My favourite silly 'band of brothers' influenced thing to yell out when I'm coaching a soccer game.

In Band of Brothers #2, "Day of Days", Mo (Don Malarky) runs into a captured German soldier who had actually come from the same area in America that Mo did (German parents moved back to Germany before the war.). After chatting with him, his unit begins to ove out, and someone yells "HEY MALARKY: QUIT FRATINCISING(sp) WITH THE ENEMY!!!".Whenever one of my players is talking with someone on the other team, and I'm in a good mood, I'll yell it, except say their name instead of our favourite motar-man's. Done it a hundred times, and I bet even Chems, Laz'z, and Val would not laugh @ it after the first time. My poor neices and nephews, having to have heard it again and again. But then again, they like that uncle is a Freak.

Bookkeepings

These are the Sopranos

This was last weeks viewings of the Sopranos.

Read rite hear ye hear ye for last nite soap opera update:


This week I watched Sopranos back @ John Gunners crib. A good crew showed up: Snowden, Guitars, William Randolph Hearst, Dragon, and the following couples; Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Hilts, the Vampires, and the Smokey Treats. And the Gunnery trio. I’d all these plans earlier on to get some good supper for mom, but that all went to the wayside as I raced to the King for some 2 for 1 $ chicken sandwiches and fries right after mass. I’d wanted to post two things (last week sunday and reffing) so all this shit didn’t hit on Monday, but oh well. Read this stuff as well. Guns was proud of his mac and cheese. I’ve only boxed it before, but he did it from the ground up. I like. People bring different shit over, so there was other goodies to scarf up.

Guns mentioned that there was only 4-5 Sopranos left, and that’s for good. Supposedly. Mentions of cookouts to come.

Sometimes contexts switch: ORF is gone for a month. berlin, Germany, 2007. Le Monde, get ready....

Reff Reff

On Saturday did the wake and jake and scrambled unshowered to neice #3’s soccer game. As I drove up I noticed the 10am game hadn’t started, so I drove over to get a Coke. Came back- game still not on. My sister walked up and asked me-newly woken red eyed, conspiracy theories aboundin’- to ref the game. The delay was that there was no ref for the game, despite the 1/2h wait. There was nowhere to run, but after the initial shock of responsibility, I relaxed. Obv. I’m used to directing the activities of 14 y.o.’s, and especially if it involves soccer. 30sec in, to the 60th and last minute, it was just fun. Ive reffed lots of games in my day, but this was an official game and I waan’t prepared, so…

The game was easy in the first half. I finally had to call a foul only two minutes before half. The second half got kinda rough, and I must admidt that I worried I may have let it get that way by being too permissive. I called more fouls and had to give a yellow card, and the girls calmed down. I’m sure I blew some calls, esp. some out of bounds calls where I mite have given possesion to the wrong team, but everyone was thankful to have a real ref so I just got love. Lots of it too ; the parents who go to the games see me a lot, and there fore they liked seeing ‘one of their own’ helping out on the field.

The game? I really had to concentrate on the game and trying to make the rite calls. It’s a tough amount of concentration needed. My neices team lost 4-0, their first lost. That was about the run of play. The other team was good.

This day also brought up the genetics of the day. Or what I suspect is the genetics. Neice #3’s game was not the only game in town this day. Neice #1, who more than any of them got me into coaching, is one the club team (not N.C.A.A. team) @ Loyola, had a tournament in Evanston. I have rarely missed her games, but I felt it was more important to see the younger ones games. My musings on genetics takes me to wonder if #1, now 18, has passed a point and now its more important to concentrate on the younger one. Although the long drive through the gut of the city may also have been a factor. Either way, here’s hoping #1 doesn’t feel bad now that in terms of soccer playing, there’s a brand new freshman who’s hitting goals just like she did. And no, there’s no sibling rivalry: #1’s been to several of her games and is obv. Proud that her sister is carrying on her legacy.

Finally=

The Good: Choice!
Before going, I quick switched from the Docs’ to the unfittin’ green Addidas to the supple good Didoras= one minute split decisions, each with increasing athleticism in mind, allowed me to play my part on the pitch.

The Bad: No Choice!
No shorts; large black jeans to run around for an hour trying to keep up with seriously competing teenagers. Sweaty ick.

The Ugly: None!
But to complete the theme, my sticky salted hair after an hours sunny running.

Friday nite's running with the Bulls

Cranx place fer the game. Was gonna make it uke-rain, but the storm clouds had passed before I remembered to call the weather line. Ahem. Later. We watched the Bulls administer a beat down to Miami. it was a lot of fun, and if you added 14 people it would have reminded me of those times in '92 when all was young and .........

Several things about this nite.

It's funner to watch games w/ invested people. Crankface is so invested that that fuck can't even write about the games for dcs. It's good when all(it was only 3 of us) erupts on this or that shot or stop. Yes.

Crankface set me up with a sports coat that was given to him. Sorta shiny, but it fits well. Jackson's wife E. has suggested through the years that I mite look better in sports jackets that aren't so 'stop making sense looking' on me. She has argued for a more svelt look for me, again, FOR YEARS. This jacket, from Code Name Paul originally, fits well and I will wear it for school, not just play.

Aureliao's pizza. Fuck did it fucking cost $$$, but.................really worth it. Now my taste buds were tangled up a wee bit beforehand, but even with that added, it mite be the tastiest pizza ever made. let me ask God about this....................

One seen, one sight unseen. Both good.

Planning bad:
Neice #3’s team played Wednesday (25th) - word on the wire’s she hit for three. And I coulda gone, but didn’t plan carefully: Wednesday was an early start for me, meaning I left the school 90m earlier than usual. I just forgot, and so missed her hattrick. Stupid me.

Planning good:
Thursday caught nephew #2’s volleyball game. They steamrolled the enemy in two quick sets. He played a lot, unlike the last game I went to.

¡abriela!

Oh, and sorry for finally figger'n out Spanish language symbols: I promise no get bored of doing it in a few daYS. rEMEMBER THE GLORY DAYS OF THIS BLOG, WHEN THE LANGUAGE WAS SWITCHED TWICE A DAY AND EVEN i COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT i WAS TRYING TO SAY? and when i actually looked at the screen while typing so I wouldn't make a bunch of capitals where none should be? Damn that shit was dope. Ithica is from that period, but it's also from the time I was trying to clean shit up to make it readable. I know its only been 5m now for my own person 'Chinease Democracy', but one day it will be finished. On NPR last nite they had an author talking that usually written work is never finished, its abandoned, or something like that. Me? I'm FINISHING Ithica. One of these days...................

And can I spill my favoured line for my post on J & B last nite? It'll go something like "J & B crept into TC's last nite like a German pocket battleship in Norwegian waters." I think this is brilliant, but am aware that others mite not think so. Well, three people would find this funny: Chemical Man, Lazerman, and J Val. besides me. Chems, by the way, has already laughed. And no, his nickname is from an innocent eighth grade audio comic book we were so fond of in 1980.

¡ find the bees, please !

I know, most of you have gotten this. Roxy sent these lynx out, and I'm passing them on. I love bees. Being somewhat of a gardner, I'm totally aware of their importance to life in general. And being somewhat of a gardner, I love having all the different bee varities pollanating all the different plant varities. Summer without bees, especially those tiny tiny tiny ones that love my sunflowers just when the flowers burst out with that gel on them turning that shade of yellow. Bees are good, and w/o them, life would suck- like I'm gonna pollinate the friggen flowers by hand?

article #1

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article #5

Yet another anti Cub player rant

Yet another anti Cub player rant on dcs.


