28 October, 2008

A king Leer

I'll amidt that I'm rading Candy girl for....is the word salicious? - reasons. I have weighed in on strippers before: I have been to a strip club once and have enjoyed the 5 bachelor parties that i have been @. But I'm not that into strippes, or whatever...
...except that I AM. The very idea that a women takes her clothes off and danses around for the enjoyment of men has struck that complex alchemical combonations I call my ....um..... interests..... and I think that it is kool. Again- i've been to a strip club once - but the very idea....is..... exciting. it's like when I was a senior in university, and I had a promiscious friend that takled openly of having sex w/ guys, and this young man was blown away, scandalized, and ..........deeply intrigued.
So - Back then thought it was .... alluring and fascinating that a woman took off her clothes and did things w/ guys
So -now, i think is it ... alluring and fascinating that a women takes off her clothes and danses in front of guys......
I know it's the power thing, and whatever, I blame it on your society or whatever (Actually, I guess I kinda celebrate and thank god that it was this society that 'twisted me so much').
So - here is Diablo Cody's account of her year in stripping. Can baerly put it down. I haven't finished it, but my LURID fascination kept me turning the pages until I realised I HAD TO SLEEP. Not the biggest fan of Juno, but am a fan of this book. Read on a free Saturday, It would taken 3-4h. But I got home so late and was so busy today.
It'll be done soon.

Parrot Cage

Very late to celebrate our anniversary on time, we finally did something we always wanted to do - and celebrated our anniversary (22 July, y'all-woman - thank yr god yr not my girlfriend, seriously) @ the same time. We went to teh Parrot cage, a resturaunt that is located on thr grounds of the South Shore Country Club. Yes, hilts actually shelled out for a full priced meal (no 2-1's)- although w/ tip clocking up to be $65 total, it wasn't all that much.
Parrot Cage is a resturaunt run by kennedy King College's cooking school, and it has a nice rep. It's housed in an old country club rite on the lake's southeast shore. I 1987, Sister.1 had her reception there. My only golf game ever - well, 3 rounds - was there. And we had a kick ass time. She got some pasta, while I got a steak. I will freely amidt that I was a bit intimidated- people were dressed up and it was like a real restuarunt, and. well, sometimes, i feel out of place. However, a few minutes in, and i was fine. She had more than a great time.
And I ended up giving her some Wright books - she dug them - when I had some expensive jewlery to give her. She was stoked about the books - but now I gotta figger out some other nice dinner place to give her the better stuff.

24 October, 2008

38D

written by lazers

names edited by hilts


It was one of those nights for which I thought Benkowski would have to split J&B into two teams just so there would be two teams to play trivia. I can only assume the regular TC Pub crowd was still nursing its hangovers after a rowdy night of watching game one of the World Series the night before. Or not. Nevertheless, Benkowski managed to scrounge together four teams to start trivia. By the start of the second half, we were up to five.

J&B represented by: Chemical Man, Stix, Vaughn and Lazers

The competition: Bar, Irish, Seventeen and, added at the half, Fab Five

Championship rules with each team allowed 3 throws and 1 Hangman. Unannounced, the Hangman option became “Lady’s Choice” instead.

First Half: Sports/90s TV/Name the Megahit Artist

For the music category, teams had the option to sing 10 seconds of the song instead.

‘86- sang “View to a Kill”?
’81- sang “Don’t Stop Believin’”?
Last year the Bears played in the NFL West?
’81- this NFC team won its division with a 9-7 record?
Number of Gold Gloves won by Ozzie Guillen?
1970s- sang “Vehicle”?
On “King of Queens”- Doug and Carrie’s last name?
’93 White Sox primary RF?
’85 Bears won their division- which teams won the other two NFC divisions?
’82 Cubs manager?
Year Darryl Sutter was drafted by the Blackhawks?
1998-99 TV season- top 3 rated shows (1 drama, 2 sitcoms)?

“Lady’s Choice” sees Irish challenging J&B to a drinking contest with water. The Irish girl (there were two of them- they could create a formidable tag-team) quickly finishes her water and puts her cup in Benkowski’s hand. Vaughn, oblivious to the fact that the other girl had already won the contest, continues to down her water for another several seconds with an intense expression on her face. She finishes then nearly chokes on the last drops as she laughingly realizes the contest was long over.

Vaughn makes up for the humiliating “drink faster” result by defeating the Bar in a “Roll the Ball” challenge.

Scores at the half: J&B 1690 Bar 870 Seventeen 720 Irish 570

Second half: 80s Music/Ditka Era Bears/90s Emmy Awards

Soon, the “90s Emmy Awards” category was renamed “Mostly Emmy’s”

Only Bear to lead the team in catches 3 times in the Ditka era?
80s- solo artist sang “Oh Sherrie”?
The 2 Bears to lead the team in punt returns 3 times each in the Ditka era?
80s- sang “All I Need Is A Miracle”?
Who hired Mike Ditka to coach the Bears?

For that last question, Seventeen had control. Their main guy (or should I say kid?) mumbled an answer (I think he was hoping his mumble was close enough to be accepted as “McCaskey”). Benkowski seeks clarification. The Seventeen kid answers “yo momma”. Benkowski: “I should subtract points. Wow- some pointless anger.”

In Vaughn’s third “Ladies Only” challenge of the night, she faces the new Fab Five in a “Long Distance Throw” contest. While Meat Loaf may think that “two out of three ain’t bad”, J&B thinks one out of three sucks. Fab Five wins.

Fab Five was a rather vocal team. Benkowski: “A rare night when the Bar isn’t the loudest team.” What? Hilts misses a couple of trivia nights and he is completely forgotten?

Fab Five “Lady’s Choice” against the Bar- largest chest. Or, as summed up by one of their vocal members: “Tit size”. Benkowski spends a few seconds analyzing the chests then decides to ask each gal their respective bra size. The Fab Five gal (who would have fit in nicely with Irish) defeats Theresa. For future reference, Theresa is 38D.

Scores after two halves: J&B 2440 Bar 2170 Irish 1330 Seventeen 940 Fab 720

Choice of Final Category: 80s Entertainment, Chicago Locations, Current Chicago Bulls, or 2008 Tampa Bay Rays.

J&B is tempted by the Rays, skeptical of Locations without Pat, and wary that “Entertainment” really means “Obscure Benkowski Stories”. J&B selects 80s Entertainment and wagers the classic (1901).

Nobody selects the Bulls or Rays questions.

80s Entertainment:
On “Dallas” she played the one who shot J.R.?
2-word title- movie about softball players that featured much female nudity?
WGN radio guy who squealed to CBS radio about Benkowski, costing him a part-time job?

Locations:
6200 W 63rd- what town?
Jackson and Oak Park Avenue- what town?
7600 W Touhy- what town?

Home players?
Part II

J&B guesses Mary Crosby, Stealing Home, and Chuck Swirsky. The team is certain only about its first answer.

