30 May, 2009
gonna be ok (and yes, that's Mayo!)
All the proms, all the people, etc. Fun nite, time to say truely goodby to people I have known these last four years, and abit of danse involved. Gf got real perturbed because it was only Friday afternooon when I finallyrealised that ... well, maybe I should ask her to the prom. So, she didn't go - tambien, I feel, because she'd be the one and only spouse/lover of the 100 or so adults present. Prom was @ a downtown hotel - fuck, for parkings sake. I Strassered late - veddy late, I feel - and decided not to do the 22d street gambit but actually drive intom the city center and try to park and walk. It was all costs - to take the subway in, it'd cost me $4. to park @ a somewhat close metered space - $8. But - drive onemore block south and there is a 9-9pm and free after space. Just a mile walk to the hotel, huh? But a walk, dressed up prom style, is kool - i have such a hunger to be looked @, and the streets were rotton w. people celecrating summer and nice weather. As always, its fun to see the police officers - paid security - all dressed up .. and, you know, packing pistols. The place was nice - on the river, east of Michigan Ave., and lotsa nice people just staying @ the hotel irregardless of our school. Always nice to share the collective joy of our school avec tout le monde. Shy me - deeply garroulous normally, but oftimes I look for my moms skirt to hide behind - had a start starting, but I found my wind - or, rather, my Mayo. Saw Mayo and dragged him around w/ me for a bit. His mom was also @ Prom. She knows me as she has been @ the school and knows I've befrended the boy. Mayo and I hung for a bit, but de boy wandered away. Sat @ one of my girls soccer tables, stood w/ a teacher posse, and on. Eventually, however, they played this song. (for some reason, I can't embedd it - so I give.)And this was the cue to flood the floor. Obviously, me. I knew thy'd have to play GA Ga @ some point - she's just way too dominating rite about now - and i'd even said it to the fshman soccer coach - hey, if they play Ga Ga, Im out there. So, of course, I love to danse, and I particularily love to danse to songs that are ... um fun to danse to. So, Ga GA comes on, kids go, I look for RobeertoClemente, one of the guards @ the school, who was w/ some hot chick on the floor. So, feeling safe - yes, I always danse by myself whenever we all go out, so I have no fear in most contexts, but this context was a wee bittine different- I just dansed. Fun, fun, fun. And the teachers came 'round to us and joined - we had maybe 20 of us.
Best danser was me, y'all. No question. The cosmos were going through me for 10m or so, and it was like we were @ some house party when I was 25. Just danse. It'll be alright. We had fun.
But it only lasted 10m or so. We dansing, that is. Like every other CPS prom I've even been to, the music generally feel into two categories: Several different Mexican music types (Mexico has lotsa lotsa distinctive styles of music - if you were thinking the "Mexican Hat Danse" was the only type there) and "Urban" jams - not just the black kids dig the "urban" stuff.. Nither are super enjoyable for me to danse to (i like a bit more muscle and seed and beat and rythm and ...), so only when they hit the pop shit were we able to let loose and enjoy.
It'll be ok.
Took forever to get the ids to leave - up comes the lite and topcop takes the microphone and we start to get out the kids from the hall. Boy, some of the tachers got wasted. They had bottles of hard stuff, and others had other stuff. Nothing for me - the hard stuff would make me vomit. But. leave they did.
Down the Dan Ryan, nearing one, the decision was for Lannies instaed of keegans. Why? Because people knowm me @ Keegans, but I wanted to hang w. the people who have strong impressions of me. Lannies is more my regular, and an insult from St. Nicky is always enjoyed.
29 May, 2009
26 May, 2009
Nostalgia/ Irish/ Romance/ hey there fuckface/ Italia
Essentially the most Romantic person ever is me - well, not in that type of romance i am arguing - but in the type that the Joker would always tort me w/ : " Virgil - you like your past too much ". Part of it is family. Part of it is neighbourhood. Strong sense of the Romance in me.
And, again, no not that romance. I mean Romance. Of another order.
I remember there was a murder in Liverpool in the 1990's*. A boy called Bulger was kidnapped by two 12 year old kids and murdered. The commentators on the telly were goin on about the case, especially why it was such a huge deal in Liverpool @ the time. The commentator said something like "Liverpool being the most Irish of English cities, and the Irish being the most romantic all people, it sup rises me not ....." That hit me twice - first, it instantly reflected on my Dad - and shit, I realised, he was a fucking romantic beyond belief!! Wait - they* ALL Are!! I then realised -it was then, too - that if they are talking about Irish in Liverpool, and all those books which talk of Irish families living in America or England or Canada or Australia or Argentina or wherever - well, i fit in with that as well. I'd always thought of myself as an American back then, and American only - sure my parents were Irish, but certainly not I. But, as I grew and saw all sorts of ethnicity's in the city and in books - it hit me that if a boy from Irish parents was living in the old Irish neighbourhood around 58th and State in 1895 was Irish - then a Marquette Park kid growing up when I did was also Irish.
The new Liverpool thing was that when the news guy tagged the Irish as being romantic and nostalgic - I instantly realised -"Shit- he's talking about Dad; which instantly gave way to "Shit, he's talking 'bout me".
Because, for me, it was always better to look back than forward. Took a long time (esp. thanks to soccer!!!), but I do look forward these days. But it did hit me and particlally put me in my place and time.
And, again, no not that romance. I mean Romance. Of another order.
I remember there was a murder in Liverpool in the 1990's*. A boy called Bulger was kidnapped by two 12 year old kids and murdered. The commentators on the telly were goin on about the case, especially why it was such a huge deal in Liverpool @ the time. The commentator said something like "Liverpool being the most Irish of English cities, and the Irish being the most romantic all people, it sup rises me not ....." That hit me twice - first, it instantly reflected on my Dad - and shit, I realised, he was a fucking romantic beyond belief!! Wait - they* ALL Are!! I then realised -it was then, too - that if they are talking about Irish in Liverpool, and all those books which talk of Irish families living in America or England or Canada or Australia or Argentina or wherever - well, i fit in with that as well. I'd always thought of myself as an American back then, and American only - sure my parents were Irish, but certainly not I. But, as I grew and saw all sorts of ethnicity's in the city and in books - it hit me that if a boy from Irish parents was living in the old Irish neighbourhood around 58th and State in 1895 was Irish - then a Marquette Park kid growing up when I did was also Irish.
The new Liverpool thing was that when the news guy tagged the Irish as being romantic and nostalgic - I instantly realised -"Shit- he's talking about Dad; which instantly gave way to "Shit, he's talking 'bout me".
Because, for me, it was always better to look back than forward. Took a long time (esp. thanks to soccer!!!), but I do look forward these days. But it did hit me and particlally put me in my place and time.
And the hood. We all talk of the old days in the hood. I was shamed once when Mr. B. asked about a certain family o the my block growing up and was scandalised that I couldn't give "The names, dates, infos, everything..." on this family. He was scandalised.
We in the hood and, again, I know yr eyes glaze @ these sentances, both because I've written similar before and because ...... well, yr just not romantic....... Anyway, we share that certaintitiy of our specialness before God and Man because simply of the addresses we grew up on.
But I'm romantic about much more than that. University - still, the streets of Rogers park, totally different now - still trigger something. That last nite there after my last test senior year, but before school officially ended the next day - walking the campus w. Q @ nite, sad, feeling life was passing me by (((I WAS 22 - how clueless could I be??))) trying to stall time- or stop it, actually - but no.