Please follow the link and read the comments on the dcs post. I came out as the negative scribe onto some of the cubs players (why? hit that link) and I got loads of vitriol back. Methinks this colum has stirred up bees knees a lot. Please hit that link and read, its great. and comment.

Mindworms into action

Sometimes we have to scramble it up when one of our teamates are out. Lazerman was absent last nite, and we were a bit 'out of jay'. Lazerman/Idol/Nixon was on a business trip or other ('or other'- what Smiths song triggered that?), and he's the writer of the J & B updates I carry on this site. However, since Idol was out, Big Tit has written the following 1st half update, and after a long time, I am going to actually write an accompyinging(sic) piece. However, 'cause of time constraints, mine'll probably be done on the morrow. Check back for Tit's 2d half update, when I get it.
This is Big Tit/ Cheesestix/Stix's 1st half report.

J&B represented by Dragon, Chemical Man, Gf, "just make it" Hilts, and Big Tit.
Noticibly absent tonight are Theresa, Glasses' glasses
and Kearney Meats, ironically on the nite Benky
devotes a category to him.

5 Teams: The Undecideds, Kevin's Back, Chosen Ones, Bar and J&B.

1st half: Famous Andersons, Bulls, Very Mixed Up including news.

Worst answer of 1st half and perhaps all time, the Chosen Ones who paid little attention all night, "If you're at 54th and New England where are you". Their answer "Boston".

**For which country did Thabo Sefalosha play for its national team.
**Al-Qaida terrorists are cracking down on Iraqi street vendors that it is a violation of Muslim law to place tomotaoes near cucmbers. Why?
**WKRP blond bombshell Anderson.

End of first half:
Bar-1080, Undecideds-1070, Chosen Ones-860, J&B-750, Kevin's Back-50



SECOND HALF, already and more to come

1st half answers at the end of this email...

2nd half: 90sTV/Music 1994-present/Sox and Baseball: Most intriguing new contest used for Bulls playoff roster and Sox Monday batting order questions where ladies only challenge is for the ladies to alternate giving correct answers for multiple choice question until one can't answer and the other can.

Gf's lack of tattoo again hinders J&B, losing to 1 small tattoo.

**Played Kate on Drew Carey show
**Most Sox career pinch hits
**Most Sox career relief appearances (J&B reboundscorrectly)
**Sox 2003 RBI leader (again J&B rebounds).

J&B goes into final question with 1860. Bar 1880, Undecideds 1720, Chosen 1320Kevin's Back 920. We bet the classic 1581 after determining that we have no accountants present this evening.

Final Q choice of TV of the 90s and Celebrity Gossip. Kevin's and Chosen chose gossip and went to zero.

Name the top 10 network primetime shows for '98-'99 season. (Benky did some research tonight). 5 sitcoms is the hint. 6 of 10 is correct, 8 of 10 1500 bonus, 10 right 3500 bonus.

First 1/2 answers: Switzerland/"they are of the opposite sex"/Loni.

Third Update

2nd half answers:
Christa Miller/Hairston/Thigpen/Carlos Lee

For final question, the J&B guesses: Survivor, Frasier, Will and Grace, Dharma and Greg, Raymond, Friends, ER, CSI, Law and Order, NYPD blue with not much confidence in guesses. Mike talked out of 60 minutes answer.

Nobody gets 6 of 10, so it comes down to the wager, the Bar is left with 19, the Undecideds (with 2 of the tres senoritas added in) bet 1500 to go to 220, ...so the classic lets J&B down with 179 final score, the streak is over.

Answers:

1 ER
2 Friends
3 Frasier
4 Monday Night Football
5 Veronica's Closet
6 Jesse
7 60 Minutes
8 Touched by an Angel
9 CBS Sunday Movie
10 Home Improvement

Apparently Sunday night very big with the older crowd...

Identify

Security Out!, featuring this from Kool Hand Rock.

Grunge me 1987 / Disco it up 1974

Grunge.
Again, little kids in the building today, so it'll be a lot of weeding today. So I dressed on the lower end of acceptability, so I'm looking like I'm still an undergraduate and dating Q. Black jeans, doc's, and a green striped sweater. Usually I'm in a tie and nice pants/shirt, but on these days I do dress down. Still I look good.

Disco.
Heard george McCrea's "Rock me Baby". Perhaps my favourite disco song, a great beat that you can danse to. I used to "have" it for several years until Big Frank wised up and finally asked for it back. Gotta get it. Reminds me a lot of 1974 and 1994. How about that.

There's a killer in the news..................

Thinking on the university massacre last week- well, thinking about me in the reflection of the massacre last week -

1.My freshman year I had a tonne of frenz who went to a Depaul and sat in the same classes. Was it spring break, or a Loyola off day, i dunno- but I visited my frenz, during their class, wearing a black ski mask. I just threw a paper airplane into the class and left. We all thought it was funny, and some of us are even blogging about it 23 years later.

The funniest thing about this incident was that I saw a guy who looked like the old Hawks defenseman Doug Wilson. I wrote "Doug Wilson is in the building" on the plane, and the Prof read that out. My buds think that w/ their reputation, and the fact that they were laughing their asses off, the prof knew who was to blame. Hey. we were 18. But imagine a prof now if a skimasked unknown walked in.

2.I've written before on depression and how it runs in my family. Not a big deal for me these days, but... My junior year I had my first big episode (the last would be around the time of that one girl- a broken heart it was sold as @ the time, but there was a lot more to it than just her) and I had no clue. I had a great class w/ a great teacher (name ??) that I had to hand in written stuff for. One of my works was flagged by her for a meeting in the office. She knew something was up- and no, my work didn't have "I need to kill .....etc etc etc......in it. But I was flagged, and had a nice talk with her. These days, it's me who talks the kids through stuff. They have so many problems, and from where I am, it all seems so easily fixed. But then again, I'm sure most would say that about my problems.......

/Whatever your name is/

I was just gonna email him, but with this past wkd's shows by differing frenz of mine, coupled by the fact that 'I have no cds/there are no kids in school past this time on this special schedule day/i'm jamming Blackies shit', makes me wonder, in this open letter sorta thing to Blackie, when will you play again? He had that joyous show (joy for all who showed up, but also especial additional joy for me, since a few days before-- ah, some woman or other met and progressed..............now I wonder how much i actually paid attention that show) in November of 2002, and then........................his last lp rocked, as well- the first and last trax I find myself hitting up fairly regularly. I'm guessing that one of my bands will play before he does again (but it won't be the New Association, my first band that has spanned the decades since its start in 1979).

Chrissy No No

I was just gonna email them, but with this past wkd's shows by differing frenz of mine, coupled by the fact that 'I have no cds/there are no kids in school past this time on this special schedule day/i'm wondering about Blackies shit', makes me wonder, in this open letter sorta thing to the New Association, when will you play again? They had that joyous show (joy for all who showed up, but also especial additional joy for me, since Splink's sister-- ah, some woman or other met and noprogressed..............now I wonder how much I actually paid attention playing that show) in summer of 1981 in that backyard on Mozart Street, and then........................they're last ep rocked, as well- the first and last trax I find myself hitting up a few times over the last 2 decades. I'm guessing that one of my bands will play before the New Association does again (but it won't be the Retardos, my band that featured JJK on thre Guitars in 1980).

Trans Val Injection

Click this to take you to an old post so that you can click the new video pertaining to that day. You gotta scroll to bottom and hit the "J. Val" update. The only update is the insertion of the new video.

CPS=no you tube, so don't complain to me until i get to see it later in the day.

Communist Nazis

Communist Nazis. A bit of a lenghty article (six pages), but an interesting bash.

Also, I have not been interested in the French elections because I have a school boy crush on Ms. Royal. I like politics, that's why.