First half answers:
Duran Duran
Journey
1966
Tampa Bay
1 Gold Glove
Ides of March
Hefernan
Ellis Burks
LA Rams and Dallas Cowboys
Lee Elia
1978
ER, Friends and Frasier

Second half answers:
Walter Payton
Steve Perry
Dennis McKinnon and Jeff Fisher
Mike and the Mechanics
George Halas

Final Question:

Fab Five- 720- Locations- guesses Bedford Park (no), Oak Park (yes), and Des Plaines (no)- wagered 719- left with only 1.

Seventeen- 940- Locations- guesses Summit (no), Oak Park (yes), and Chicago (yes)- wagered 940- up to 1880.

Irish- 1330- Entertainment- guesses Sue Ellen (no), Porky’s Revenge (no), and Harry Caray (no)- wagered it all- thanks for playing.

Bar- 2170- Entertainment- guesses Victoria Principal (no), Naked Softball (no), and Rich King (no)- wagered it all- thanks for playing.

J&B will need to win its wager to enjoy victory tonight.

J&B- 2440- Entertainment- guesses Mary Crosby (yes), Stealing Home (no), and Chuck Swirsky (no)- wagered 1901- left with 539.

Tonight’s champion: Seventeen. That’s right- Seventeen. The team that guessed “Cheers” for every single Emmy question, even those looking for a drama, won the trivia competition. Somewhere in Las Vegas, some Sportsbook just took a beating on long-shot bets.

Entertainment answers: Mary Crosby, Squeeze Play, and Dave Ennitt.
Location answers: Chicago, Oak Park, and Chicago.

So, what did squealer Ennitt snitch about to get Benkowski fired? At the time, Benkowski was involved in management at Sportsphone. He hated this position- he much preferred to be out at the ballparks. So Benkowski is in his Sportsphone office while he also is supposed to be providing live updates from a Cubs game. He turned the radio on loudly in the background for his CBS updates so that it would sound like he was at the game. Then Dave Ennitt sold him out. If Ennitt ever turns up with his tongue cut out, now we know why.

As for “Squeeze Play” (1980)- A male softball team is challenged by a female softball team to see who is best.

I do not recognize a single name from the cast, although I know of director Lloyd Kaufman as the man who later directed “The Toxic Avenger”. Perhaps the movie is best summed up by this line from the one and only reader comment on IMDb: Obviously this movie sounds a bit tired, but the scene where the guy catches the ball with his butt is hysterical, and the surprise ending when the girls aren't even annoyed seems a bit unrealistic, but who cares?

Damn- I would have hoped for a realistic ending for a movie during which a guy catches a ball with his butt.

Next trivia night in two weeks: Thursday, November 6th. Early indications are that Lazers is “in”.
J'aime faire que le sexe

21 October, 2008

Matthew

A favoured story of mine happened on the bus from downtown back to my neighbourhood. I'm sure I wrote about it it here, but again -

Empty bus, late nite, me, an old guy, maybe two others, silent bus....... and then the voice, in that clipped "rock radio commercial reader " voice:


"Rocking Radio V 106 - the Home of the Hits!!"

Strange, just some guy fucking off......


Seven minutes later, same voice, same local, same saying


"Rocking Radio V 106 - the Home of the Hits!!"


Strange, but i realised we had a jibberer on board. Seven minutes later...


"Rocking Radio V 106 - the Home of the Hits!!"


By now, like Ahab waiting for that deeply regular sounding of the sperm whale, I knew that in a about, say, seven minutes, this guy would spout out again and I would be able to chuckle to myself .....so I waited...... and waited..... and then........again he sounded with his "Rocking Radio V 106 - the Home of the Hits!!" , and again I chuckled, and again ten years later I wrote about it......


So, finally I saw Pasolini's 1964 "Gospel of Matthew". I liked it a lot. A real lot. Not that I will go out and crucify myself or whatever, but I have it on loan still and maybe will re watch it before I have to return it. I'm not sure that I could recommend it for everyone - there is no context, words are shouted forth quickly sometimes - but it has lots to recommend. Roger does as well.


Well, first there is the gospel. Partly @ this point, I wish to read or experience the gospels a lot in a rote memorization sorta way. Having the Gospels always around for me helps when I try to argue w/ those.....you know, the evil ones..... It helps to have the material @ ones fingertips/brain tips, etc... The photography was excellent - I liked the stark black and white. The acting - done mainly by non actors and the fact that the script was the bible opened to Matthew was kool as hell. I noticed not everything was actually in order, but it was great. Jesus was kool - barking @ the camera.


And then there was the music. Old baroque classical stuff, some pop jazz blues....and a deeply infectious song which to ths minute I canna get out of my head. Internetted up finally on this day - a few after I'd seen the film - I find that my mystery song is a 'traditional african drumming' or something. It was an African song - think of a group of kids singing, and a kool beat on the drum. When Jesus was convieved and born, this song rocked out. Joyous, wondrous, great - if you've seen the movie, I hope you'll remember. Then, when jesus cured the leper - again it was played.


So, as I sat there, hioping for this wonderous song would come on again. It was played @ three occasions - the conceptio , the birth, and now a miricle. As I sat there, i knew if i waited long enough, that yes, there woould be a playing of the song again: See, I've read matthew, and rememeber that it ends, basically, with a Resurrection.


"Rocking Radio V 106 - the Home of the Hits!!"

Sunday, as Langersdorf, after the River Plate,

Saturday nite cooks

Made people happy w/ my limited cooking skills this extended weekend. On Thursday, I did it up for Mom. Turkey burgers. Then on saturday, it was Gf and Mom for Pork chops. I can make poeple a little happy for some moments, sometimes.

18 October, 2008

thank god for the designated driver

drunken night @ the rainbo w/ gf and dragon...... just too much drinx - in this case, it was four... paid for it mightlty, well, rite now...... was there last Sunday w/ Goodkixx and Jacob, and Kenny was the tender - here again he was last night - and it was his artwork on display.... he does quilting, and every 15m or so the art displays @ Rainbo feature his work....... over the years -it's been what, almost 20y since I've been going there - artists get about a month up on the walls of the bar - there's been lots of great stuff put up over the years.... Joker asked what's the 411 o getting some of his stuff up - he's got some great stuff built up over the years, although his artistry these days has drawn away from what most peole typically call art....anyway, i'm still sick, but am gonna take some calls from a particular friend - matthew - and you know who matt is ... and that will unsicken me.............
Rainbo was packed, and it was a good night....many artistic things flipped through my mind - a treatment og one of the gospels - yes, i know The Gospel of MAtthew's been done - but maybe Luke, w/ guess who as Jesus (like you gotta guers), a return to an opera culled from _____ songs and dedicated to _____ .......well, lets wait on that (Blackie was the original hoped for collaborator, now....?) , and others......
we'llsee

17 October, 2008

Ahab

Not a good sign when I'm yelling @ the kids, tossing them form class, laminating pictures of Ahab so I can wear them constantly. Sometimes.......... Not a good day @ all.