But this long and repeated discussion was brought on my a choice comment asked of my neice yesterday.., Neice.1 had been in Roma for university for the last 6m. She travelled a lot, but overwhelmingly she loved that city. And, i'm betting, the time Iher life. But I asked her this, knowing the answer:
"Do you feel like you could go back to your old room in Roma rite now and it still should be set up?"
"Yes".
She'll have many Romas in life - many to come, varied as they may be. I still nostaglic for 1207 W. . 1836 W.. 4527 N. and on and on and on = I remember leaving Cali after being there for 2 weeks and reminising about doing the laundry there... or cooking pasta.
But yeah, that old neighbourhood and that other old neighbourhod - and the many other neighbourhoods of my mind -
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*= I've written about this before, so just deal.
**=the Irish
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_______________________________________________________
*= I've written about this before, so just deal.
**=the Irish
The Russian Front
Been reading - trying to read - Joh Erickson's The Road to Stalingrad these past few weeks - well, 8, now. I'm slogging my way through it - I knew it would be a road - but I'm about @ March 1942 and finally the Germans are gearing up to make the actual drive on that city. Very dry book. AFter reading Overy's more lively book on the Russian Front - well, it was more lively, lets just say. and that's ok.
I was trolling* for newish books that would give me new insights into the German Russian war, and I think Erickson has given me one!! Forever, we in America were taught that the Russians were totally incompetent through the whole war. This was a reflection of Cold War ideas - the former Nazis were now our allies, and our formenr allies the Russian now had to be vilified and made fun of. SO, we got a steady diet of postwar propaganda on how the Russian were evil and faceless automatons (wait, and the NAZIS WEREN'T??) and the Germans were - yes, evil , but also - plucky, outnumbered, fighting the REAL MODERN EVIL of TODAY = Communism, and often - wait for it - the Germans were the heros. Because of this, post war histories often treated the Gernmans as heroes and the Russians as the rotton ones. Certainly the Russians did a lot of evil - trust me, as an American reading about the war, there was all sorts of evil done and reported by them - but the Nazis were just about as bad as it gets**. So, almost every book I've ever read had it that the Germans should have put all of their mite against the Russians - instead of the Americans and English etc... - when they were trying to fite on two fronts. Because they didn't, writers blame them for the Iron Curtain - or @ least, the amount of territory behind the curtain.
But - Erickson - and whats new to me?? The effect of the Russinan counterattacks Decenber 1941- that's what. But first- to Western readers the Soviets were always portrayed as hopelessly inneffective - the only reason they won the war -v- the Nazis was that the Americans gave them so much aid and that the Russians had so many people fed into the war as cannon fodder they just overwhelmed the Germans. It wasn't that the Russians actually had a good army - the Americans write - they just had more 'stuff' and overwhelmed the Nazis. Overy's was the first book to really accuntuate that the Russians actually really learned - and learned well - the battlefield lessons the Germans had been doin go thtem the first 3y of the battle. Don't get me wrong - even the most right wing Cold War histories had the Russians learning somthing - but the after 1990 writers are giving the Russins mor credit.
But the Moscow counter attacks in December 1941 - Erickson has really given another view of @ least the capabilities of the Russain army early in the War. In Western books, it was always known that the final failed German attack on Moscow - and the Russian counteroffensive that followed - really fucked up the Nazis. But it wasn't so much the Russians that inflicted the defeat - rather it was always the WINTER and that the GERNMANS HAD TOO EXTENDED THEIR LINES - NOT that the Russians had a great deal to do with the GErman repulse and retreat. Erickson has it, however, that the innsessent Russain attacks - most of them bloated , uncoordianted, and badly run - were really the good trick in turning the Nazis back from Moscow and then gave Moscow breathing room. nOw, remember, Erickson was writing this volume in 1975 - the Cold War still on - but since he worked really well w/ the available sources - and many interviews w/. people who were involved - he's given me @ least a somewhat alternative version from what I've been reading since, say, October 1984.
S0 - I went into reading Overy and Erickson this year - and not, say 1984 - to recalibrate my views on that conflict. SO - hey, success. I'm still on it, too - and then the 700p second volume this summer.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
*= we have a friend who - when we were out - would go after women after women after woman. When he slipped into this mode, he was 'trolling' for women. "Up - first one don't gimmie no play / On to the next one!!" I'm not certain he knew his rep. He's exactly where he wants to be now, though - tied up good.
**= very obvious yes, but also read The Third Reich: A New History by Burleigh - my revies is somewhere in this mess of a blog.
I was trolling* for newish books that would give me new insights into the German Russian war, and I think Erickson has given me one!! Forever, we in America were taught that the Russians were totally incompetent through the whole war. This was a reflection of Cold War ideas - the former Nazis were now our allies, and our formenr allies the Russian now had to be vilified and made fun of. SO, we got a steady diet of postwar propaganda on how the Russian were evil and faceless automatons (wait, and the NAZIS WEREN'T??) and the Germans were - yes, evil , but also - plucky, outnumbered, fighting the REAL MODERN EVIL of TODAY = Communism, and often - wait for it - the Germans were the heros. Because of this, post war histories often treated the Gernmans as heroes and the Russians as the rotton ones. Certainly the Russians did a lot of evil - trust me, as an American reading about the war, there was all sorts of evil done and reported by them - but the Nazis were just about as bad as it gets**. So, almost every book I've ever read had it that the Germans should have put all of their mite against the Russians - instead of the Americans and English etc... - when they were trying to fite on two fronts. Because they didn't, writers blame them for the Iron Curtain - or @ least, the amount of territory behind the curtain.
But - Erickson - and whats new to me?? The effect of the Russinan counterattacks Decenber 1941- that's what. But first- to Western readers the Soviets were always portrayed as hopelessly inneffective - the only reason they won the war -v- the Nazis was that the Americans gave them so much aid and that the Russians had so many people fed into the war as cannon fodder they just overwhelmed the Germans. It wasn't that the Russians actually had a good army - the Americans write - they just had more 'stuff' and overwhelmed the Nazis. Overy's was the first book to really accuntuate that the Russians actually really learned - and learned well - the battlefield lessons the Germans had been doin go thtem the first 3y of the battle. Don't get me wrong - even the most right wing Cold War histories had the Russians learning somthing - but the after 1990 writers are giving the Russins mor credit.
But the Moscow counter attacks in December 1941 - Erickson has really given another view of @ least the capabilities of the Russain army early in the War. In Western books, it was always known that the final failed German attack on Moscow - and the Russian counteroffensive that followed - really fucked up the Nazis. But it wasn't so much the Russians that inflicted the defeat - rather it was always the WINTER and that the GERNMANS HAD TOO EXTENDED THEIR LINES - NOT that the Russians had a great deal to do with the GErman repulse and retreat. Erickson has it, however, that the innsessent Russain attacks - most of them bloated , uncoordianted, and badly run - were really the good trick in turning the Nazis back from Moscow and then gave Moscow breathing room. nOw, remember, Erickson was writing this volume in 1975 - the Cold War still on - but since he worked really well w/ the available sources - and many interviews w/. people who were involved - he's given me @ least a somewhat alternative version from what I've been reading since, say, October 1984.
S0 - I went into reading Overy and Erickson this year - and not, say 1984 - to recalibrate my views on that conflict. SO - hey, success. I'm still on it, too - and then the 700p second volume this summer.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
*= we have a friend who - when we were out - would go after women after women after woman. When he slipped into this mode, he was 'trolling' for women. "Up - first one don't gimmie no play / On to the next one!!" I'm not certain he knew his rep. He's exactly where he wants to be now, though - tied up good.