Whatever the heaven that says about it

So I googled, finally, securityout and blog, and this is what came up.

Live from Manchester

Man In

I was on spring break last time Man U. played in midweek Champions League game. School intrudes on soccer this week, so I've hit upon LISTENING to it over internet. That's the good. The bad : two Milan road goals. 2-2 in '85m.


Make that 3-2 and a Manchester winner in the first leg. Still, those two road goals......


Weed Out

Been a weedy day in the lib- we get new books, and books on AIDS from 1987 or Satelite Spies from 1970 gotta go. I'm not very good @ the weeding, but I got into weeding after tossing one AIDS book- then I looked @ the others, and decided that I should spean a few hours on the floor going through the 610's. Got out about 150 or so. Fun !!

Baseball, hot blogs, fried chicken and jenke-ole.

I pinch pennies, but I’m sure I’ve wasted thousands. I got a great new baseball mitt a few years back. I deliberated a lot, ran through all of my “pre-buyers remorse” programs, waited waited; then waited stupidly, then finally; got my toy. Real nice all leather Rawlings. However, I was in Marshalls the other day- well, a m. ago now- and spotted a nice black Nike. Given that it was on extra-secret discount, it was irresistible.

This Sunday I tried it out in Evanston. Was @ Gallos for some baseball, pan fried chix, and Sopranos. It’s great to play baseball, as out of condition as I am. We warmed up a bit by tossing the only ball we could muster, a fallin’ apart @ the seams model. Then we shagged flies for a bit before the demands of the chicken came soon. Was ok to quit because I’d worked up the sweat and started to feel my back left hamstring. However, we both had a nice groove going. One of us would try to hit fly balls to our gloved compatriot about 250 ft downfield. Many times we fuck up and hit grounder after grounder, which is not as fun as camping under tall fly balls. This day we were both consistent with getting the ball in the air. Fielding too.

Must warm up more, because it really helps. By the time we were done, the throwing motion felt real easy and natural. I was careful not to ’uncork’ one because I knew it’d be stupid on my elbow. Took every opp. to stretch while in the field, mainly by different wind millings of my arms. Worked on my Earl Campbells as well.

Panned up chix was a supped up good. I like the chix in any variety, but fried must be topper most. All that bubbling agent, crisping on. Crunchers. Give me oil or give me death. Curiously, the guerras eat only chickens and the like- the parents cook it up good, and they kids get stuck with frozen food. I know, that’s kids. I’ve said this before about my confront, but its all somewhat simple (cooking, that is; and ‘simple’ is used not to downplay its many complexities) and I should have paid more att’n. However, my span is so shotput- how’d ever I get through school ?

trevi

Kool picture of how water can freeze and stay as solid ice even as the temps hit the hi 220's. I'm Kelvin, and yr not. Hey, whatever, just spotted this image on another blog, Blakstixx, and decided to cop it.

But seriously, I don't think I linked my no-hitter article . wait, i already did. Ok, read it again.

New sexist toads

Went to Nat’s place way out in contextually convienitnt Austin for a party last nite. The hook was a performance by Nat and Tru, but in reality there was a whole b-day party wrapped around it- the heavymetaldrummers b-day!!

Gf and I were hungry as hell when we got there, and they had buckets of Harold’s Chicken there- four wings I did deed myself. I believe that it was the first time I’d eaten Harold’s without sauce. It was great. Then lopped off some of the b-day cake. Yum. I was so hungry. The Chix, again: tasty as hell. I’ve lately become a real Popeye’s man, to the complete detriment of Harold’s, which for years was my total favourite-- I'd fite people for its honour. And now..... So the cycle of life.

The National Trust were great as party headliners. Watched w/ Gf, English Patient, Army Z and M.L.S. all crowded into a tiny basement space. @ first we all were watching in a corridor and were treated to great views of the bass, Nat on guitar, and the birthday drummer. Very powerful. Then we switched to sit aside the keyboards in a spit of land behind.; gf and I were able to sit/enjoy. She said it was like being backstage. The audience was about 20 all crowded in-stupidheads upstairs didn't all come down.

N.T. played about a half hour, and were rockin' loud. I love the live band because they’ve been -again- rockin’ as of late. A spare instruments show near Maxwell street a few months back and this show were similar in being loud and really carry-ing the beat-loud aggressive music, but not really. This show had drums, bass, 1-2 guitars, and wholesale keys. Got totally into the drums and bass and Nat on guitar in the beginning, especially because the acoustics of where we were standing hi-lited these instruments--the sound of the drums, bass, and nat's guitars totally carried down the corridor we were standing in. But they also stood out because they were the ones providing the propulsive-ness of the whole racket. Good listening to the chica chica gitara’s,

Song of the nite was my favourite on the ‘More like Queens than Kings’ lp; “New Sexy Touch”. I suspect the success of this song nods a lot to Philadelphia Macarthur-- that deep bass base to the song has his fingers and thumbs sticky over this song, whoever the bass payer is @ that particular moment. I’m pretty sure on the lp booklet there’s something about that line being inspired by him. Should be. Then, on top of the bass, was that chica chica. Best song on the latest lp, best song i the basement. All of the songs were jammed and extended, once with Nat coming over and turning the keyboards up of some other guy while indicating take it.

There were some freaky types in/@ the show. One guy who is part of the band- well, I think he is, because outside of Nat and Tru, the makeup of the band seems to change every show- who just dances and plays a bit of percussion. I think he’s mainly there for the stage show. Then this nite there was a similar guy in the audience, freaky dancing as well. Both were going all out @ once.

The neighbourhood had my interest. I'm always interested in different neighbourhoods in the city. Being a an interested citizen, I've made it to a fair amount of the city (very little, overall, i bet, in reality). being a sub forced me to walk all over the city and be able to comapre different parts and neighbourhoodsof the city. nat lives near Roosevelt and austin, and i was interested in the vibe of this particular place. I was amused by this: Gf and I got there @ 10.30p or so, and we faced a three block walk up a strange street I had no previous knowledge of. I have always prided myself on walking anywhere in the city, provided the hour is not too crazy. W/ Gf @ my side and 3 blocks of whatever ahead, I decided to walk a half block out of our way and up a more main drag, Austin. even w/out Gf, I bet I would have gone up Austin. It's daylight for me that makes me feel safe in a particular area. I'm sure the area's fine, I just had no clue.

There was another band playing this nite, and I'll be damned if I didn't miss them. Another neighbourhood that I am careful in, beautiful Rogers Park, was the setting for the inagural bully pulpit show- well, first for years in Illinois. I knew I was going to the Fire game and then to Nat's pace after- I'd planned a mad dash from the stadium to get to Austin (contextually convienitnt-from 7200West/7100South to 6000West/1200South). They got the word out after my N.T. were made, and the space/time constraints were too great to overcome. Next time. i used to proudly boast (vain mutha) when I was younger that on a given Friday I had 20 different options on something to do- hey, didn't we all love university days?? Well, 21 april 2007 was sorta like an olden day. Was good.

A morning and an Evening of Soccer of this Saturday just past.

Lynx to an old post
Lynx to an old post you haven't read yet from last week regarding my review-well, sorta review-of The Sparrow, and a sameday report on neice #3's soccer game that day. Read up, forgive my deep sexism, then come back and read neice #3's next game rite in the man body of this post.

Secondary School Soccer.
Drove from my hood all the way to Glenview to watch 70m of freshman soccer featuring neice #3 total driving time was probably 140m. She played well, scoring the only (winning) goal while she tumbled through space and onto her wrist, which promptly broke, Well, this time it was just a chip- nothing too serious. She gets hurt a lot. again, she looked dangerous during the game. Collected neice #1, her sister, on the way up- she's a 13th grader @ Loyola University.