16 October, 2008

Bully Pulpit




Notice from Rocky:


Hello,

This is to alert you to the attached full-color flyer which informs you that a band I play in will be
performing a mere two weeks from tonight In the City of Chicago. Which is nearby.

we don’t play out very often at all
and our guitarist is a total dervish
and our bassist an igneous rock
and our drummer a polymath
so it should be most excellent

Weds Oct 29th
9:30pm sharp.


The Elbo Room:
2871 N Lincoln AveChicago, IL 60657(773) 549-5549
$7 (yeesh. I know, I know. But the club dictated the cover charge…)

Migratory season

It's been a cool week or so of birdwatching. For the first time as a birder, I have seen a flock of crows - have seen 2-3 @ a time, but this was a ragged flight of 7-8. Families tend to be 3 or 4, so a flock it was. I see these birds all the time -well, a few of them - around Brother Rice HS, so they are the Br. Rice flock from now on. Crows are just about my favourite birds. Good birds.

I have noticed a lot of Hawks as well. I read in the Trib today about the Hawk watch, and it clicked - that's why there have been so mnay of them in the area. I'll float the idea of going here w/ Gf. And later a picture of a hawk I saw @ the fire game last week. giant bird.

15 October, 2008

From the Ehrman

Christ died for our sins.
Justified by faith.
Ever hear these phrases? So have I -and I have never understood these terms - even rejected them. @ two score and two, this dude, who praises Jesus, is a church goer, receives communion and reads the Bible, could never understand the concept. But I’m pretty sure I’ve added this understanding to my belt - and, generally, well, I don’t wanna say I reject the concept - but it is somewhat unsatisfactory.

Here’s the concept, from the Ehrman, taken from his “Great Lectures” lecture on the New Testament. It’s from St. Paul - who never was a follower of Christ when he was alive, but had a miraculous vision of the resurrected Christ after Jesus’ crucifixition. St. Paul is a very interesting figure. He, a very proud pharasitic Jew, was actually a total persecutor of the early Christians. However, as recounted - in several different variations in the Acts and his letters that are contained in the New Testament - he encountered Jesus on the road the Damascus. Jesus had been crucified some time before, and this encounter with the risen Jesus changed St. Paul's life forever. This changed man was probably the most important person in the history of Christianity’s growth - beside, y’know, Christ.

There are several concepts that are important to understand before the explanation flows. One is that St. Paul’s ’acquaintance’ w/ Jesus was of the risen Christ. To St. Paul, this fact was paramount -that it was the RISEN and RESSURECTED Christ - once dead, but now back to life. The concept of “Christ died for our sins” and “ Justified by faith” are null and void w/ out St. Paul running into the risen Jesus - had St. Paul known him during his life, this concept wouldn’t have occurred.

A second important concept is the Jewish Law - covered yesterday here. St. Paul, deeply versed in the Hebrew Bible (The Old Testement, y’all) and a very observant Jew - had believed (pre meeting Jesus on the road) that in order to have a right standing before God, one must keep the Law. One is, to use the words, justified by the Law.

The third important concept was an odd phrase somewhere in the Old Testament along the lines of “Cursed is anyone who hangs from a tree”. St. Paul took this to mean the crucified Jesus. However, as St. Paul believed that of all people Jesus could not be cursed by God,- indeed, God showered his favour on Christ (He was risen from the dead, after all…) that meant that Jesus’s death on the cross could be no accident or miscarriage of justice. Indeed, it must have been planned.

So - Jesus - not cursed, as he was the one person more than anyone who was ultimately blessed by God. Since He, as Gods blessed one, could not borne the curse (“Cursed is anyone who hangs from a tree”) for anything HE could have done, he must have borne it for others. Therefore, Jesus’ death must have been a sacrifice for others sins and not his own sins.

From this comes the concept:

A persons sins can be forgiven if one accepts the sacrifice Jesus paid by faith - that one must trust in Jesus’ death for salvation. It is Jesus’ death and resurrection - and nothing else - that makes a person have a right standing before God. Therefore, keeping the Jewish Law cannot be the way to achieve a right standing before God - only accepting Jesus death as a sacrifice for you sins can.

Got that? Yeah, I’m still working with it too.

In earlier years, I reacted to people saying that ‘Christ died for your sins’ by saying that I didn’t want some dude horribly tortured and murdered to have anything to do with my multiple sins. I’m hopelessly a Roman Catholic - so when Christ said to love your enemies or love your neighbours as yourself - these concepts meant much more to me than some weird idea stemming from “Cursed is anyone who hangs from a tree” as the meaning of life. loving your enemies seems a much much much more pertinent concept.

Right?

14 October, 2008

The Law

Say - long time ago, seeing the demise of Jacob (nee Jamie) under the rotted tutelage/tyranny/dictatorship of Der fuhrer, Vito and I were wishing -on one of those non-Ithaca phone calls from several years ago - that the two of them could be sat down w/ a real biblical scholar to shift through Der fuhrers funny claims.

Well - after a year on the job, I AM THAT SCHOLAR NOW. I finally got the breakthrough that kinda runs riot through that guys jibbering. It involved the Jewish Law.

So - what is the Jewish Law? By my understanding, early in the Old Testament there are a massive series of various laws that Jews have to keep. They are legion- here is a sampling from a quick wiki search from just one of the books -Leviticus:

Laws concerning idolatry, the slaughter of animals, dead animals, and the consumption of blood (Leviticus 17)
Laws concerning sexual conduct - incest, bestiality, and most notably
homosexuality among men, laws concerning sorcery, and moloch (Leviticus 18, and also Leviticus 20, in which penalties are given)
Laws concerning molten gods, peace-offerings, scraps of the
harvest, fraud, the deaf, blind, elderly, and poor, poisoning the well, hate, sex with slaves, self harm, shaving, prostitution, sabbaths, sorcery, familiars, strangers, and just weights and measure (Leviticus 19)
Laws concerning priestly conduct, and prohibitions against the disabled, ill, and superfluously blemished, from becoming priests, or becoming sacrifices, for descendants of Aaron, and animals, respectively (Leviticus 21-22)
Laws concerning the observation of the annual feasts, and the sabbath, (Leviticus 23)
Laws concerning the altar of incense (Leviticus 24:1-9)
The case law lesson of a blasphemer being stoned to death, and other applications of the death penalty (Leviticus 24:10-23), including anyone having "a familiar ghost or spirit", a child insulting its parents (Leviticus 20), and a special case for prostitution (burning them alive) (Leviticus 21)
Laws concerning the Sabbath,
Jubilee years and slavery., (Leviticus 25).
A hortatory conclusion to the section, giving promises regarding obedience to these commandments, and warnings and threats for those that might disobey them, including sending wild animals to devour their children. (Leviticus 26:22)


That's just a very small sample. It goes on and on. Here are some of different ones listed out - watch it!! The point is, when one talks about "The Law" in the Bible - and Jesus talks a lot about it, as does St. Paul - this is what they are talking about - the Laws that one had to live by to be considered holy. It is not the Roman laws of the time, or the laws of gravity, or the laws of soccer. Those who lead their lives by the LETTER of the law but were not really living by THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW were considered hypocrites by Jesus. Again and again, jesus says that the Laws were made for man, and not man for the Law. So, it is against the Law to WORK on the Sabbath. However, some of his disciples were hungry, and when they were walking through a wheat field, some of them ate a bit of the wheat tops. When the "Holy" ones saw this, they said that they were sinning because they worked on the Sabbath. Jesus said, basically - Dudes - my boys were hungry, and we had to eat - the Law was made for man......"