**= very obvious yes, but also read The Third Reich: A New History by Burleigh - my revies is somewhere in this mess of a blog.
Scapa weekend
A long wkd, hilighted by terrible battles and losses. The army's striking power is still there - but deadly drained. Think - it was a long wkd, yet here I am ... Both Friday and Sunday I was stupid beyond belief, and decided "Yeah, yeah, I CAN win Kursk this time about"* - despite the enormous amount of preparation knowing this would end up just like Kursk did for das Heer.
Friday's clash of arms was somethng else. The battle raged early - the enemy wass strong. Certasin was I of vivcoty - like always - but the moment of crisis passed and there I was : holding the field but drained away. Sunday the battle resumed- a few drinks in me would be novel - and it sorta was - but again, destruction.
It's begiinning to look like - again to use the nazis - 1944, when every front was alight and every front was overmatching and yet Hitler made sure the war had to go on ...
Gallo had sounded us out about Sunday nite. I only wished ...
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
*= me being, in this instance, the Wermacht
Friday's clash of arms was somethng else. The battle raged early - the enemy wass strong. Certasin was I of vivcoty - like always - but the moment of crisis passed and there I was : holding the field but drained away. Sunday the battle resumed- a few drinks in me would be novel - and it sorta was - but again, destruction.
It's begiinning to look like - again to use the nazis - 1944, when every front was alight and every front was overmatching and yet Hitler made sure the war had to go on ...
Gallo had sounded us out about Sunday nite. I only wished ...
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
*= me being, in this instance, the Wermacht
25 May, 2009
24 May, 2009
Shockingly dangeroux, but only this morning did I finally follow Nephew.2's advice, spend a wee but'o time online, and here i sit, watching man united -v- Hull for free and live. Seems to me there mite be a lot of next Falls Saturday mornings sitting watching Premier league action in frnt of my PC.
And also - so it seems that when one is charging the moblie, y can also use it!
Finally - modern day kids see "y" as "why?", and not "yes" or "you"
22 May, 2009
neverend
So, the latest in soccer - well, im going to a state playoff game (Nek going for a regional title - four girls who were on my freshman team way back - well, four years ago - are on this team and may win some metal today - lets go Nek) - is that again I'm trying to start an off season team for our soccer team.
Trust me we need it - so many graduating seniors, my team will be brand new next spring - and the time to start s rite now.
SO - going to get Neice.1 to coach/play the team, and we will see who are interested in playing in a team meeting on tuesday. It's not too expensive, so i hope enough kids are interested. It will be a bit of a mix if a team - my players, plus my neice and maybe 2 neices and their frenz. @ this point, it's all inthe air and we hope to have ateam - however, it's not settled.
Just got done w/ soccer, and here I am tryiing to tie myself to the next 4m of sunday mornings to girls soccer. It's a life, I guess.
Trust me we need it - so many graduating seniors, my team will be brand new next spring - and the time to start s rite now.
SO - going to get Neice.1 to coach/play the team, and we will see who are interested in playing in a team meeting on tuesday. It's not too expensive, so i hope enough kids are interested. It will be a bit of a mix if a team - my players, plus my neice and maybe 2 neices and their frenz. @ this point, it's all inthe air and we hope to have ateam - however, it's not settled.
Just got done w/ soccer, and here I am tryiing to tie myself to the next 4m of sunday mornings to girls soccer. It's a life, I guess.
@@@.com
Want a push, bitch??
I'VE COME UP WITH TONNES OF SONGS
- AND RECORDED THEM
- IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.
like y can't do 1000x better than me
20 May, 2009
gang leader for a day
So, this is what I'm reading, and its too bad I actually am busy - lestwise it would have been finished much less than in a jack flash - compulsive. I'd read about the book -it's a 2008'r - in the press, but it took until now - new @ our library - to actually pick it up and examine.He's a U of C grad student - well, was, in 1989 - who spent years hanging out w/ a street gang in the old Robert taylor homes. I'm not going to review it, other than say I'm enslaved to it - I get free like 9 pm to-nite, and only will I read it, nothing else.
Many things good. But, of course, since this is Securityout, it's MY ROLE in the book that is most important. I'm kinda reckless in my personal safety- people who know know. I love the city, and all of its neighbourhoods. That, a love of city buildings, city street life, and just plain too cheap to get a car or etc ... meant that except for some of the neighbourhoods around O'Hare, I've basically walked in every hood in the city. (Even Altgeld Gardens , so fucking south it's almost out of the city - we went there to see Carver HS play some highfalutin' team way back in 1995. Dragon and I took the CTA there. No one bothered us except to remark on the bok in my hands - the 1000p Campaigns of Napoleon by D. Chandler was loking like the Bible, so some cats asked if we were converting people.). And that means sidestreets (Malcom X wrote th same thing - he just didn't hang on 125th Street, he also did the side streets. Having read that sentence, I immediately started to walk the side streets).
And @ all times. Until 2006 Mai, I rode CTA everywhere. Since I worked in all neighbourhoods subbing during school year - and then love dthe basketball games after school - I just hadda use the city. That means, again, alleys If I needed an unloading (whizz), cornershops to get my soda, etc etc etc.
So, I became very familiar w/ all hoods in Chicago - nice ones, poor ones, rich ones, etc ones ... they were all mine, I liked that no one I knew had my adventures, and etc etc etc...
But this guy does me better. He wanted to do sociological research, and decided to go to the projects to find people to study. He ended up staying there for 4 years or more, and ended up published and doctored and all of that. He's now @ Columbia a PH.D.
But, for me the funny business started when he first went to the project building. He just ... walked in. Of course, these things happened: He was not molested, but rather a guy came up to him and stated "What's your business here?" NO - although I actually HAVE been inside the Robert taylor Homes (Volunteered for a -- guess what? - soccer team we were trying ot form from the kids in the projects), I realy don'yt think I would have gone inside under those circumstances. He had to hang out for a whole nite w/ the gang - not by choice - but from there he started to do his research.
HOWEVER- there is another aspect to this - the gangs want to use the property for drug business. If there are things going wrong - shootouts, police coming by, outsiders being robbed or killed- then the police will stop by and business will be shitty. However, if it's peaceful - well, then business can go on as usual and the gangs can make money. So - no way would the researcher be hassled. Again, same as me. Wheever there is an open air drug market - be it in the projects or @ the end of streets where my frenz lived - I always felt safe. I knew - strangely, i know - that the sellors would not want me hassled by anybody. It reminded me of a story from 1989. back then there was a cetai posse of frenz I hung w - rememebr, I hang w/ everybody, so these dude don't define me or whatever - but for a but they would visit an open air market near St. Ignatious HS in order to by some hard drug or whatever. So the story goes that once I making a buy the locals started to harass them. They took over the car, took their $$, and took the car radio out of the car. Dind't hurt them - just robbed them. But then the gang leader and his boys come over, ask the frenz what happned - and then gave them their drugs and got the radio back w/ an apology..
Always thought that was a funny story. I only remember that one of the dudes was a LU guy - one year younger than the Crankface, Jackson, Vito, Rocky, Blackie crew etc etce ct ect and he was infamous for calling everyone "Braw". Good kid.
Most people are afraid of many 'hood in Chicago. Shouldn't be.