Professional Soccer.
Went to Fire game w/ Gf. Wasn’t sure she was going, but she did. Nephew #3 went, but he again was with his own crew- 2 cars, 13 teenagers-for a tailgate. He also sat w/ his frenz in Section 8 while Gf and I sat on the sidelines. Section 8 was especially loud. The whole section was filled from top to bottom, much like the first game, but was louder and more assertive. It seems that it will be that way for most games this season. Section 8 seats are so bad, site line-wise, compared to the seats we sat in. Tis a treat to sit on the sidelines. Used to always sit on the “50 yard line” for most Fire games @ Soldiers Field, but the kids would feel cheated w/out the Section 8 experience, so….. However, with the kids now going to the games w/ frenz, I expect to sit on the sidelines more from here on out. Fire won, 2-1.

domestic scences

Was in the neighbourhood Borders on Friday. This is a treat. Gf wanted to get a Martha Stewart cooking book that actually looked real good. I loved looking around the place, esp. the military history section. Lust in my heart. Not that I have the time to do anything about it.

This one from my co-worker

I THINK YOU'RE THE FATHER OF ONE OF MY KIDS...

A guy goes to the supermarket and notices an attractive woman waving at him. She says hello.

He's rather taken a back because he can't place where he knows her from.

So he says, "Do you know me?" To which she replies, "I think you're the father of one of my kids."

Now his mind travels back to the only time he has ever been unfaithful to his wife and he says, "My God, are you the stripper from my bachelor party that I made love to on the pool table with all my buddies watching while your partner whipped my butt with wet celery???"

She looks into his eyes and says calmly,

"No, I'm your son's teacher."

My third Sox no hitter

As bad as it was for our basketball team, it was a great nite for our baseball team. Well done, Mark. Very exciting!!!

Oh, read it- it's about baseball, but its also about old girlfriends, old jobs, and etc....

Semper Fi

Again, Youtube doesna work in CPS, so this goes out "site unseen"

A Gallo infliction

Bunny Wailer strikes again

One big Link, and fer sure y'll enjoy. Praise be to J. Val.

"I WANDERED LONELY AS A CLOUD"
by William Wordsworth

I WANDERED lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay: 10
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood, 20
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
1804.

Soccer and Sparrows

Saw neice #3 play soccer.
Got to go to her game because my school got out early. Then the game was 1/2h late. It was a tie. Non descript game. I noticed the further forming of the soccer parents who regularly show up for games. When I’ve been going to the kids games over the years, I’ve gotten to know different parents of different kids. Now it seems I should start to know the names of the people who are now beginning to say hello to me @ #3’s games. I can be very social and very antisocial @ times, so its always an issue for to me to talk to people @ games and such. Sometimes I hate when…..well, I’m just not always in th social mood, and if you shake people’s hands and you see them a lot, you kinda are expected to talk to them all the time……..


Lots of cheerleader outfits and knee high socks. I like.
This had a lot of hype as it being a geat new house production. It had great reviews in both papers, and another write up in the NYT- great as well. Its run @ the
Viaduct had run out and we saw it @ the Steppenwolf. This was fine, although Gf said she had preferred if it’d been in the V. Well, we saw it, and I made sure by getting tix a month in advance- almost unheard of for me!!

The story was about a girl w/ superpowers returns to a town that was scarred by a school bus wreck years ago. Although there was no live band, there was markedly a lot of dancing. Cheerleader numbers, classroom karaoke, and superpower flite are some of the things rendered to dance numbers. It was done in typical House fashion, and while it was not the greatest play I have ever seen, it was very good.

Best was the actress whom played Emily Book, the female lead. She played sad and retiring well, and also estatic. I think she’s my favourite player in the House. She’s been great every time I saw her, and………..

I feel like a slime, but one of the reasons I liked this production was the female characters and the clothes that they wore. I’m very bad. But they ran around in skimpy skirts, cheerleader outfits, and hep black hipster wear. Another slimy reason, or rather ‘reasons to feel slimy‘ --was the fact that each time a character I fancied turned her bum my way, I checked it out. When they bent down, I tried to look down their shirts. The cheerleader routines, with grinding hips and shouting cuties bare-feet away from you. Legs and thighs. Stunning faces. Distractions all. These are great actors trying to sell a great story they have worked hard on, and all I’m doing to checking out the chixx. The lure of sex, always. But sex is a good thing, rite??

So long Sanjaya.

Again, I was out to see The Sparrow last nite and missed my chance to see Sanjaya live. That's it, he's gone away until the tour........

Buerlhe, last sunday, and the Sparrow

This is a link to last sundays hangings out. I will replace this link with another link to a dcs on last nites nohitter, but for now read about Sunday.

Lets go Sanjaya

I'll admidt it: Iv'e jumped on the Sanjaya bandwagon. Now, understand that I haven't actually seen/heard him yet, but another librarian and I have become his boosters. Why?
One of the kids here has a huge crush on Sanjaya, and she comes in every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to talk about him on the show the nite before. So, we'll say how good he is and print up pictures and articles of him for her. mI call her Sanjaya, althou it's been Sanjay recently. The other librarian calls her Mrs. Sanjaya.

Last nite I really wanted to catch him on TV finally, but to no avail: late by however many minutes. She came in today and I printed up the Sun-Times article on him and then foud the red picture you see on this page. I printed up a full sheet of them in red and hung them over our calander. It's nice to work in an enviroment where super-silliness is ok. Something mumbled about context with children and learning and children muttered again......

Pretty funny, pretty pretty, and stop using pretty in your titles

My first girlfriend of all time, Orange, used to call boys "pretty" if she thought they were pretty. There were a lot of great things about her. Lovely 18yo punk rock chick who rarely wore a bra and always wore a swatch watch on her wrist and a string of pearls around her neck (even when showering). Two out of three of these things became...............um.......................well, I now like when women exhibit 2/3ds of these things. (Not the watch). Funny how we are formed. I'll write a long peonna to her later (and stop using that term as well), but only after I cut the lawn before the summer fades and its too late.....(and stop using that Replacements reference, especially when you can't get the words rite)

This is pretty funny, and pretty pretty. And naught to do with Orange, except for a certain lovely sexuality about it all. I haven't hit "play" on the video, just read the Guardian deal on it.

It's not just White Sox month.....

...it's also poetry month to make displays for, and I haven't talked about it because i wasn't that excited about it until I got the idea to put up some favourite poems of mine. Hey, This Charming Man is poetry, rite? But I was also able to put up the Four weddings and a Funeral poem Stop all the Clocks, We Real Kool by Gwendolyn Brooks as a peonna to my HS days, and some sexy ass shit by Sandra Cisneros that I can't find online (The one I put up is "I am going to Oklahoma to bury the Man I almost left my husband for"). She is a new favourite since yesterday, when I first read anything other than one of her short stories a few years back. Adult woman, writing on adult things,sometimes those adult things are actually boys and girls, and they are the fun ones. Good thing.

Pricky Seven

Goodkixx was over last nite, and spinning Marine Corps stories. I always love them (The march in Italy. Okinawa Girl and her parents. The devil dogs double dog. Obv., I love the stories...) There's all sorts of ranks and staffs and all that- Kixx never went above private, so he was like an E-3 or so (lowest is E-1), When he was new to the corps, he was taken advantage of by the jokers in his platoon. He was sent on a run to get the pricky seven, whatever that was. He went to each platoon, who sent him on to the next. Finally he about gave up, so someone pointed out this old marine to ask. He asked the guy, who said What? Kixx repeated, and the grizzled old marine shouted You've fucking found a prick E-7 right fucking here, you fucking son of a bitch. Drop down and give me twenty. What fucker told you to fucking come here? Send that fucking cockmotherfuckingsucker over here.....