So, after Jesus was killed, St. Paul became one of the major Christian missionaries. However, he found especially fruitful pickings in the gentiles - the Non jews. These non Jews who wanted to become Christians never lived under the Law, and they rally didn't want to. However, some backward looking Christians - Jacob, Jesus brother was among them - were making these gentiles convert to Judaism before they were allowed to become Christians. This meant - YIKKKKKKES _ that they had to be circumcised (as well as not hang w/ their family, etc etc etc - lots of ruff stiff). St. Paul was like "What the fuck? They shouldn't have to become Jews first to become Christians finally. If one wants to be a Christian, one neededt need to love under the Law." There was a huge debate, then, among the two schools of thought before a compromise was reached @ the Council of Jeresulem . No cutting, thank God.

So - the Law, as written about by Paul - is a very easily understood concept. VERY EASY. And unfortunately for Der Feurher, he misunderstood what was being said . And double misfortune - he has based his WHOLE WORLD VIEW ON THIS LAUGHABLE MISUNDERSTANDING. He takes The Law to be the laws of the state, or the rules of the road, or whatever - he takes it that Jesus came to rescue us from the Law, he thinks that we can go killing and raping and murdering and cheating and all of that - because, well, that is what the Law is to him.

It'll take a long time to convince university trained Jacob - trained under Marvin Rosen, no less - of this little misunderstanding - but Der Feurhers whole worldview is contained here - so I'm imagining the wars to come over Jacobs soul in the days to come.

Der Feurher is a very sick dude - well, slow, or whatever - and we do feel sorry for him. But Not so sorry to try to rescue my boy from that paralyzed thought process.

....................................................

I have run this before, but here are some of the funny Laws - which have you broken, and what was yer punishment??:

Dear President Bush,

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from you and understand why you would propose and support a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage. As you said "in the eyes of God marriage is based between a man a woman." I try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some other elements of God's Laws and how to follow them.

1. Leviticus 25:44 states that I may possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

2. I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her? (I'm pretty sure she's a virgin).

3. When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is, my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

4. I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2. clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself, or should I ask the police to do it?

5. A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this? Aren't there 'degrees' of abomination?

6. Lev.21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle-room here?

7. Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?

8. I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

9. My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev.19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? Lev.24:10-16. Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair, like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively and thus enjoy considerable expertise in such matters, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging. It must be really great to be on such close terms with God and his son, ... even better than you and your own Dad, eh?

J. Kent Ashcroft (and others).

half finished movies finished

Cinema severals seen (last two weeks, mainly)

Been watching a lot of movies lately - some half seen several weeks before, several on dvd, and the balance in the cinema itself. These are just two so far.



Ahab, Magnificant


The two ‘finishes’ are “Moby Dick” and “The future is unwritten”. Y must remember my large Moby kick from the summer; when school started I checked out some of the literary books (think Cliffs notes, although that was not one of them) from our library. The book = great, though their was some turgid parts. . I’d seen ½ of the movie in, say, early September w/ Gf and Mom, but both were bored w/ it a bit and so I didn’t force them to watch the rest. It was nice to see the movie, but boy it paled next to the book However, it gives me an opp. to write a bit more about the book.

Most of the book Moby Dick was a long prologue to the final face-off w/ the White Whale. It includes stretches where Ahab becomes more and more crazy. However, when finally the ultimate showdown occurs - it took several days for the whole showdown to go down, and a couple face-offs betwixt the humans and the whale- Ahab has his last little heroic art before the end. In the movie, there is that last glorious effort - Ahab the old man, mounting the whale’s back and trying to kill it, jamming the knife into the whale - kool. And then the one scene I remember -burned into me - from watching Moby Dick on WGN’s Sunday Classics from when I was six or seven or whatever and has lived w/ me since - of Ahab, dead, tied to the side of the white whale. It always stuck into my mind -maybe a fear of drowning, of being caught by something and being dragged below the waves……. Now, 30y later, the scene wasn’t so shocking - no longer the power to disturb my young mind.

But the best moments of those showdowns @ the end of the BOOK ranked the movie. Again, there was Ahab, in the in the second of the long three days fight between Ahab and the Pequod versus the White Whale, adrift on the waves after his small oared boat (not the larger Pequod, the sailing vessel) was smithereen’d to pieces by the white whale. He- adrift in the open waters made raging by the whale -proved a man to the end. Treading water amidst the wreckage of the smaller destroyed boats , notices that the white whale - just done trashing the small boats - is starting one of his whirlpools to try to drag down the other sailors adrift in the raging waters. But there is Ahab, rising on a swell, shouting to the Pequod to …..what ? The waters drown out the commands….but then a last swell raises him above just for an instant, and he is able to yell out instructions that saved the ship.

This is that passage:

“Meantime, from the beginning all this had been described from the ships mastheads; and squaring her yards, she had born down upon the scene; and was now so nigh, that Ahab in the water hailed her:- “Sail on the” -but that moment a breaking sea dashed on him from Moby Dick, and whelmed him for the time. But struggling out of it again, and chancing to rise on a towering crest, he shouted,- “Sail on the whale!-Drive him off!”
(Ch CXXXIII)


There was still time.........

And then the final showdown - rite @ the end - Ahab, again in a small boat riding astride w/ the whale, harpoons into the whales hide, Ahab wildely desperate to kill the whale, and everything wrong. All falling apart, death is near, but I dearly love following Ahab’s actions. In the movie, the whale never gets hurt and seems invincible. In the book, it’s different - the whale actually spouts blood and it seems Ahab has a chance. In the end, there is Ahab, magnificent, athletically leaping about trying to fasten this or that part of lines from a harpoon thrust into the whale, working it to the end…….

Here now is this - to me - deeply stirring passage from the book:

“The harpoon was darted; the stricken whale flew forward: with igniting velocity the line ran through the groove; - ran foul. Ahab stooped to clear it: he did clear it: but the flying turn caught him around the neck, and voicelessly as Turkish mutes bowstring their victim, he was shot out of the boat, ere the crew knew he was gone. Next instant, the heavy eye-splice in the ropes final end flew out of the stark-empty tub, knocked down an oarsman, and smiting the sea, disappeared in its depths.”
(Ch. CXXXV)

I love it - read: it was the "stricken whale”. Again, there was a chance. Ahab, till the end, again, magnificent, dashing about trying to work it - but in the end, Tampa was just a better team than the Sox.