HOWEVER- there is another aspect to this - the gangs want to use the property for drug business. If there are things going wrong - shootouts, police coming by, outsiders being robbed or killed- then the police will stop by and business will be shitty. However, if it's peaceful - well, then business can go on as usual and the gangs can make money. So - no way would the researcher be hassled. Again, same as me. Wheever there is an open air drug market - be it in the projects or @ the end of streets where my frenz lived - I always felt safe. I knew - strangely, i know - that the sellors would not want me hassled by anybody. It reminded me of a story from 1989. back then there was a cetai posse of frenz I hung w - rememebr, I hang w/ everybody, so these dude don't define me or whatever - but for a but they would visit an open air market near St. Ignatious HS in order to by some hard drug or whatever. So the story goes that once I making a buy the locals started to harass them. They took over the car, took their $$, and took the car radio out of the car. Dind't hurt them - just robbed them. But then the gang leader and his boys come over, ask the frenz what happned - and then gave them their drugs and got the radio back w/ an apology..
Always thought that was a funny story. I only remember that one of the dudes was a LU guy - one year younger than the Crankface, Jackson, Vito, Rocky, Blackie crew etc etce ct ect and he was infamous for calling everyone "Braw". Good kid.
Most people are afraid of many 'hood in Chicago. Shouldn't be.
19 May, 2009
18 May, 2009
On leaving the Field of Battle
No more games - although we really should be playing tomorrow - and alls that's left is pizza parties and unifrom returns. The way of the world always, but sad.... and a LOT MORE TIME FOR THE REST OF LIFE now. Trust me, Gf must be estatic. You thought y were the only one to see Hilts dissappear from earth these last 3m? The strain on Gf has been a lot. A real lot. I know fullw ell she didn't appreciate me leaving life for these past 3m - but what else am i supposed to do?? Lotta strain on the relationship.
And it's all easier now. It started Thursday wehn the varsity won the promotion/relagation game - our last game - and I was able to kick back and have fun while our two soph. teams played their last game of the year. Reffing, esp. when it's two of yr own teams in the last game of the year, san be fun. I love dit. Loved seeing th elittle ones center stage, lots of people out watching them (inadd. tp [arenst and studemts, there were also 100 dudes just waiting for our games ot end so that they could have the pitch topractice on.
And now the pizza parties. Today Giordanos for the varsity. Wednesday Bacchis for the Soph's. Wenesday nite is also a banquet foir all sports, and a cookout on Thursday.
I didn't want soccer season to end. Im glad that soccer season has ended. MOre time now to plan for next year.
And it's all easier now. It started Thursday wehn the varsity won the promotion/relagation game - our last game - and I was able to kick back and have fun while our two soph. teams played their last game of the year. Reffing, esp. when it's two of yr own teams in the last game of the year, san be fun. I love dit. Loved seeing th elittle ones center stage, lots of people out watching them (inadd. tp [arenst and studemts, there were also 100 dudes just waiting for our games ot end so that they could have the pitch topractice on.
And now the pizza parties. Today Giordanos for the varsity. Wednesday Bacchis for the Soph's. Wenesday nite is also a banquet foir all sports, and a cookout on Thursday.
I didn't want soccer season to end. Im glad that soccer season has ended. MOre time now to plan for next year.
16 May, 2009
facebook and faux twitter
Facebook is good for spying on the kids - real good. But its also real good for typing out innane garbage in the "inbox" or whatever it is and sending it to people who you haven't spoken to in 20y or so.
Fauxtwitter is also good. As I understand it, twitter is a textmessage thing. So, again w/ the neices and nphews, all sorts of garbage and bathroom stuff is going out, maybe 10x a day. Except not titter, just to the six who ahve fones. I love it. These kids I've spoken to in quite less than 20 years of above, so they know better. But then again, my old reputation is the same to those i havent spoken to in 20 years. So much fun playing @ the "Strange Uncle". Neice.1 got a Rogers Park apartment. Uncle is olde.
Nephew.2 's texted something abut a ManchesterUnited tie as good as a win today. Something about that.......
15 May, 2009
Just that image
25,000 ton ships firing one tonne shells 10 miles over choppy seas whilst both proceed @ speed.
A tank, hit from long distance, grimacing in place as its armour deflects the shell.
And one I've seen on the telly -
An A-10 strafing a 20 storey building in Iraq w/ its 20mm gatling - shocking to see this massive building suddenly to be lit up over the entirebroad side of the building.
We have to go back
Most of Lost 's season finale was, um, ok. But, in the last, say, minute ....... ok, again, I'm willing to follow whereever they send us next.
I kinda went renuts over Lost after a deeply tepid season 2 and 3 when they had a mindblowing ending to season 3. (Human = genius, proof of a God, whatever - but what a moment in time when us viewers realised how they'd changed it all).
And now, that same - whats the fancy word - paradign shift, maybe? - has happened again. I'm sure. Who knows what really happened.
But what I think will happen: they will all be transported back to Oceanic 815, and the last season will be them interacting some other way. A crash? Maybe.
but whatever. One last season, broken into two. And like the beginning show for season's 2 and 4 - boy, it'll be fun to find out ..... if they tell us what happened. But, yes, I'm totally looking forward to next season opener - what happened??
I kinda went renuts over Lost after a deeply tepid season 2 and 3 when they had a mindblowing ending to season 3. (Human = genius, proof of a God, whatever - but what a moment in time when us viewers realised how they'd changed it all).
And now, that same - whats the fancy word - paradign shift, maybe? - has happened again. I'm sure. Who knows what really happened.
But what I think will happen: they will all be transported back to Oceanic 815, and the last season will be them interacting some other way. A crash? Maybe.
but whatever. One last season, broken into two. And like the beginning show for season's 2 and 4 - boy, it'll be fun to find out ..... if they tell us what happened. But, yes, I'm totally looking forward to next season opener - what happened??
football au printemps: Ended as it started
I figured we'd win - we did - but you never knew. My team - the varsity - played it's last game yesterday and we won 3-1. This was an important game - we're out of all playoffs, but we needed this win to stay up in the First Division and not drop to the Second. This we succeeded in doing. We were the better team, no doubt - but the better team doesn't always win. Since we had trouble finishing off games this season - four ties a "goal in the last 3m" wrecked games for us - so when we went up 2-0 in the second half I grew ok'd. Gob got it to 1-2, but we weer so outplaying them that the worries lasted only a bit. W went up 3-1, and I got to relax a bit.
Asit was the last game of the year, I wanted to put it a few players that haven't played on varsity all year. One was senior who never layed varsity ever - unfortunately, I waited too long and the game ended w/ her on the bench. oops. And then there was another girl who hesitated playing on varsity all year. She played a few times, but inssted on being o the JV. She played a bit. And then there is another athlete who deeply wanted to be on varsity if only for a bit. She also plays basketball and is deeply agressive - she got some important minutes and will be good for us next year. It was nice.
And i got to ref the second game. It was an non conference game for our two young teams - the ones who pay on Saturday. We have an "A" team - the Reds - and a "B"team - the Blues (AND yes, that Man U. is called the Reds meant that the first team would be known as the Reds). This division into A and B was felt by the girls all year. B had the inferority complex. Now neither team is a powerhouse this year - A was 2-4-1, and B was 1-4 - but when they met in conference last month, it was A 7, B 0.
But not on this day. Since it was the end of the year and we had a bus going out from school to marquette Turf fielf, i figured it'd be good to get the little ones in uniform for one last game. Turf field, parents there, nice goals, the whole thing - and wouldn't you know it, B came up big and got a 0-0 result. And trust me, the B team celebrated bigtime. Although Red mocked them a bit for celebarting a tie, it was good to see the happiness of Blue. It was a long long road to almost parity w/ thir classmates in Red - but they tied fair and square.