An older story was of his punishment for something was to dig a hole in the driving rain, and when he finished, he had to fill it all in.

Mama, don't let yr sons/daughters grow up to be Marines................'cause they'll be in Iraq right after boot camp and will do tour after tour and you will die of being afraid for him/her.

Pretty Mandy

I've posted this before, but long time before I figgered out lynx. She's now in my lynx, though I'd wouldn't mind being...............ah, ferget it, too corny....

Replacing Winters ............when I have time

Sunday nite

Went to Johnny Gunners to watch the first two episodes of Sopranos miniseries on HBO. He'd taped the first episode (which was on Easter) and presented a package deal of both. There was a crew who watched Sopranos each Sunday years ago (Fall/2002) whne I first became a fan of the show (season 3 ??). We watched it @ Smoky Treats with a crowd of four or five or so (Guitars, Gunners and Cat, ummmmmmmmmmmmm...............). I'd gotten into the Sopranos for good that fall when The Joker/Lipton had dvd'd them from Blockbuster, and the ability to follow the story (prev. i'd watched isolated episodes) got me hooked.

But going to the Sopranos presented a problem: it cut into hanging out w/ the Gallos, which for longtemps was a special feature of Sunday nites. For a time there I went to their crib maybe 85% of all Sunday nites for a few years there. 85% seems to hi, but 70% would have to be the minimum. By fall 2002 there was no 70% clip, but I went up there often enough. Its always a nice experience and a nice crew to hang out with-the Gallos, lots of times other frenz, some little babies crawling about...So when I got addicted to seeing the Sopranos, and now seeing them live, I felt guilty when I lost the Gallo connexion for 4-5 months. I went tho their crib only once that season. I've never brought this up before, but there was a sorta guilt. However, a blog, as I've said before, often lets me put stuff out that I felt uncomfort. with saying before. It's very hard for me to juggle all of the diff. responsibilities friendship wise - its the best to have such a set of frenz, but I totally know that I've let people down-wait- note to self-stop the confessions now and back to sunday nite, but be more upfront in the future.................

The next season (the last season before the present)I saw only the first show, and praise be to Allah, I was given the "documented" episodes (#2-13?) from Smokey Treats after the fact to watch by my lonesome. I was caught up fully Sunday nite.

Now that I can start to have favoured memories of her, I remember Afrika Korps Girl and I went to see a double shot of Sopranos the nite before Thanksgiving @ Smokey's- I do believe it was the hi-point of our relationship- and a dinner @ Gallos several weeks later-our pentumulate(sc) date. Whatever.

So, Sunday nite was fun: Gunners got 14 people to show up, incl GF and I, and we chowed down on pizza. I brought nada except my jenkesized self, but of course GF brough some crispy cremes and something else. I'm pretty oblivious to duties when one visits frenz, so luckly she covers for me......yes: ?what would I do w/out her? Missing was the character who hooked me into the show=Lipton. I'm glad 14 showed up - next week I'm pretty sure it's the Gallos for Sopranos next week.

Saturday nite in Bridgeport

Was @ a dinner for a friend in a banquet hall on 32d and Morgan called the Polo Cafe. It was a dinner for a friend that has her cancer beaten into remission. Thrown by her husband, it was a great way to celebrate her return to health. She was totally psyched to have her party thrown for her.

I got there kinda late and a little bit in my jadlecradle, and so I was feeling the fear big time (as always, think of Jesus in the Garden praying to the father Let this cup pass me). So I was nervous walking in sole (no place left for gf, we knew she couldn't go)

So I go in, our table (mostly my library’s staff) and who is sitting there but the principal of the school. I was kinda quiet the whole nite, but two of the ladies I work with got really drunk. One got really loud and giggley and wineglassknockover-y-- it was quite the site to see. It turned out to be real fun, and for a second nite I ate real fine food- it’s nice to have frenz with real good taste. The roast and the potatoes were my favourite.

Ms. G, who is the guest of honour for the party, looked great. It’s like she’s never been sick. She wears a wig, but she took it off and showed us her new style = short like Delores O’riordon of The Cranberries. She looks great, better than with a wig. Ricardo her brother was also there- he worked @ my school for long bit, and it was good to see him. It was good to see all the people from school outside the school enviroment.

Co-incetendial(sc) b-days (A Happy B-day for the Gallo’s)

We all yelled “Surprise!!” while the whole suppereaters cheered. This was the first of two straight suprise parties this weekend. Both were outstanding.

Plans to celebrate Gallo’s b-day had been cyperspacing about for a bit-I think Gallo knew something was about but played @ surprise when he got there. I later talked to him and he said he was totally suprised, so I'll believe him. The Crankfaces, The Blackies, and Gf and I made up the crew @ the Thai restaurant (Tub Tim Thai ??) in Skokie. It was a long ride up, after collecting Gf, the Crankf’s, and an orf-bye, but we made it in time enough to sit and cower-hide while the Gallos ambled in.

Then: We all yelled “Surprise!!” while the whole restaurant cheered. We pretty loudly announced our boisterous to the restaurant. There were bottles of vino, companies of chalice, and my loud voice . Waves of goodfood, stuffed gullets, garbled meanings, screaming, jecting, interjecting, introspection, drinking, and multiple klinkings… The ladies in the company had to continually shush the men again and again. We were really loud, and got louder as the nite went on. Customers had had their fill of the place and were mainly all gone when our decibel levels got overboard. However, people were totally cool and realised that we were all in a good mood. The last of the others was a lovey dovey couple who probly didn't realise anyone else was even alive in the foodshop. Young lust........

I like Thai food, and Shipley made it easy for me by making (pre ordering) none of the dishes poisson. Poison indeed. I love pad thai, its a very easy dish to chow on- those bamboo's?? Also, like Mexicans, Thai have cucumbers in a kool cool dish. It’s an appitizer in Thai and a snack in Mexican. I wish to grow cucumbers now, and both seem like such easy targets.

Gallo loved it. Shiply did well. By the end of the dinner, while we were coating up, he was drunkenly retelling the maitre’d how much he loved the place, Thailand, Thai food, etc… It was goodens.

Afters, we went to the Gallo’s to listen to tunes and chill and jill. People were getting tired=The Blacks left after the food shop, and on the ride back the Cranks fell out. However, we had some awake left=Guerra #2 was not in a sleeping mood, so the adults had some small company to mess with. There was drink and Chalice before we had to go.

One Son WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They're in the process of finding the new James Bond, and they've come up with this actor wanna-be.............

Co-incetendial(sc) b-days (A Happy B-day for the Gallo’s)

We all yelled “Surprise!!” while the whole suppereaters cheered. This was the first of two straight suprise parties this weekend. Both were outstanding.

Plans to celebrate Gallo’s b-day had been cyperspacing about for a bit-I think Gallo knew something was about but played @ surprise when he got there. I later talked to him and he said he was totally suprised, so I'll believe him. The Crankfaces, The Blackies, and Gf and I made up the crew @ the Thai restaurant (Tub Tim Thai ??) in Skokie. It was a long ride up, after collecting Gf, the Crankf’s, and an orf-bye, but we made it in time enough to sit and cower-hide while the Gallos ambled in.

Then: We all yelled “Surprise!!” while the whole restaurant cheered. We pretty loudly announced our boisterous to the restaurant. There were bottles of vino, companies of chalice, and my loud voice . Waves of goodfood, stuffed gullets, garbled meanings, screaming, jecting, interjecting, introspection, drinking, and multiple klinkings… The ladies in the company had to continually shush the men again and again. We were really loud, and got louder as the nite went on. Customers had had their fill of the place and were mainly all gone when our decibel levels got overboard. However, people were totally cool and realised that we were all in a good mood. The last of the others was a lovey dovey couple who probly didn't realise anyone else was even alive in the foodshop. Young lust........