And, the book was better than the movie.

"I don't know what love is"


I also finished “The Future is Unwritten”, a bio of Joe Strummer. Gf and I’d seen the first hour @ few weeks ago @ the Shipleys, but had to leave before it finished. Finally finished, now. Again, it’s always kool to see the scene in the 1970’s, and it’s always refreshing to remember that fucking fresh breathe that punk rock was then. I love punk, and do believe it to be one of th highest of all forms of art. Why? Because everyone is an artist, and punk really spotlighted that. Can’t play the bass? Well, welcome to the Clash or the Pistols! These days, it mite read this way: Can’t play or act? Well, welcome to the stage of Klas and a 20m art performance piece on ….the battle of the Denmark Strait!

Punk rock, baby.

There wasn’t too much I didn’t know about the history of Strummer pre and during Clash, but it was good to hear of his later life. I’d forgotten the Pouges bit. And the music and shots backstage were fantastic - God do I love the power of “White Riot” and “Career Opportunities”. And the sad bit - that these super punkers - the only band that mattered - actually , uh, did start to ape , uh, the excesses of, say, the Rolling Stones in their later career. We all get old, rite?

There have been better films/bios of rock - that Beatles thing I loved was better - but I loved this and so will you.. The only thing I missed was that there was no mention of my favourite post Clash song - “Love Kills” from “Sid And Nancy” - an aces up song.

I remember when we learned of his death. Vito and I, doing the 7h drive from LA to OAK in Dec/Jan, were stranged to hear loads of “Sandinista” being played on some cali radio station. We were surprised that they were playing so much of it (it‘s a three LP album- 36 songs - and great), and then an hour in , the do told us the news. He was gone.

Next - two from the current cinemas

Friday nite in Vietnam ; Saturday in Chicago

Nice weekend. We went to a movie Friday nite, and we enjoyed it so much we did it again the next nite. We often do this - a movie one nite results in a movie the next. The last time we did this we went to Hulk and iron Man on successive days @ the LaGrange. This time it was “Tropic thunder” and “Eagle Eye”. We liked both.

Tropic Thunder!

We used a 2-1 for a Chinese restaurant in LaGrange Park. It was great - we’ll go back. We went to the downtown LaGrange Borders so I could quickly look and see if they had a Roman catholic New testament to carry about instead of the endless Protestant Gideon’s I collect….and carry around.

There was a guy with double telescopes rite outside he front door, and people were looking up @ the moon. So -was he just a geek w/ an interest in letting people see the moon, or hired by Borders?
Wait..........two telescopes?

Ah, I love audiences like this. Ebert - and Roeper, since he got into the big show - write a lot about the vibe in a theatre while watching a movie. “Tropic Thunder” ‘s aud. was my kinda vibe. The movie, I thought, was great. I’d heard that it wasn’t that good, but I yukked it up the whole time. From the opening, with it’s absolutely perfect takeoff on “Platoon” - God, we live in a world of genius - to the part near the end when I jumped out of my seat cheering and laughing (along w/ the rest of the crowd), it was a great ride. I like Ben Stiller a lot - and w/ Jack Black, Owen Wilson, and Tom Cruise - I shoulda known it would be good - but I’ve also seen “A Night at the Museum”, which was stunningly bad.


See it.


Eagle Eye!


On the spur, since Saturday was Gf’s and neice.3’s B-Day,- and two of the kids were home from University - I decided to pizza party it. Good turnout - 14 people, before the young ones split. I had it @ 5pm, so that the impatience youngsters couls go and do what they really wanted - hang out w/ frenz. There was five of eight represented.


I like big action Hollywood stuff, and this sorta mindless thriller was very good. Seems a lot of people liked it - the kids @ school were talking about it last week, kids going to see Monday, and then today one of the staff was talking about really liking it.


We liked it too. If you like big action type million miles an hour type deals……..see it.
I think I had a strong desire to have a drink after. Keegans.
The Goodwekend would continue for the next two days. But not me here now. To-morrow.

snaps...... a few, for now, more later...

so, offa mia assa, and some feeble snaps reprinted back in space and time

http://dachicagosports.blogspot.com/2008/09/manchester-and-madrid-in-chicago.html

http://securityout.blogspot.com/2008/09/my-bloody-valentine.html

http://securityout.blogspot.com/2008/09/totally-wired.html

10 October, 2008

Could you please stop talking about the formation of the new testament?


In 1994, I had a joke: What girl would ever want to talk to me? All I talk about is Ulysses and the Battle of Waterloo. These days it's , well, look to the title. It'll run its course, but I find myself imbibbing myself my even more Ehrman. And talking about it. Cousin got an earful. A sub @ the school got an earful. Earfulls all about. Gotta go, so no earfulls for you now...

J&B Blackout

written by Lazers
names edited by Hilts

To the surprise of nobody, trivia was not delayed due to the DC United/Saprissa match-up. For those of you who TIVO’d the game, please skip ahead to the next paragraph. Final score: Saprissa 2 DC United 2

J&B represented by: Chemical Man, Hilts, Gf, Dragon and Lazers

The Competition: Bar, Morning Wood, Comfortably Dumb

Championship rules, with 3 throws and 1 Lady’s Choice

First Half: Chicago Baseball/Chicago Locations/Honeymooners & King of Queens

Only ’08 Chicago player with more than 400 AB and more BB than K?
Sox pitcher who passed on US Olympic team to play in MLB this season?
Played Alice on the original “Honeymooners”?
Played Carrie on “King of Queens”?
Where Norton worked on the “Honeymooners”?
AL pitcher who won 20 games for the fist time after multiple seasons with 19 wins?
If in Brookfield heading south on Maple- you pass 47th- what town are you in?
Played Trixie on the original “Honeymooners”?
Played Alice on the 70s version of “Honeymooners”?
(J&B guess: Barbi Benton. Benkowski: “I’d like to see that version.”)
If at 47th & Central- what town?

Ladies Only Drink Faster- J&B vs. Morning Wood- Gf emerges victorious

The end of the 1st quarter was punctuated with a J&B fight song: “Let’s go J&B! J&B let’s Go! Go! Go! Go!”

The half also included a rousing J&B chantee: (to the tune of the Houston Oilers’ fight song): “J&B! J&B! J&B Number One!”