Th ride on the bus home was as usual - 14 and 15 year old girls going from side to side screaming out @ people. When 20 girls start to scream, everyone listens.
Special guest - Disco Danny B in the house. I wonder, how did he get there? No one was dressed as Arsenal.
Asit was the last game of the year, I wanted to put it a few players that haven't played on varsity all year. One was senior who never layed varsity ever - unfortunately, I waited too long and the game ended w/ her on the bench. oops. And then there was another girl who hesitated playing on varsity all year. She played a few times, but inssted on being o the JV. She played a bit. And then there is another athlete who deeply wanted to be on varsity if only for a bit. She also plays basketball and is deeply agressive - she got some important minutes and will be good for us next year. It was nice.
And i got to ref the second game. It was an non conference game for our two young teams - the ones who pay on Saturday. We have an "A" team - the Reds - and a "B"team - the Blues (AND yes, that Man U. is called the Reds meant that the first team would be known as the Reds). This division into A and B was felt by the girls all year. B had the inferority complex. Now neither team is a powerhouse this year - A was 2-4-1, and B was 1-4 - but when they met in conference last month, it was A 7, B 0.
But not on this day. Since it was the end of the year and we had a bus going out from school to marquette Turf fielf, i figured it'd be good to get the little ones in uniform for one last game. Turf field, parents there, nice goals, the whole thing - and wouldn't you know it, B came up big and got a 0-0 result. And trust me, the B team celebrated bigtime. Although Red mocked them a bit for celebarting a tie, it was good to see the happiness of Blue. It was a long long road to almost parity w/ thir classmates in Red - but they tied fair and square.
Th ride on the bus home was as usual - 14 and 15 year old girls going from side to side screaming out @ people. When 20 girls start to scream, everyone listens.
Special guest - Disco Danny B in the house. I wonder, how did he get there? No one was dressed as Arsenal.
14 May, 2009
Mothers Helper
I'm a bit of a wackjob bigtime - people who know me for decades whatever - but if new people only knew ....
The Joker was saying, some 3AM viewing of a Sopranos DVD after a nite out - about how wierd silver sideburns guy is. Joker (who knows me well)pointed out how strange the gangster is - "Look, he sleeps on a kot ina some sorta bioler room or something" I laughed because - as many know - I actually sleep on a matress thrown on the ground in the laundry room in my house. Oh, I have a room, but it's pretty stuffed rotton w/ books and LPs and keepsakes and goals and videotapes of Man City taking on Sunderland from 1999 or whatever. But - like Silversides - I sleep ona kot in the basement.
Until the last week. Now, suddenly, I have to sleep upstairs in my Aunt Marions old room bacuuse Mom needs the help in the night. Since she only has an arm to balance herself, she needs the assurance of someone nearby steadying herself. SO, about 2am and 6am Im woken up to her calling out to me. Again, parents, I dunno how and invisible sun and all that.
I also have taken off a few days of work. Four, so far. Two days I just had to stay @ home to help her - but the other two days were more lazyness on my part - the year has come close to beating me down. Since it's so near the end of the school year, I've really started to slacken. The trick is that the kids - four of them - are now in the universityyears mandated 'summerfree' zone - esp. since the economy sux and they lost their summer jobs and really ware off - that they take the 'day duty' w/ their gramma. All Im asking them is to stop by for 1h, let out bolo, talk for a bit, help her move about, then go back to whatever. Since there are 4 of them I'm expecting two of them come @ seperate times a day - one h each, every other day- et aidez. Our Roma girl has always been the most spectacularly mature, but she has been to too mnay eateries and Springstine concerts - the main loadcarrier has been Nephew.2. Nice to see him taking on the duties of adulthood.
But my Mom has been shaken. She's now 88, and having to have so much help has been very hard onher. It's been hard to have all her kids grow up and Dad is gone and her bros and sisters mainly are gone and even the two kids who still live @ home - me and Sister.4 - are always @ work (or soccer and jenke). She has shown real signs of depression, and it's a bit of a worry fro me. Again, I race around tilting after all matter of windmills wasting my mind and time and here she is, needing me. Really needing me. I wish my pace of maturity owuld be on the same pace as Nephew.2's as of late.
Wish, or just do.
The Joker was saying, some 3AM viewing of a Sopranos DVD after a nite out - about how wierd silver sideburns guy is. Joker (who knows me well)pointed out how strange the gangster is - "Look, he sleeps on a kot ina some sorta bioler room or something" I laughed because - as many know - I actually sleep on a matress thrown on the ground in the laundry room in my house. Oh, I have a room, but it's pretty stuffed rotton w/ books and LPs and keepsakes and goals and videotapes of Man City taking on Sunderland from 1999 or whatever. But - like Silversides - I sleep ona kot in the basement.
Until the last week. Now, suddenly, I have to sleep upstairs in my Aunt Marions old room bacuuse Mom needs the help in the night. Since she only has an arm to balance herself, she needs the assurance of someone nearby steadying herself. SO, about 2am and 6am Im woken up to her calling out to me. Again, parents, I dunno how and invisible sun and all that.
I also have taken off a few days of work. Four, so far. Two days I just had to stay @ home to help her - but the other two days were more lazyness on my part - the year has come close to beating me down. Since it's so near the end of the school year, I've really started to slacken. The trick is that the kids - four of them - are now in the universityyears mandated 'summerfree' zone - esp. since the economy sux and they lost their summer jobs and really ware off - that they take the 'day duty' w/ their gramma. All Im asking them is to stop by for 1h, let out bolo, talk for a bit, help her move about, then go back to whatever. Since there are 4 of them I'm expecting two of them come @ seperate times a day - one h each, every other day- et aidez. Our Roma girl has always been the most spectacularly mature, but she has been to too mnay eateries and Springstine concerts - the main loadcarrier has been Nephew.2. Nice to see him taking on the duties of adulthood.
But my Mom has been shaken. She's now 88, and having to have so much help has been very hard onher. It's been hard to have all her kids grow up and Dad is gone and her bros and sisters mainly are gone and even the two kids who still live @ home - me and Sister.4 - are always @ work (or soccer and jenke). She has shown real signs of depression, and it's a bit of a worry fro me. Again, I race around tilting after all matter of windmills wasting my mind and time and here she is, needing me. Really needing me. I wish my pace of maturity owuld be on the same pace as Nephew.2's as of late.
Wish, or just do.
football au printemps:Song is Over/Disabusement
And it all ends today. I think - field is still not 100% accounted for ( Marquette Turf, where we played our first game on St. Patricks Day, a life time ago). But instead of winning all sorts of glory - my glorious plans for world domination spotlighted me as a purely rookie coach who fell short oin most categories.
My first year, not my 100th, as I smugly though very few months ago. And the events of 26 March burned into me. But now I know much better.
So, did we win our conference and get promoted into the Premier Leage for next year? Not close. We finished sixth - same as last year - and the game today is a must win 'promotion/relagtion' game. If we lose, instead of being in the top flite - as I so grandiously thought - we now have to fight to stay in the second level.
Did we advance @ least to the semifinals inthe city Playoffs?? Not close. Although that glorious win the the opening day unexpectadly put us in a great position to actually @ least get into the final 8 - that anemic tie on the tuesday against a team we had already beat 3-1 meant an end to the playoffs and no advancement.
Did we win the region in Satate playoffs? Didn;t even qualify for them. We - someone - were supposed to officially petiton the state peoople to qualify us for the tournement - and since we got to it too late, and all sorts of heroic Ney like rearguard actions could not get us in.. So, we not only didn't meet our goal - we didn't even get a chance to try it.