I like Thai food, and Shipley made it easy for me by making (pre ordering) none of the dishes poisson. Poison indeed. I love pad thai, its a very easy dish to chow on- those bamboo's?? Also, like Mexicans, Thai have cucumbers in a kool cool dish. It’s an appitizer in Thai and a snack in Mexican. I wish to grow cucumbers now, and both seem like such easy targets.

Gallo loved it. Shiply did well. By the end of the dinner, while we were coating up, he was drunkenly retelling the maitre’d how much he loved the place, Thailand, Thai food, etc… It was goodens.

Afters, we went to the Gallo’s to listen to tunes and chill and jill. People were getting tired=The Blacks left after the food shop, and on the ride back the Cranks fell out. However, we had some awake left=Guerra #2 was not in a sleeping mood, so the adults had some small company to mess with. There was drink and Chalice before we had to go.

J & B Business (One for the other thumb?)

One for the other thumb?
Written by D.L.

TC Pub was a bit crowded last night, and I figure the only possible draw was the chance to see J&B try to win its sixth straight trivia outing. Or perhaps they were expecting a brawl between J&B and the Bar (those fans would end up disappointed, as I don’t think there was any reference to the “booing” incident from the last trivia night).

J&B represented by: Chemical Man, Big Tit, Hilts and Donny Idol

TC Pub represented by: Glasses, given the new (temporary) nickname Zipper (Pat: “She’s very soft-looking tonight)

The competition: Bar, Firestone, M&M, and Douche Bags

First Half: Movies/Sports Birth Years/Chicago Area

Tonight’s game is being played under “Max 4 Correct Answers” rules.

What famous southside business is located at 7700 w. 89th Street?
On 63rd Street, just east of Sacramento, what Mexican restaurant?
Capital of Michigan?

(In this unfair world, J&B did not get a chance to answer either of those last two questions.)

Scores at the Half: M&M 890 Bar 870 Douche 660 J&B 640 Firestone 410

Second Half: Music Mix/Notes from the Sox Clubhouse/Who’s Their Daddy?

Relief pitcher who can be found starting a card game or in one 3 ½ hours before a game? (question noted because I know Hammer loves these kinds of questions)

What is apiphobia?
(Hilts’s guess: fear of Strat-O-Matic)

Big Tit catches well-deserved mockery for guessing Jose instead of Juan Uribe for a Sox answer.

One question went around without being correctly answered by any team. The Bar was the first to have a shot at that one, so control moved back to them after all of the incorrect answers. The next question was a “lose your turn” option. The Bar guy that isn’t Kearney Meats and isn’t Trophy started to gripe that they were somehow being screwed (I didn’t quite catch the gist of how) as control then moved to J&B. As the non-nicknamed Bar guy continued his inane argument, Pat suggests that he must be their team lawyer. New nickname proposal: Atticus.

A “Who’s Your Daddy?” question looks for the father of Jamie Lee Curtis. With M&M in control, some guy who had just entered the bar yells out the answer. After some delay, M&M then gives the same answer. Benkowski declines to accept the answer, saying that their 15 seconds had timed out, despite his not giving any sort of time warning (J&B apparently operates on a different shot clock). Benkowski then kills the question without allowing other teams a chance to guess. Oddly handled situation.

Father of Carrie Fisher?
Current Sox bullpen catcher, was with team in the Jim Fregosi era?

A “25 Cent Butt Race” pits J&B against the Bar. Racers would have to squeeze a quarter between their butt cheeks (outside of their pants, thank god), hop over to a dolly, and drop the quarter. Whichever team’s quarter ended up closest to the dolly would win the 200 points. J&B decided that if the Bar protested the challenge, we would also. However, the Bar did not protest, and their rep did a better job of dropping a coin out of his ass than Hilts did. The Bar is the “25 Cent Butt Race” champions!

Scores into Final Question: J&B 2180 Bar 2070 M&M 1120 Firestone 1070 Douche 900

Final Category: Selection between “80s Entertainment” or “World of Porn”

J&B selects “80s Entertainment”. Benkowski: “For the record, the team that requested ‘Porn’ for this location didn’t select it.”

Need 3 of 5 to win wager. All 5 wins 3000 bonus points. J&B wagers the classic (1961).

80s Entertainment:
Q101 overnight dj from 1983-1989…female…still on the air today?
WGN morning sports updates 1983-end of 80s…not in town anymore?
Marlee Matlin’s co-star from the movie in which she won her Oscar?
Character played by Katherine Hepburn in “On Golden Pond”?
Played the father on “Family Ties”?

World of Porn:
E! Channel did report on her life story…she kept getting out of porn but kept going back because she needed the money?
All of her tapes were pulled from the shelves when she was found to have made them while underage?
Started her career in 1993…many think she is the consummate adult star…many appearances as a guest on Howard Stern’s show?
The “Hedgehog”?
Canadian male star with various positive nicknames…five letters in both his first and last name?

Gentlemen?

PART II



Part II

J&B guesses: Catherine Johns, Chuck Swirsky, William Hurt, Eva Braun and Michael Gross. J&B is certain of only two of their answers being correct.

First half answers:
Golfdome
El Gallo de Oro
Lansing

Second half answers:
Bobby Jenks
Fear of bees
Tony Curtis
Eddie Fisher
Mark Salas

Final Question:

Douche- 900- selects Porn- guesses Jenna Jameson (no), Traci Lords (yes), Savannah (no), Ron Jeremy (yes), Traci Lords (no)- wagered 900- thanks for playing.

Firestone- 1070- selected Entertainment- they wagered 1069 and are leaving the building- left with 1.

M&M- 1120- selected Entertainment- apparently responded “no idea”- wagered 1120- thanks for playing.

Bar- 2070- selected Entertainment- guesses Lisa Dent (no), Dave Ennett (no), William Hurt (yes), Marge (no), Michael Gross (yes)- wagered 1850- down to 220.

Due to the Bar’s wager, J&B will need at least 3 correct to win.

J&B- 2180- selected Entertainment- guesses Catherine Johns (no), Chuck Swirsky (yes), William Hurt (yes), Eva Braun (no), Michael Gross (yes)- wagered 1961- finish with 4141 and a 6th consecutive victory!

Answers:
Entertainment: Carla Leonardo, Chuck Swirsky, William Hurt, Ethel Thayer, Michael Gross.
Porn: Ginger Lynn, Traci Lords, Jenna Jameson, Ron Jeremy, Peter North.

The Chuck Swirsky question stirred bad memories for Benkowski. He had applied for the job at WGN, and they had asked for his ideas. Benkowski said he wanted to come in for an interview and he’ll tell them. His idea was for WGN to have their sports updates before WBBM did their updates. WGN hired Swirsky and stole Benkowski’s plan, which apparently is in effect to this day. I hope Benkowski did a better job of keeping his MLB realignment plan under his vest when he met with Jerry Reinsdorf years later.

Another Swirsky stab: Benkowski was dating a girl who lived in Frankfort. He arrived at her house one night to find Chuck Swirsky leaving it. Fortunately, it turned out Swirsky was dating this girl’s sister (or so they said), who was a cheerleader for the Sting.

Some Zipper (aka Glasses) trivia: she attended the St Rita prom in 1996.

Next trivia night is April 26th. I am already “out” due to a trip to Cleveland.

uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...............

Even though my mom doesn't look as hot as she did as she did in the late 1990's, I though i'd immortalise her.............

Ok, I won't lie, I'm becoming a tatoo artist and this is my first creation......