Scores at the half: Bar 1260 J&B 1220 Wood 940 Dumb 490

Second Half: Music/News/Brady Bunch & Step By Step

2001- sang “In Too Deep”?
1992- sang “Save The Best For Last”?
2001- sang “You Rock My World”? (song had 10 minute video with several celebrity cameos)
2001- Jennifer Lopez and Ja Rule song (2 words)?
Played Dana on “Step By Step”?
Actress who had been in an animal show and space show had a recurring role as Frank’s mother on “Step By Step”?
Alice’s last name on “Brady Bunch”?
Where Bill Murray tells friends to eat in Chicago?
Montreal’s 20 year old goalie, already considered a Top Five NHL goalie?

Long Distance Throw from the Door- J&B vs. Dumb- from the door at the corner of 97th & Cicero, Hilts Luckman throws the football first- fantastic throw across the tables lands within two feet of the box. The Dumb thrower is next. He throws, and the football hits the ceiling and ricochets towards a group of old people sitting out of the way. The football crashes into an older lady’s drink, knocking it over onto her. The old people were gone soon afterwards. I think we have seen the last of that challenge. Benkowski: “I’ll have to rethink that one.”

Ladies Only Biggest Tattoo- Wood vs. Bar- the tattoo sizes are close, and Benkowski has to pull out the ruler to measure them. Benkowski vigorously analyzes the measurements after writing them down. He eventually declares Morning Wood as the winner.
Hilts: “What formula did you use?”
Benkowski: “I used the area formula.”

Another challenge was for a team member to sing “Like A Virgin” for 10 or 15 seconds. The Bar had selected this question, but none of them would perform the challenge. It moves to J&B, and Hilts sings a couple of lyrics in a slow, drawn-out fashion. Benkowski then allows Dumb to sing. The Dumb player gave what appeared to be a very half-hearted attempt to sing a line or two. Benkowski awards the points to Dumb. Hilts is livid and let’s Benkowski know it for the next several minutes. He thought the points were J&B’s since the Bar didn’t perform and we did- the Bars’ refusal should not have allowed Dumb into the challenge. Benkowski never explains the ruling.

Scores after two halves: Bar 2440 J&B 2010 Wood 1630 Dumb 1460

Choice of Final Category: Aerosmith, Current NFL, 2008 White Sox, or Music Year of Birth

J&B selects White Sox and decides to wager 1251(the classic against the 3rd place team). Two of three wins wager. All three wins 3000 bonus.

2008 White Sox:
Sox player ranked 6th in the AL in hardest to strike out?
Sox player ranked 2nd in the AL in being hit by a pitch?
Sox pitcher ranked 3rd in the AL in best ERA during day games?

Current NFL:
As of 10/7/08- the 2 unbeaten teams in the NFL?
First team to be 0-5 this season?
Team allowing only 12.2 points per game this season?

No teams selected Aerosmith or Music YOB.

Hands on your buzzers….

Part II

J&B guesses Orlando Cabrera, Carlos Quentin, and Gavin Floyd. J&B feels only the Quentin answer was certain.

First Half answers:

Ryan Theriot (for the 3rd trivia night in a row)

Clayton Richard

Audrey Meadows

Leah Remini

Sewer system

Mike Mussina

McCook

Joyce Randolph

Sheila MacRae (on a “Jackie Gleason Show” that ran from 1966-1970…which seems to make “70s version of the ‘Honeymooners’” a tad misleading)

Chicago (Gf was adamant that the correct answer was Stickney, leading Hilts to check a road map in the car. I believe Hilts confirmed it was not Stickney. Per MapQuest, it came up as Chicago)



Second Half answers:

Sum 41

Vanessa Williams

Michael Jackson

I’m Real

Staci Keanan

June Lockhart

Nelson (Benkowski to Bar, who answered this correctly: “Answer of the night.” I’m of the opinion the June Lockhart answer by J&B was better)

Billy Goat Tavern

Carey Price

Final Question:

Comfortably Dumb- 1460- NFL- guesses Titans and Giants (correct), Bengals (correct), Bills (no)- wagered 1459- up to 2919 and the lead.

Morning Wood- 1630- White Sox- guesses Jermaine Dye (no), Carlos Quentin (correct), Gavin Floyd (no)- wagered 12- down to 1618.

J&B- 2010- White Sox- guesses Orlando Cabrera (correct), Carlos Quentin (correct), Gavin Floyd (no)- wagered 1251- up to 3261 and the new leaders.

And it’s all up to the Bar. Unfortunately, they look confident.



Bar- 2440- NFL- guesses Titans and Giants (correct), Bengals (correct), Bears (no)- they wagered 1581 (note: the classic) to finish with 4021 and tonight’s trivia crown.



Missing answers:

Sox- day ERA- John Danks

NFL- 12.2 points per game: Giants



Upon hearing that last NFL answer, Morning Wood starts to argue that they saw a feature on ESPN that was comparing the Titans defense to the 2000 Ravens defense- why would they do that if the Giants are leading in points allowed per game? This argument was bad lawyering on their part- they hadn’t even selected the NFL category. The Bar’s Lawyer needs to start a mentoring program.



Next trivia night in two weeks: October 23rd. I expect to be “in”. Hilts is out due to a Fire game. Assuming Gf is then also out, that gives her four weeks to memorize the names of Napoleon’s Marshalls- that knowledge will allow J&B to select “Can Name Les Marechal de France” as a Lady’s Choice challenge in the future.

From the Joker



I hope they do the same for Obama's plan.

The Joker

bless you joker

Barrack

bless you gallo

we could talk about art, we could talk about peotry, but lets start w/ the load of Gladioalas sticking out of your back pocket

bless you gallo


09 October, 2008

sound and vision

coming later

in todays dcs

movies seen lately

Cloverfield

Pretty good. I like smashemup giant monsters threatens us all. The chix were hot. Effects were good. it was kinda funny that every shot of the monster was quick, blurry, from far away, etc etc etc... They didn't want to spend too much time on it. See it. Not the greatest, but worth the 84m. (left)




American Gangster
Another good film. Like Denzel (Deja Vu is kool) and Russell Crowe (Gladaitor) both a lot. I like the peroid piece of NYC in the 70's. Like a lot of people, I also like gangster films. Again, it's good and i'd say check it out. (rite)



Casino Royale


Excellent. Loved Bond from the earliest memories - It's Connery, sirs - and have tried to watch each and every new one in the theatreas. Saw 87's Living Daylights" @ Chestnut Station wearing a kilt (authentic deal from Scotland which my friend M.E.P. owned) w/ M.E.P. and Business Bob. In 1990 (89,??), saw the latest film @ the Adlephi in Rogers Park before it went totally Bollywood. Saw the last one in 2002 on the final date w/ a girl that was to break my heart in a little more than a fortnite. I loved the film that nite- she'd never been to a Bond film in her life, and when plans that nite to go to some sorta Gallo type hotelbar in the Loop faltered, 007 was it. I remember I was happy that we made it to the cinema on time and was able to catch the iconic "gun barrel" opening w/ the iconic as well theme.
Casino Royale was excellent. 007 before he was a double oh. Like the last film, it is copping kool features from other films. The last film had some very Matrix type shots. This film has a bit of a Jackie Chan feel in places - especially the opening. I always loved the old Bonds in fights - in the furture, when I shamlessly steal from these films, I WILL have scences like the old Bond films - using whatever is around as a weapon. Lamp, candle sticks, a lighter and hair spray etc etc - there was always some everyday object used in duress as a weapon. And Bond always won.
(left)

telephone thing

Hate it. Ain't the days of the late 70's and early 80's when the phone represented an artistic instrument that was often played to perfection. I have the tapes to prove it. Nowadays, as outgoing as I am, I generally hate talking on the phone. Frenz mite know this.