So - a first year, many mistakes - but a deeply loved last 4m. I like that I'm trying to get this shit done - and the bloodlettin gof this year means Ill be more ready next year. So time and spirit consuming - again, you parents, there must be an invisible sun involved someehere - but a deeply loved experience.
It's fun to try and make up and lead a group of people forward. I love when a question comes up and an executive decision is to be made and 40 pairs of eye turn to the old guy to see what he'll decide. It's fun to try new combos or tell a kid "This is how you are most valuable to us - please try it this way - for us". It's fun to hobknob w/ the other coachs, and when these vets seek you out for your ideas. It's fun just to play w/ the kids. It's just fun to be around them. I love it, and although some of me has finally been dragged down like a wildebeast by a Lion of Exhaustion finally - I really wish our season could last 5000 more games.
But next year - the new group will be loking to be for the way forward, and this year has really taught me. Funny - my ego insisted that it would be ME teaching everyone else. But - it will just make us a stronger unit next year - and me a better leader.
And today it ends - except for the pizza partiesand cookouts and etc etc etc
So, did we win our conference and get promoted into the Premier Leage for next year? Not close. We finished sixth - same as last year - and the game today is a must win 'promotion/relagtion' game. If we lose, instead of being in the top flite - as I so grandiously thought - we now have to fight to stay in the second level.
Did we advance @ least to the semifinals inthe city Playoffs?? Not close. Although that glorious win the the opening day unexpectadly put us in a great position to actually @ least get into the final 8 - that anemic tie on the tuesday against a team we had already beat 3-1 meant an end to the playoffs and no advancement.
Did we win the region in Satate playoffs? Didn;t even qualify for them. We - someone - were supposed to officially petiton the state peoople to qualify us for the tournement - and since we got to it too late, and all sorts of heroic Ney like rearguard actions could not get us in.. So, we not only didn't meet our goal - we didn't even get a chance to try it.
So - a first year, many mistakes - but a deeply loved last 4m. I like that I'm trying to get this shit done - and the bloodlettin gof this year means Ill be more ready next year. So time and spirit consuming - again, you parents, there must be an invisible sun involved someehere - but a deeply loved experience.
It's fun to try and make up and lead a group of people forward. I love when a question comes up and an executive decision is to be made and 40 pairs of eye turn to the old guy to see what he'll decide. It's fun to try new combos or tell a kid "This is how you are most valuable to us - please try it this way - for us". It's fun to hobknob w/ the other coachs, and when these vets seek you out for your ideas. It's fun just to play w/ the kids. It's just fun to be around them. I love it, and although some of me has finally been dragged down like a wildebeast by a Lion of Exhaustion finally - I really wish our season could last 5000 more games.
But next year - the new group will be loking to be for the way forward, and this year has really taught me. Funny - my ego insisted that it would be ME teaching everyone else. But - it will just make us a stronger unit next year - and me a better leader.
And today it ends - except for the pizza partiesand cookouts and etc etc etc
12 May, 2009
jayandbee
This wasn't much of an event, so we'll be brief. Trivia started with just J&B and Team America. Chmical Man and Stix against the "they get everything right" girl from last week and the other guy. Dragon, then Peppys joined in and Benky recruited B&N to play. J&B led after Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4.
First half, TV/ Music/ Mostly Sox.
Q: Opening day Cub pitcher 1988.
White Sox HR leader 1988 with 20.
Second half, Movies of the 90s, Advertising slogans and "I Sing, You Tell Me the Song".
This category made more difficult for J&B as Benky wanted the artist and title from us, when the others just needed one or the other. It's really a shame that there was no audio or video documentation of Benky's lyrical mellifluosness on such tunes as They Long To Be Close To You, the classic wedding standard "Always and Forever", Que Sera Sera (Whatever Will Be Will Be) and How Can You Mend A Broken Heart.
We asked if cds would be made available afterwards. There was no audible response.
On these, you had to get the movie year within 1, not the standard 2.
Armageddon came out ?Lion King ?Jurassic Park the Lost World? Answers will be at the end of this email.
Final Q was TV of the 80s and I can't remember the other choice, didn't matter since all teams went with:
1. Actor who played the dispatcher on Taxi
2. Actress who played Pamela Ewing
3. Sam Malone supposedly pitched for which team.
J&B won by betting the classic as Team America also got all of those right.
ANSWERS:
Sutcliffe, Dan Pasqua, 1998, 1994, 1997, Devito, Victoria Principal, Red Sox. Apparently the reason we didn't get our pizza from last week was that the bar was short kitchen help. Theoretical pizza would be next week. Feel better Lazers.
First half, TV/ Music/ Mostly Sox.
Q: Opening day Cub pitcher 1988.
White Sox HR leader 1988 with 20.
Second half, Movies of the 90s, Advertising slogans and "I Sing, You Tell Me the Song".
This category made more difficult for J&B as Benky wanted the artist and title from us, when the others just needed one or the other. It's really a shame that there was no audio or video documentation of Benky's lyrical mellifluosness on such tunes as They Long To Be Close To You, the classic wedding standard "Always and Forever", Que Sera Sera (Whatever Will Be Will Be) and How Can You Mend A Broken Heart.
We asked if cds would be made available afterwards. There was no audible response.
On these, you had to get the movie year within 1, not the standard 2.
Armageddon came out ?Lion King ?Jurassic Park the Lost World? Answers will be at the end of this email.
Final Q was TV of the 80s and I can't remember the other choice, didn't matter since all teams went with:
1. Actor who played the dispatcher on Taxi
2. Actress who played Pamela Ewing
3. Sam Malone supposedly pitched for which team.
J&B won by betting the classic as Team America also got all of those right.
ANSWERS:
Sutcliffe, Dan Pasqua, 1998, 1994, 1997, Devito, Victoria Principal, Red Sox. Apparently the reason we didn't get our pizza from last week was that the bar was short kitchen help. Theoretical pizza would be next week. Feel better Lazers.
08 May, 2009
07 May, 2009
05 May, 2009
0-7
Well, I knew it would be a tough game. Didn't think it'd be ZERO SEVEN - but I knew it'd be tough. Means we gotta win today to remain in the city playoffs - lose and for sure we are out, win and probably we advance.
04 May, 2009
J and b
written by Lazers
names edited by hilts
J&B took another jaunt to Hickory Hills to do battle at the competitive Dirty Sock trivia night. However, on this night, the Dirty Sock was as soft as, well, a dirty sock. The bar was nearly empty, and the televisions in the trivia area weren’t being used. The competition was so lame that the ailing Benkowski (back problems after excessive yard work) delayed the beginning of the next cumulative league until next week.
J&B represented by: chemical Man, Stix, dragon and Lazers
The “competition”: Team America, 10-42, and Laguna Sunrise
You may recognize Laguna Sunrise as the evolution of Cheyenne Sunrise, now featuring an obnoxious woman worthy of competing with the best women that Mitch’s ever had to offer. The Sunrise team remained anchored by the old stoner guy, now sporting a large bandage on his left cheek.
Only 3 throws per team for the whole night.
First half: In the News/Movies I Like/Bruce Willis
Length of the Kentucky Derby?
Willis’ character name in the “Die Hard” series?
In “A Hard Day’s Night”, the Beatles were looking for whose grandfather?
Willis was born in what country (2 words)?
This comedy producer appeared in “It’s A Wonderful Life” as a bartender?
The name of Willis’ production company: C______ E_______?