Ok, I won't lie, this is a picture of my first love...............

ok ok ok, I won't lie.............................

Wrigley Field

This is how I try to write nice things about the Cubs......do read, as this took me awhile and its not just about sports....

Crankface weighs in

Exciting effort from this artist /was glad to read the glib....

She's a must to avoid/ A Complete Impossibility

I really really really don't want this blog to be a series of linx to funny newsstories, but sometimes.........

Tailgating

I had my first real tailgating before a sporting event experience last Saturday (7 April). I’ve eaten @ ‘gates before, but never from the parking of the cars to the laying of the coals to the frying of the meat and the shloping of the product have I been involved. Went with Rocky, Isaac Rocky, and J. Val to the season opening Fire game.

Issac is a bigtime Beargater when its in season. He needed 3h to set his shit up, and as it turned out he really needed that amount of time to grill up the sausages and potatoes; we were and rushing ready and stuffing our faces @ the same time to go into the park by kickoff-we failed and missed the first goal 4m in. Typical. Sausages were beyond good- Issac knows his craft well and enjoys employing it. Mustard. Good. I also drank a lot- I brought along a six of Woodpexx ta wibble down and wibble it up I did. Visited the porta-potties again and again after four drinx outside.

Were visited by several types. A bunch of young fans- one of which I had been arrested with- were hanging around Issac’s kettle fire keeping warm. I got the feeling that they were hoping for some free food, but boxing out by Issac et al eliminated their esperence. I’m sure they’ve been fed other times, but not today. Niece #1 and Nephew #2 came over to collect their tickets- I later visited their own tailgate party and scribble up some gobbles. Usually I stand with the kids, but since they had a bunch of their frenz there, I stood outside of Section 8. I magically found two of the Woodpexx when I got inside and Roxx (also magically) some of his Guiness. I was discreet, but he had to disobey my wishes by holding his can of drink up, until, of course, security hauled him out. Bad Rocky.

Was good to see J Val. He is the one person in the world besides the guys I grew up with (and only a few of them-Idol and Chemical Man, well, would be the two) who will laugh @ pretty much all of my garbage jokes. My humour works on the absurd and repetitive levels. Usually it drives most away after a little bit. However, I think I’m funny, and so do three others. Or maybe they just laugh because they are polite and it’s the rite thing to do.

Listen, don't listen, see fer yrself=

Or, if you want J Vals version, hit this shit.

South of 95th

Every 3-4 years the CTA floats a plan for this rapid transit line or that one. Today, I guess, it's been 3 or 4 years since they last discussed the extension of the State street el south of 95th. I heartly agree, even though I'm a motor man nowadays. The world needs more rapid transit to get the cars off the road (now that I drive regularly, I keep thinking where did all these fucking cars come from??), the pollution from our world, and $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ out of the pockets of things like the families of Osama Bin ladin and George W. Bush. Poor people need dependable transport. And if you say a city can't exist leaning so heavily on rapid transport, what about NYC or Paris? It's easily done.

Here is a future planning site that I happened on. This link is to a 'future CTA train line page- I haven't seen the whole site.

A stratagem

Friday we have the semi annual librarian meeting in the Loop- this year it's @ the Art Institute. These are meetings where the librarians from the whole system meet to-gether for workshops, meetings, and instruction. Well, we're supposed to- but it ends up a giant reunion of peoples from grad school or the system who have known each other over the years. I always end up sitting wit school chums who really like to talk, so a lot of the instruction and stuff is missed on me. People really like each other, and its always great to see each other.

I think the grad school people were all in the same boat- after a long hard day @ work, we were going to classes once or twice a week for years. There's only one person from school that I keep in touch with by normal means (email= dude, party this wkd-what's up with that shit?), but from seeing them all the time, it's like we still hang. I can't say I miss school that much- its was mind grinding to do it (got it done, though!!), and the school grounds still resonate with an old broken heart on my part (still, after four years, there's maybe 1% anger or whatever it is left in me from that whole thing from 4 years ago-although I'll also totally testify that it was also a very needed happening in my life @ that point. I think it was, @ least......), but it was fun and good for the soul.

Last year the meeting was @ the Museum of Nat. History, and I was a bad boy. We had a great meeting where we were learning a lot, then cut for lunch. Instead of going back to the 2d half, I tagged along with frenz (the 'sister in law of code name Paul' would be one of them) and checked out the new exhibit @ the museum. Bad boy. Can't wait to see my peoples friday. And a free lunch!!

Friday nite brings along a party for one of GF's gf's in the south city. I'm not looking forward to it. Or maybe I'm just Mr. Opposites. Or Mr. April. Wait, what's that line in Ulysses?

And on Saturday, I'm going to a dinner for the lady I'm presently taking the place of. Plans are that she come back in a month, and my salary will be gone (I'll be paid as a sub again in a month, but since I haven't a house, children, or med school debt to pay off, i really don't have to work for another..........ten years if I wanted to.....................but then again, I'll never have a house or kids or..............ok, no med school. This dinner is in Bridgeport @ someplace I've never heard of, and it should be fun.

The Meatrix

The Meatrix

It's Army Z Reporting

Army Z Reports: ok check this out...these are soldiers?


Poor, poor Mr. Bean.

And this guy didn't like his goody bag...awww

I love the Mr. Bean one.

Crown of Thorns or Crown of Cotton?

Or Maybe just a birds nest. Picture @ right sent in by ma cousine. It's a big nest, too. I wonder who lives there. Gf also has a nest on her property. She's got an American Robins nest, sans eggs yet.

Last year we had a Mourning Dove nest on the front door display of our neighbours to the South. The moma dove got used to people coming in the door and out, so it would just ride the door opening and closing each time. When the babies were grown enough, they hung around my house (very bird friendly area) waiting around to be adults (I guess). They two babies would hide in the bushes and tree all day, and it would be the topic of interest that day = They were on the side of the house after not seeing them all day, etc... One left early, and I was real afraid a cat had gotten it. Eventually I realised that it had just grown up enough to skip the immediate neighbourhood. The other one tarried for a week, then split. I developed a whistle so that the two little birds would recognize me and not be afraid and fly away, but I never realized if it worked.

Sky pilots, or The Problems of Landing

I’ve spent a tonne of time watching From the Earth to the Moon, an HBO mini series ( 2005). I’m liking it enough to have spent ten hours of the last few days watching the first 10 of 12 hours of the series. I was always fascinated by the space flite and moon landings growing up- I'm old enough to remember the latter flites and skylab and all that. I knew all the different sorts of capsules and rockets and theories of space flite and such; this subject matter is to my interest interest totally. I totally understand that the space program is a great way for the ultra corporations to cash in in ways other than armaments-- but I also think rockets are kool. It follows the Apollo space program, which were the moon landing flights.

Now wait- no way I’m gonna recommend this tripe. Its very sloshsy mess- wait, the word is hokey - hokey beyond belief, hokey to the point where most would be put off. However, I got this dvd thinking it was all real footage. The first episode had the scene that led me to watch this schlock for ten hours so far= It was the special effects on the first US space flight of Alan Shepard. He was strapped in a tiny capsule atop of rattling bucking firing flaming rocket up up into the sky--this was great-- then the rocket runs out cut and separates from the capsule -- the capsule continues up by its momentum less and less and less, until it reaches as hi as its gonna go, and then it does what a big piece of metal will do in gravity--screams rattling bucking belching flaming down down and down through the sky-- I loved it, and was hooked enough. Don’t see it. Even though I will be watching the last two hours to-morrow.

After typing all last nite, as I sit here just prepost, I will say its not all that bad. When they talk about the patriotism and glory and all that its corny, but other stuff is ok. maybe y'll have the stomach for a bit of it.