I call nobody ever, and when I actually do call people, it's always a tuff thing. Strange, isn't it? So, I needed to call two people - Blackie and Cousin.

Blackie called me 1.5m ago, and I dithered in calling him back. Then he called again, and this time i sent him an email saying that I got the call and I'm trying my best to call back. Trying my best? Wouldn't trying my best mean that I called him up that day? Not for me. I did call him and left a message a week ago.

Cousin got married in Montana last month and y mite remember that they cancelled the flite in the morning (flying to Montana? I've discovered that trying to catch a flite to Montana is as hard as forcing the defile @ Marathon) and I missed the connexions that would have delivered me safely there. She is one of my closest frenz, and although I missed the wedding of one of my closest frenz, it took me a month to fiinally pluck up the courage to call her. Missed one of my best frenz wedding s and it took me a month to call and say "hey".

So, last nite late, and me thinking that this is a telephone day (I'd had no cables from Russia, finally, on this day, so the idea of socialibility again advances across my psyche), had me being free @ 9pm and going to call both. I picked up the phone, dialed Cousins digits, got ascared and hung up, dialed Blackies - realised that it's 10pm where he lives, then finally dialed for good Cousin.

Good talk. She understood, and was fine w/ me missing the wedding. She knows I'll visit one day soon. It's always good to talk to her. I can hear the excitement and happiness about life in the whole conversation. Good.

sickness

We do not live forever, and dogs live even less. Bolo has been pumped full of steroids and drugs his whole short (so far) life, so we realised that his future will concern strange cancers and lukemias and etc. Presently he looks bizzare, because like Barry Bonds or Sammy Sosa, he is bulging out of his skin - not a slender little thing like he should be.

But lately a limp has evidenced itself. Not good. Oh, he's pretty good - but there is that harbringer of hard times ahead. So, concerned we, have taken to carrrying him up the starir when he puylls up hesitent. I think he knows that Mom will not be able to carry him, but...

Aging and death...

07 October, 2008

feeling bad

I amidt that i feel a little bad for that alaskan woman. To me, @ least, her pick was to desperately try to get the woman vote and the silly conservatives vote. She seems pretty anti-woman, as well as deeply anti-American - but as she is being used as a tool, I kinda feel bad.

I also feel bad about her - sorry for her is the better term - because she'll bring up the attack points -and they are always lame and usually disingenious. I love the attempt to try and get Obama to look bad for 'not funding the troops' while convienily ignoring that Mccain pulled THE EXACT SAME GAMBIT. Do they think that the American public is so fucking stupid that they can't link the two? (( Wait, wait, didn't 50m vote for that draft doging fortunate son? Damn !! Never mind. Well done, republicans - fucks you because you disrespect the American peoole so deeply - but hey, who cares about them when it'll get you 'people' votes. )). When ever they bring that one up, I feel sorry for those who actually believe it.

But I also feel sorry for her for the Tina Fey (SEXY SEXY SEXY Tina Fey -LOVE Tina -sorry Joker, the scar means nada) imitation. It's not just great - it's HORRIBLE. Poor governer, whenever tina lites into her, it's so damn damning and so danm funny.


I love Tina. I love America. I hate those who hate either. That means, I guess,(( although I do not know her feelings towards Tina )) I hate that governer.....well, I feel sorry for her - so i guess I can't hate her.......
foto by Rocky

and in the end....

Caught the last remaining of the Sox' season Monday afternoon/evening @ a local place. It was the same place as Fridays game - see below. Although therew as an undercurrent of sadness, several things were funny.
The I'm Racist, I'm out, and I'm proud guy was there again. Turns out that EVERYBODY hates the guyb - he went out for a smoke, and they made a point of messing w/ his stuff. He came back growling, but.........whatever for him. Goodkixx showed up and told me that there was ajackass in the crowd - and he pointed out that guy. Sad.
Sox lost. Five minutes later - I swear it was FIVE MINUTES AFTER THE FINAL OUT - and two of the bars most notorious cub fans showed up. My guess is that they were listening on the radio in their cars, and when the final out was made, THEN they could go inside. Funny.
Drank too much. Had FOUR drinx, the first of which was straight Cider (My drink for years, now being traded for the cider guiness mix). And, I'm being even more radicalized on that front. It used to be all cider. Then 50%-50%. Then 60% guiness 40% Cider. Now it's become 66.66666666666666% Guiness, 33.333333333 cider. Funny and sad.

06 October, 2008

racists about / wkd.1

Not gonna say exactely which bar it was, but there is a LOT of open racism incertain places. i mean, i don't even know these guys, and it's players on thier own fucking team, but where i watched the Sox game on Friday was flowing w/ , um, lotsa ,um, very un pc remarks. happen a lot,actually. I suppose I'm enough of a made man in certainplaces that people will run @ the mouth. Not shocking, actually.

And it was against the Sox players , as well. Black, Hispanic, Asian - Sox players sexuality questioned opun non performance on the field.

But the kicker was this: the Grand Wizard of them all actually TOLD ME TO BE QUIET because I'd said 'fuck' a few too many times (it was that sorta game on Friday). Yeesh.

I know I'll be in this guys presence many times in the future, so I only game him some remarks, but yeesh.

Edwardian showed up as well. He's the 70 yo man we like to hang w/. Even he was acting bad - a bit too drunk and a bit too lush w/ his effuse praise of how beautiful etc. Gf is. Good man. Made her uncomfortable. We'll hang w/ him again.

Capital Ship in Port / wkd.2





Had the supper catered supper* celebrating 10 years of marries bliss. It was a joyous nite, and the crowd was good. Missed Frankie Diamonds - where was he? But there were tonnes there, some Ive seen extensively recently, and some I haven't seen in awhile. Lots of married poeple - and some bachelors like I (Balz !!).



Food was great. Last year they had a celebration @ their house, and Jackson did the cooking. This year, the food came in from the outside. I'm not a foodie, but I know when it's good. Plus, there was no fish. Last year, I let it go 'cause when I got there, I wasn't hungry. When finally i got hungry, I made sure that I didn't let it go too late. Ice creams to floow the main meal. Everyone loved the lamb. Yes, I loved the lamb as well.

Drank lots of wine. There was champaign, and I drank , like it was a wedding - it's hard to say no when there are free glasses of it all over, and I tend to forget how much I drink in these situations). Eventually, I cut myself off.

