.
Fifteen pounds, eight diners at the holiday table. You do the math.
My Sweetie and I enjoyed leftovers for the third night in a row. The sisters-in-law and their men have returned to the left coast, and the boy and his true love are back up in the mountains. We're here with the cranberry sauce.
And with Denzel Washington, too. Saw him at the new suburban shopping plaza multiplex in 'Deja Vu'. I liked it up to the end. Sweetie felt likewise. But Junior explained to us that the ending was actually valid, if we just thought about it. After some contemplation, I decided he was correct. So the flick is solid genre entertainment from start to finish.
But the movies experience may be changing for us, but soon. The theatre was OK -- an AMC with 20 screens, endless concession tables with a few options, comfy seats. But the price is now $7.50 for a matinee. The concessions feature only soda, popcorn and nachos -- along with endless candy, but we don't care about that stuff. The medium soda was $4.00 -- it was perhaps 20 to 24 oz. A medium popcorn was another $4.00 -- it may have been the size of a couple of home-popped bags. Nachos were $5.00 and looked to be smaller than a store-size bag of Doritos.
The thought of paying $15 for tickets and $8-$9 for snacks and drinks -- assuming we split one of each -- makes the risk significant for many couples. For families, this is an astonishing cost.
We're already in the Netflix audience and our cable package has HBO and its replicants, making it easier to decide when our $23 is better spent elsewhere.
So Denzel wasn't just good today, he and the film were worth the money.
No small comment there.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Why
Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the Internet....
Feeling lost in the tangible world and puzzled by the direction of the virtual one, I considered the foolishness of taking this step. Anonymity, however, is a powerful thing. So off we go.
Today brought the news that Peter Gammons, the baseball writer who expanded his role at the Boston Globe and later took his work to Sports Illustrated and ESPN, is ready to return to work after battling an aneurysm. His lengthy thank-you note, seemingly naming every good person in Mass. who helped get him back to us all, was freely posted by ESPN despite its "Insider" status. A rare generous move by the Worldwide Leader. Gammons' voice was present in the column, meaning that he should be well enough to continue his excellent life, taking us all along for the ride. Welcome back, friend.
Heard a story today on NPR detailing the high pay and resulting high life of Newfoundland natives working in oil-rich Alberta. Twenty-year-olds earning $115K, twentysomethings buying $45K Ford trucks -- it's a good life. No one mentioned savings. I guess it isn't only Americans who are more interested in today than putting away for tomorrow.
I've become more focused on the latter since turning 50 this summer. I regularly consider what we will need to drop off of the current job treadmill in exchange for a simpler but happier existence. Not that I know what that would be. But I'm looking for clues.
Like the blog's title says...
Feeling lost in the tangible world and puzzled by the direction of the virtual one, I considered the foolishness of taking this step. Anonymity, however, is a powerful thing. So off we go.
Today brought the news that Peter Gammons, the baseball writer who expanded his role at the Boston Globe and later took his work to Sports Illustrated and ESPN, is ready to return to work after battling an aneurysm. His lengthy thank-you note, seemingly naming every good person in Mass. who helped get him back to us all, was freely posted by ESPN despite its "Insider" status. A rare generous move by the Worldwide Leader. Gammons' voice was present in the column, meaning that he should be well enough to continue his excellent life, taking us all along for the ride. Welcome back, friend.
Heard a story today on NPR detailing the high pay and resulting high life of Newfoundland natives working in oil-rich Alberta. Twenty-year-olds earning $115K, twentysomethings buying $45K Ford trucks -- it's a good life. No one mentioned savings. I guess it isn't only Americans who are more interested in today than putting away for tomorrow.
I've become more focused on the latter since turning 50 this summer. I regularly consider what we will need to drop off of the current job treadmill in exchange for a simpler but happier existence. Not that I know what that would be. But I'm looking for clues.
Like the blog's title says...