Flippout movies

Flipped out movie time

Secondary level Sports

Took the time these 10 days to check out the kids playing their high school sports.

Nephew #2, as reported in this blog, made the varsity in volleyball, a considerable achievement for this sport ( in my experience, the only harder to team to make @ his school would be the basketball team- its a pretty big achievement). Now, i have seen him play all sorts of sports and coached him for several years (four seasons, i think), I have never seen him play volleyball. He played on clubs for years, and i always ended up missing his games. So, as cutdown time for the varsity approached, i was in a bad feeling state because this was his chosen sport and i'd never seen a game yet-- and if he got cut, i would never have seen him play. Jesus did me a good one to get him on the team, and this week i got it done--saw him play @ St.R. H.S. this week.

I am a grad of St. R., and this was the first time I'd, well, cheer'd against my alma mater. I didn't actually clap, but I was rooting for his school. His team lost. Nephew #2 is a strange one, I've discovered. He's got a bit of me in him (the other eight have NO TRACE of me in them, only him) on the goofy level. One of his actions during the game is to jump off the bench like he's coming into the game and then veer away @ the last moment and sit back down- some sorta ritual for this team, and I can only guess @ its genesis.


Neice #3 plays for her hs’s freshman soccer team, and I have been able to catch three of her games. I wrote about one earlier, and her good play continued in the two games I saw over break. I watched her play in the neighbourhood Saturday. It was nice to roll out of bed and race over to see the game. Then, I was supposed to go to the doctor Monday, but it was cancelled. This meant that I was able to go with Coach Goodkixx all the way to the suburbs around O’hare to watch another game. It was a long ride, and given that the game was 30m late, we got to see the whole thing: a route by her team. Neice #3’s play was a little less inspired than the first two games I saw her, but was usually a predatory menace on the left flank. So far her instincts and verve serve her well, but she’ll need to be a better dribbler @ higher levels. Freshie girls she can bull through in 9th grade will be varsity players in two years- she’ll have to adapt. But for now the aggressiveness and assuredness is awesome to witness. I’m writing this on Easter nite, and after dinner we watched home VCR tapes fom the families past. One was Neice #3’s 9 yr old softball games-- same aggressiveness and assuredness. Yes writing as an uncle, but also with a seasoned high school soccer coaches eye: I’m pretty happy with her progress--and hoping that deepening connexions with the team and teammates will draw her to be a more professional player and teamate with the myriad good things that come with that during her 14-18 year old journey.

I’d coached four games @ this very field in years past-I think only one win. It was strange not to be on the team sideline- I have a lot of great memories from this field. Its directly under the flite path of O’Hare, and some of those memories were comparing the jumbo jets on final approach to O'hare with the two engined jets on similar to Midway. Huge difference.

Spring break on the Strasser

Cars cost money ("tourism means money") - that conviniece comes @ a price. One of my front lites has been out for a month+ and the brake lite came on this week. Then I went over a curb, which fucked the tailpipe. Costs include=

lites=$20
tailpipe=$80
brakes=$300

It's been a year wit this car, so i was waiting for the first real big probems to occur, but 440 isn't bad. The price of convinence.

yr outta here !!!!!

two best things about this is not the pitch itself, but one of the umps reacton to the pitch, and the rection of the guy who was supposed to catch the pitch.
gooden.

Last Thursdays J & B

And that’s why you shouldn’t “boo” girls

So many options for a title of this past trivia night at TC Pub. It could have referenced the special guests. It could have referenced Chemical Man’s “one for the thumb” mention prior to the start, as J&B thought it was trying for a fifth straight victory. However, I decided to go with the obscure reference that maybe one person will get.

J&B represented by: Chemical Man, Big Tit, Hilts, Dragon, Gf, Idol and Special Guest #1- the return of the “M” in J&B- Moho.

TC Pub represented by: I don’t think we’ve had this gal as waitress before. She was cute.

The opposition: Bar, Firestone, Jimmy’s AA, Choppers Inc, and Standing O’s.

Sitting at the bar was Special Guest #2- Newbie, on Spring Break and still one of my all-time favorite women.

First Half: Fresh White Sox/Very Mixed Up/In the News

Only White Sox pitcher with a 20-win season since 1994?
Led White Sox with .310 average in 2004?
White Sox all-time leader in strikeouts by a pitcher, with 1796?
Steve Larmer’s streak at its peak? (Note: the classic seems to have returned to replace the Gwen Stefani year of birth question)

J&B involved in two “Ladies Only” categories in the first half. Gf defeats representatives from Firestone both in “drink faster” and “long-distance throw” contests.

Scores at the half: J&B 1850 Firestone 830 Bar 420 O’s 360 Chopper 220 AA 140

Second Half: Guinness Records/TV/Yesterday’s Sports Section

Show on CBS at 9 pm (CST) on Friday nights after “Dallas”?

A “Ladies Only” long-distance throw challenge involves the Bar. Newbie represents the Bar. I assume Hilts must have “booed” her (I hadn’t consciously noticed it), and Kearney Meats came over to our table. I didn’t think he approached in any menacing sort of way, but he was saying Hilts shouldn’t “boo girls.” At first, I thought it was just more hazing in the J&B/Bar rivalry, and I think Hilts did also, as he asked “are you serious?” Kearney indicated that he was serious about this- the yelling at the Bar is fine, but yelling at girls (or at least Newbie) was crossing the line. (Coincidentally, Chemical Man called just as I was about to start writing the summary. We discussed the incident and both are pretty sure Hilts has probably “booed” in the past when Newbie would represent the Bar.)

I didn’t think this incident was going to turn physical (Chemical Man didn’t think so at all), and I turned my attention back to the game or talking or whatever. Kearney prattled on for a bit longer and that was about it. I did notice the TC Pub bouncer was lingering nearby, in case a pier-6 brawl ensued. If one did, I suspect the chaos would have culminated with an older man having his arm torn off…everyone in the bar would have been shocked and panicked as the old man yelled in pain…but then he turns serious and, as all realize it was a prosthetic arm, he says, “And that’s why you shouldn’t ‘boo’ girls.”

A later long-distance throw contest pits Benkowski against J&B. Benkowski goes first, and he rolls the ball right up against the box. I don’t know if Hilts’s subsequent throw was based more in strategy or more in disgust at the incident with Kearney Meats, but he fired his throw hard, moving the box. Although Benkowski’s throw still ended up closer, the strategy of moving the box could have gone down as (another) J&B legend had it been successful.

Scores after two halves: J&B 2770 Bar 1290 Firestone 1200 O’s 1140 AA 740
Chopper 390

Choice of final category: Recent TV or Chicago Locations

J&B selects Chicago Locations and wagers 189- enough to ensure victory unless another team can win the bonus points.

For both categories: 2 of 3 wins wager. All 3 wins 3000 bonus points.

Locations:
At 9800 W Colorado, which town are you in?
In St Linus parish, which town are you in?
At 153rd and Harlem, what bank is on the corner?

TV:
Fill in the last names of these “Beverly Hills 90210” stars: Gabrielle ________, Jennie ________, and Douglas ________.
“Seinfeld” debuted on March 31st of which year? (In true Benkowskian fashion, this question had been answered tonight in an earlier question)
What is the connection between Holly Robinson and Sesame Street?

I’m sure you’ll be all over the “90210” answers…

spring break/lite from my frenz

ok, i didnt intend to be so lazy, but this is first computer time since friday/five.......................................... this is some i got for today,

and i'll let you take this as well, bastards,



but ill br more productive later, rite after i cut the lawn last summer anyhow........


i like things to pass on, so keep them coming.............i'm bad @ finding kool stuff online, so help is kool........................