Funny. I've been in a very very dark mood lately. The change of season or whatever - it lasted a few days, but this weekend it was full on. It took me a long time to get to the party, and the despondancy inside me kept telling me to just go, there's a lot of people there, they won'y miss you, just go.... the next day, after I dropped Gf off @ the shower, same thing: just go, there's a lot of people there, they won'y miss you, just go....

I went both Saturday and Sunday, and thank god that I did. I'm glad I didn't lame out.


................................
*=sung like Bono.

Amongst the pregnants wkd.3

Wow what an early race - luckily I get up early these decades, and the early call to collect the girl and race to the Loop wasn't bad. I dropped her off for Patience's babyshower shower on navy pier, and because $23 is too astronomical, I actually meandered my way over to Clark and Division and dropped the Starsser then marched the 1.5 m to the Pier.

It took forever to finally figger where exactly mes amis were on the pier - the place is seriously large - and only got there after several nice people helped me figger it out (even loaned me a fone, got instructions from Rocky, then took another 20m to finally find the place - it was the godsend to here his throwaway instructions 'near NPR radio place, much like 10ya he saved me when I was on the fone justarrived from Chicago to san Fran and - after me saying , nah, don't need the cross streets, said -wait, yeah, gimme geary and whatever - and , if course, that was the saving direction)

So, I got to the place, dropped down, and realised that I'd forgotten my massive cache of primary source material that was needed for ......oh, wait, is it still a secret? Well, here's a hint: the walrus was Paul. It was a lot of fun going through ideas and how to fit memories into those ideas, or vise versa. Funny - Cult Women, Bam Bam, Cult Woman, Vest guy, Pee Jay, Cult Woman, Blackie, Cult Women, Dead Boys, Cult Women, Vito, Cult Women, etc etc etc...... all were gossiped about, or stories rehashed, etc.....
But especially Cult women. She was the little boys proverbial dream, the goddess who just mt take you with her*
Both Face and Roxx had good ideas. I was happy w/ their avenues of thought. What I wasn't happy with was the beer - some ugly domestic beer that the likes of Homes would never touch.
Then, some gossips. Richie (15 coup's Guitars) showed up, and we were talking different things. At a point, Face got up and left, and a chance remark from Richie allowed me to suddenly ask the question everyone wants to know: "So, uh, what happened to the Trust?" Rocky and I leaned forward as the first sounds came out of his mouth (An answer? he looked @ him, and it all cascaded down ......something about context....). He actually had no answer. I was sure Rocky knew - but that thought was several months ago. So, we're still curious.
However, there were other gossips. I sat with the three musicians, and listened to how the group can be such a bithcy thing. And some people........
...............................................
*=misremembered snippets from a werke of art from, say, 1991. A favourite. You recognize self?
foto from rocky

04 October, 2008

apprehension

stomachs turned, apprehension, walking around, listlessly, getting things done, all cloud like , i feel, people get ready, whatever will... will

03 October, 2008

02 October, 2008

The Docket

Yesterday was a very interesting day in looking @ my past - I was able to chat and mix w/ the coaching staffs of three schools I used to be @. So, a school named after some old Irish mayor of Chicago - I chary of naming my workplaces in s.o. - played the second presidents school of which I am hanging out @ their games and practices these days (to learn better that coaching business). So, my day yesterday, in terms of High School Soccer:

The car crash (not me)

I was driving up Archer east - the 2d prez school was playing the irish mayor school @ a field 1 1/2 m east when I had to slow down and manoeuvre around two totaled cars. Hmmm, I wonder, Blue jerseys......hey, I know those faces!! So, it turned out that a car carrying several of the players of the school I was going to watch play had been smashed. I stopped, hung out for 20m until adults they knew came (Bimbo's parents) and I could carry on to the game.

Cooch Stosh

Coach Stosh is the long standing coach @ the school that has the best/second best soccer reputation* in the city. Mighty program. A model for what I want. I knew him because I was @ this school for several years - but never coached here. Stosh these days only has the girls, and his team in the Premier (top level- mine is in the First Division, which is the second level) league. So, one of the things I wanted out of this trip was to see if I could get a game w/ Stosh's team.

My thinking was this - we have seven conference games, which are very very important. The conference games determine the standings in the conference. The top two teams in conference are put in the Division better then them for the next year, and the bottom two teams are 'relegated' to the division worse than them for the next year. you always ant to be in the top two, and disaster occurs when you are in the bottom two. My aim is to get their veteran team into the top two of the first division so next year we'll be in the Premier.

So, although all game are important, conference games are generally very very important. To get ready for the conference games , i wanted to schedule a few weaker teams to get the team in playing shape and confident w/ some wins - when the season progresses and we are approaching city and state playoffs, i'd like the girls to play a few tougher teams. So, for me, i'd love to schedule Stoshes team late in the year when we have played some and have more of a to-getherteam. However, i'm sure Stosh 's thinking is the exact same as mine in getting his team ready. Since he is a well respected, long standing coach -who I am just lucky enough to know so I can actually ask him 'hey, you wanna play?'- when he asked for a game in the first week we are eligible to play - I had to say yes. It's great just to get a game w/ them. And the funny thing is is that I fully understood that Stosh wanted the game early so he could get his team playing well early in the season against my team - just like I did for other teams. Context is everything. But, he's gonna send the contract, and if yr in Marquette Park early march 2009, stop by that area of the park where St. Rita grammar school once in awhile had football games, and now are artificial turf soccer fields -71st and Kedzie.

R & R

And it was greatly gratifying to meet up w/ the guys I used to coach @ the Stockyards high School where I taught in the late 90's and early 00's. Two brothers, R & R, who ran that program after their brother -who was the head, and a great one - died suddenly and unexpectedly before I got their. Tis was the first program where they had offseason work, club teams, etc etc etc... if you remember, I have mentioned that period of my life where even though I was twice their age or so, I used to take a regualer soccer shift - 3m - w/ 16 y.o. mexican boys -great boys - twice a week for 3h each day. Best shape I've been in since my H.S. track days.


So, we reminised about the old days -that game, in OT, into that goal, where we beat this team? They both remembered. That loss? In the playoffs? Pk's @ Stagg Stadium?? To the team where my good buddies now coach rite here? Remeber the bitter taste in our mouth? Remember...... I told them of my situation as the head of my schools team, how they had influenced me, etc etc etc... It was only later when I realized that I should have grilled them about their coaching ideology. see, they are peoplewho for several years i was able to watch what they did with their teams. Now, when I am the one responsible, I want to - need to - know. (AS an aside, it's kinda funny the volume of "Coaching womens soccer' type books I've checked out recently.)

In soccer terms, it was a good day. I'm kinda hepped up for an all city series for baseball, so i will amidt that the baseball didn't go the way it should have yesterday. Sox in 10m, now.....
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*=believe it or not, Garnett's former school also has a whale of a soccer reputation)