Midway through the second quarter, the owner of Dirty Sock adds another $20 towards the winning team. Really, isn’t that just a slap to the face of all the other teams?
The winning team also will receive free pizza next week. The prize pool is getting larger!
Laguna Sunrise apparently trying to set the trivia night record for most questions answered with “pass” despite having throws to use.
Number of times the seemingly simple gal by the bar (I think she worked there) said, “you’re smart” after J&B answered a question correctly: 5
Laguna woman, after winning a Long-Distance throw challenge: “I don’t know questions, but I can throw.”
Stix: “Then you think they would use their throws.”
Scores at the half: J&B 1410 America 930 10-42 540 Laguna 410
Second half: Celebrity Birth Years/State Capitals/Chicago Sports
Capital of Michigan?
Bankrupt ex-Bull forced to sell his championship rings from 96-97-98?
Laguna woman correctly guesses the capital of Minnesota because “Aunt Toots lives there.” J&B and the Laguna woman toast to Aunt Toots.
Laguna in another Long-Distance throw challenge against 10-42. Benkowski throws the ball to the Laguna woman, who misses it.
Benkowski: “I thought you said you were good with them.”
Laguna woman: “I spread my legs, didn’t I?”
With a lot of game left, the Dirty Sock owner comes over to the J&B table to get an idea of how many regular players we have (we estimate 5 on average), in order to budget for next week’s free pizza. Stix: “Oh, we’re not counting our pizzas before they’re hatched.”
Benkowski references one past trivia battle in which 6 teams all ended up with zero points. How bad must that Final Question wagering have been?
The waitress (before tonight, I never noticed she has an accent) enjoys the trivia game, so Benkowski encourages her to gather some friends to enter a team. Waitress: “We’d probably get only three points because all of my friends are really stupid.”
Scores after two halves of what may have been the fastest trivia game ever: J&B 2940 America 1810 10-42 1390 Laguna 940
Choice of Final Category: 60s TV, 70s TV or 80s TV
J&B selects 70s TV and wagers the classic (681).
60s TV:
Played Ellie Mae on “The Beverly Hillbillies”?
Played Ensign Parker on “McHale’s Navy”?
Played Roger on “I Dream of Jeanne”?
70s TV:
Played Meathead on “Archie Bunker” (I presume he meant “All In The Family”)?
Played Starsky on “Starsky and Hutch”?
Played the son on “Sanford and Son”?
80s TV:
Played Rudy on “The Cosby Show”?
First names of the couple Krebs on “Dallas”?
1988- Benkowski hosted “Sports Sunday” twice and thus shared a Chicago Emmy with the regular host. Who was that man?
One of these questions…doesn’t belong here…. now it’s time to play our game…
J&B represented by: chemical Man, Stix, dragon and Lazers
The “competition”: Team America, 10-42, and Laguna Sunrise
You may recognize Laguna Sunrise as the evolution of Cheyenne Sunrise, now featuring an obnoxious woman worthy of competing with the best women that Mitch’s ever had to offer. The Sunrise team remained anchored by the old stoner guy, now sporting a large bandage on his left cheek.
Only 3 throws per team for the whole night.
First half: In the News/Movies I Like/Bruce Willis
Length of the Kentucky Derby?
Willis’ character name in the “Die Hard” series?
In “A Hard Day’s Night”, the Beatles were looking for whose grandfather?
Willis was born in what country (2 words)?
This comedy producer appeared in “It’s A Wonderful Life” as a bartender?
The name of Willis’ production company: C______ E_______?
Midway through the second quarter, the owner of Dirty Sock adds another $20 towards the winning team. Really, isn’t that just a slap to the face of all the other teams?
The winning team also will receive free pizza next week. The prize pool is getting larger!
Laguna Sunrise apparently trying to set the trivia night record for most questions answered with “pass” despite having throws to use.
Number of times the seemingly simple gal by the bar (I think she worked there) said, “you’re smart” after J&B answered a question correctly: 5
Laguna woman, after winning a Long-Distance throw challenge: “I don’t know questions, but I can throw.”
Stix: “Then you think they would use their throws.”
Scores at the half: J&B 1410 America 930 10-42 540 Laguna 410
Second half: Celebrity Birth Years/State Capitals/Chicago Sports
Capital of Michigan?
Bankrupt ex-Bull forced to sell his championship rings from 96-97-98?
Laguna woman correctly guesses the capital of Minnesota because “Aunt Toots lives there.” J&B and the Laguna woman toast to Aunt Toots.
Laguna in another Long-Distance throw challenge against 10-42. Benkowski throws the ball to the Laguna woman, who misses it.
Benkowski: “I thought you said you were good with them.”
Laguna woman: “I spread my legs, didn’t I?”
With a lot of game left, the Dirty Sock owner comes over to the J&B table to get an idea of how many regular players we have (we estimate 5 on average), in order to budget for next week’s free pizza. Stix: “Oh, we’re not counting our pizzas before they’re hatched.”
Benkowski references one past trivia battle in which 6 teams all ended up with zero points. How bad must that Final Question wagering have been?
The waitress (before tonight, I never noticed she has an accent) enjoys the trivia game, so Benkowski encourages her to gather some friends to enter a team. Waitress: “We’d probably get only three points because all of my friends are really stupid.”
Scores after two halves of what may have been the fastest trivia game ever: J&B 2940 America 1810 10-42 1390 Laguna 940
Choice of Final Category: 60s TV, 70s TV or 80s TV
J&B selects 70s TV and wagers the classic (681).
60s TV:
Played Ellie Mae on “The Beverly Hillbillies”?
Played Ensign Parker on “McHale’s Navy”?
Played Roger on “I Dream of Jeanne”?
70s TV:
Played Meathead on “Archie Bunker” (I presume he meant “All In The Family”)?
Played Starsky on “Starsky and Hutch”?
Played the son on “Sanford and Son”?
80s TV:
Played Rudy on “The Cosby Show”?
First names of the couple Krebs on “Dallas”?
1988- Benkowski hosted “Sports Sunday” twice and thus shared a Chicago Emmy with the regular host. Who was that man?
One of these questions…doesn’t belong here…. now it’s time to play our game…
Part II
J&B guesses Rob Reiner, Paul Michael Glaser and Demond Wilson. I like pepperoni on my pizza, sir.
First half answers:
1 ¼ mile
John McClane
Paul McCartney
West Germany
Sheldon Leonard
Cheyenne Enterprises
Second half answers:
Lansing
Randy Brown
And if you want to have a drink with Aunt Toots, head over to St Paul
Final Question:
Laguna- 940- 80s TV- guess: Keshia Knight-Pulliam (correct), no answer for Dallas (no), and Dan Jiggetts (no)- only one correct- wagered 930- down to 10. That oughta be enough!
10-42- 1390- 60s TV- guess: Donna Wilson (no), Tim Conway (correct), and Johnny Holmes aka Pat Benkowski (uh, no)- only one correct- wagered 1042- down to 348.
Team America- 1810- 80s TV- guess: Keshia Knight-Pulliam (correct), Ray and Donna (correct), and no answer for Sports Sunday (no)- two correct- wagered 1710- up to 3520 and the lead!!!
J&B- 2940- 70s TV- guess: Rob Reiner (correct), Paul Michael Glaser (correct), and Demond Wilson (correct)- all three correct- wagered 681 plus bonus- up to 6621 and the final touch on the slaughter rule.
Answers:
60s- Donna Douglas, Tim Conway and Bill Daily
70s- see J&B answers
80s- Keshia Knight-Pulliam, Ray and Donna, and Warner Saunders
Note: had J&B selected the 80s, Chems did know the Benkowski answer, although I think the “Dallas” question likely would have tripped us up.
Next trivia night: Sunday, May 10th at Dirty Sock. Free pizza for J&B!
Unrelated side trivia question: lately, my sister has been working as a PA for promos for one of the major television networks. What actress, apparently known for disappearing from a set when she gets bored, cost the network thousands of dollars by disappearing from the promo set (earning the designation “asshole” from my sister)? Clue: she’s a favorite of a J&Ber.
First half answers:
1 ¼ mile
John McClane
Paul McCartney
West Germany
Sheldon Leonard
Cheyenne Enterprises
Second half answers:
Lansing
Randy Brown
And if you want to have a drink with Aunt Toots, head over to St Paul
Final Question:
Laguna- 940- 80s TV- guess: Keshia Knight-Pulliam (correct), no answer for Dallas (no), and Dan Jiggetts (no)- only one correct- wagered 930- down to 10. That oughta be enough!
10-42- 1390- 60s TV- guess: Donna Wilson (no), Tim Conway (correct), and Johnny Holmes aka Pat Benkowski (uh, no)- only one correct- wagered 1042- down to 348.
Team America- 1810- 80s TV- guess: Keshia Knight-Pulliam (correct), Ray and Donna (correct), and no answer for Sports Sunday (no)- two correct- wagered 1710- up to 3520 and the lead!!!
J&B- 2940- 70s TV- guess: Rob Reiner (correct), Paul Michael Glaser (correct), and Demond Wilson (correct)- all three correct- wagered 681 plus bonus- up to 6621 and the final touch on the slaughter rule.
Answers:
60s- Donna Douglas, Tim Conway and Bill Daily
70s- see J&B answers
80s- Keshia Knight-Pulliam, Ray and Donna, and Warner Saunders
Note: had J&B selected the 80s, Chems did know the Benkowski answer, although I think the “Dallas” question likely would have tripped us up.
Next trivia night: Sunday, May 10th at Dirty Sock. Free pizza for J&B!
Unrelated side trivia question: lately, my sister has been working as a PA for promos for one of the major television networks. What actress, apparently known for disappearing from a set when she gets bored, cost the network thousands of dollars by disappearing from the promo set (earning the designation “asshole” from my sister)? Clue: she’s a favorite of a J&Ber.
football au printemps :Short, Sharp, and Sweet Saturday of Soccer.
Stunning and shockingly - we won the playoff game we really had to - a famous victory for us, and my greatest victory ever. Saturday, 10.30am or so, when the ref blew the whistle. ........ all that angst earlier in the season .... the Macdonalds was on me
The day started w/ me rising rite @ 6am. This day was long worrieried over by me, simply because a lot of my girls have to work on Saturdays - and here was our first game in the playoffs ... on a Saturdaymorning. We eere basically not able to field a full team - we only got 10 girls to play whereas we should have 11 - plus a few subs. One of our players went down in the second half, and we had to play w/ 9 for a bit.
But, 9am, the whistle blows, and the game is on, us playing 10 on 11. But we played well. This first round matchup was one of three games we have to pay inthe next four days. We play these games in a 'group' fashion : five groups of four teams each play this week - the five group winners and top three wild card teams advance to quaterfinals on Friday.
So, I was writing - we were playing well. Especially under the circumstances. But the other team may have been missing players as well - they are a Premier league club (meaning they play one level above us) and we expected them to take it to us. But since they weren't - we took it to them. The break occured after halftime. Our C MF - mzybe our most talented kid - ran through the middle of their defense and scored twice in four minutes. It was good to see her take off and be aggressive. When I had so much trouble w/ myself/team in late March, I felt I wasn't helping the club @ all. Now - well, I impressed several time on this girl to take and run w/ the ball if they played off her - and both goals came after she took off towards goal when they played off her. So, maybe, I do have something to contribute to the team.
And the goalie. She was so good. We have lost ties and wins four times (3 wins became ties and one tie because a loss) in the last 3m of games - the trick here would be to hold onto our 2 goal lead. The goalie made a mistake - and it was 2-1. After that, it was a series of balls kicked off the goalline by our sweeper. spectacular stops by the goalie - and a crossbar hit. This game, the skill and luck held, and we got the win and three points.
phew. Unexpected, but mightly welcome. We have to win one in the next two games to advance - but the team we play on Tuesday we have already played and beat. Todays game? Shit - we're hoping for a tie. They are one of the top clubs in the city - and this will be a hard game. But, if we can just get a tie, then we will be in command shape come Tuesday.
Worries about soccer, but also joy about soccer, and a minimun of angst. Even GF ws invited to watch a game - but she can't.
Bus back from the way North Side back to school - and immed. drive to another stadium so i can coach two more games.
After the rgeatest victory inmy coaching career - immed. two more games!! And yes, I knew what I was getting myself into.
So- to the sophmore games - the little girls - and a lot of chatting to the coaches of Nek. They are the team that i used to coach with, and are a havy influence on me. They had the game after the 9am victory described above - but I was so wrapped up in the last few minutes of our game - and the then extasy of all of us in victory - that i didn't say hello. They knew - we were all yelling and into the game from sidelines when they walked in, and they let me be. Then, after, flushed w/ excitement - I said my hellos but they let me go. They have been coaching for so long, they tknew the situation. I would see them later in the day @ the next few games.
Before we went to the soophmore game - macdonalds. We just had to party, and we doidn't want to go home just yet (and me to my next two games). So, the 10 girls who showed up were fed hamburgers and chicken things and all etc etc etc and we celebrated emsemble. Got my coca cola - with a free refill - before we left.
We had our game, then a 2 h wait for our second game. It was then that I was sitting in the stands, talking w/ the Nek coaches. Their game was one h before our second game - so I just went down and helped 'coach' from the sidelines when it started(I guess that makes four games I helped coach that day). I also watched another team play - the coach of that team is ..... kool. It's hard to be @ a soccer game and not yell from the sidelines. Seriously - almost any soccer game I have to 'coach'. The next day I'd go to my neices game inthe subarbs - and damn if I didn't tell the defense to move up. But it was enjoyable to hang, happy in the soccer world w/ the important win, able to enjoy the less pressure and pure joy of the young girls game, and hear scouting reoprts on our next opponent.
And it was :
They pass well. Stick w/ yr girl. They scored on Nek in the 33m, and then two more followed quickly. So, play tough, be on yr mark, track back, don't get frustrated, run run run, and be confident. After Saturday, we can do anything.
Doing ok. Needs to get used to having a napoleon sling for 6w. Is ok.
Well, she's getting a lot of visitors!! On Wednesday, w/ me @ the Fire game, she'd tasken a fall outside and need to go to the hospittal to set her broken arm. She fell on her elbow, which sent shock up her arm - this shock's energy transferred to her shoulder ball on her right side and broke her collarebone - or so. She's in a napoleon sling for six weeks,a nd she'll have to do rehab to get back to where she was.
but, she's not too off. She's been moping around in the sling and her nitegown, so she's not totally happy. She has to have help to do alot of stuff - and till her arm is back, a lot of normal things will have to be doen for her. And she's taken a disturbing interest in when her next pain pill can be taken - one every six hours.
But, she's ok. Everyone has been over to see her - good medicine. I mite take Wednesday off to stay @ home (Don't need to be pushed). And the three university kids - one form Rome - will be returning this wkd - more company.
But it's tough to see her in this state. Really needing us to get by. Such is life.
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