fifteenkey

Souper Bol Tips for Girls

2010-02-06T11:13:00.002-05:00

Strict copyright enforcement by the non-lingerie (as far as I know) football league prohibits my use of the proper term of tomorrow�s �big game� without the express, written consent of the� You get it, right? I can�t write �Super Bowl,� so you won�t see it here�

Anyway, I don�t want to generalize or be sexist in any way, but let�s face it, many of you ladies don�t have a clue about tomorrow�s game, so I�m here to help you engage your cave-men in their natural habitat and impress them with your football chops. And no, �football chops� are not something you serve after the nachos� Let�s get started, shall we?

First of all, the Indianapolis Colts used to be the Baltimore Colts and while the New Orleans Saints have always been from New Orleans, Archie Manning, their first big star, will be rooting for Baltimore� Uh, I mean Indy� Got it?

OK, so I want to give you some contextual nuggets to sprinkle into the testosterone and hot sauce fueled pigskin talk. Stuff you can say at just the right time to let the boys know you�re not just another pretty face� For example, early in the game when Indy gets a key defensive stop (whoa, this is going to be harder than I thought�). Re-do� Any time Indy�s defense (that�s when they don�t have the ball) stops the Saints on what appears (based on cavemen reaction) to be an exciting play, wait for the din to subside and say, �it�s amazing how the Colts �D� has played without Sanders.� Bob Sanders is an outstanding safety (that�s a football position) who�s been out injured with �a knee� since early in the season. Trust me, the boys will be impressed.

This one is a little more sophisticated and is really a two parter� When the Colts have the ball, but are not successfully passing and Peyton (Archie�s kid) Manning appears frustrated, say �Wow, Marvin Harrison has been invisible today!� Now the guys will snicker and may try to ridicule you because in fact, Marvin Harrison, a long time Indy star receiver, is retired. When one of the he-men points that out, say �I guess you missed the irony of that, eh?�

Finally, here�s one you can serve with crackers or melted over nachos� When (and if) the Saints appear headed for a touchdown, try �I think the Saints are going to go marching in��

Enjoy the game! Oh, and hon, can you get me another beer?

�on that hill with everything I got��

2010-01-31T15:32:00.002-05:00

�Darkness.� That was my immediate response to a friend�s inquiry years ago regarding what Bruce record to start with. It was a no brainer really since I was living there in self-imposed exile. Bruce was a pretty pissed off dude after fighting with his label for nearly 3 years after �Born to Run� and that anger spewed out from the opening of �Badlands,� and the theme of �paying the price� for what you want in this life lives in every black groove of that vinyl right through to the title track. Two or three of these songs would make a career for a successful musician, but this guy exorcised quite a bit in 3 years and came up with ten.

Side one
1. "Badlands"
2. "Adam Raised a Cain"
3. "Something in the Night"
4. "Candy's Room"
5. "Racing in the Street"

Side two
1. "The Promised Land"
2. "Factory"
3. "Streets of Fire"
4. "Prove It All Night"
5. "Darkness on the Edge of Town"

It took me a little longer than 3 years, and ironically during it, some musicians fought with my label (One was always Angry), but I managed to leave that behind, pay the price (we had debts�) and slowly crawl out of the darkness. Well, it wasn�t always dark, but friend Jeff did literally help me move back from the edge of town. Since then, a new dawn slowly emerged with a little help from my friends, culminating under a blazing desert sun and the bright heart of a dear friend.

I still embrace the dark, but everybody needs some light and I'm finding there's still quite a bit of growing to do in it�

[Facebookers see blog for video...]

Touch Too Much

2010-01-25T21:33:00.005-05:00

Driving to Tucson, Arizona was an annual August trek for Dillard and I back in the late 70�s. We had a medium-sized cassette tape case with a couple dozen rock assortments. One that got heavy, heavy airplay, especially on those long, hot, desolate and damn straight stretches was AC/DC�s �Highway to Hell.� The album was released in the States by Atlantic Records, but it should have come out on Epic, because that�s what it is.

On Amazon.com, rock critic David Cantwell writes, �What Highway to Hell has that Back in Black doesn't is Bon Scott�� That�s it. Bon Scott. Bon had a voice like an arc welder and it cut through the heavy metal coming out of the guitars brothers Angus and Malcolm were grinding. The record is amazing, and it kicked off several years of rock enjoyment, including a stint as �Air Bon� with the Gonnella boys air guitaring the roof off the old Dooley�s club in Tucson.

Now I wrote about that night, but did not provide any photographic evidence of the performance. Well, tonight� I�m not going to either. I know some snapshots of that first show exist (I think �Angus� may have them), but what I do have are a couple publicity photos from our second show with body art care of Kraker�s sister Nancy. Since I�m very guilty of using �stuff� I�ve found on Facebook in Powerpoint presentations and other public medium, it is risky to �out� these photos, but let�s face it, there�s a certain �attention whore� aspect to blogging, so obviously I just don�t care, but I hope Dillard will comment and explain the "Rocky Horror" makeup that I clearly passed on...

We had a freakin� blast rocking out and had no, none, nada, zippo inhibitions being up on stage looking like idiots �air� rocking. We were totally into it and the crowd reactions told us it worked. The music drove us... along with the attention thing. Primal music like this�

Chocolate Cosmo Coma

2010-01-24T20:04:00.002-05:00

I believe the way to a woman�s heart is through her stomach, and the dinner menu I prepared was a perfectly designed express lane with equal parts of my guests 3 key C�s: Cosmos, Carbs and Chocolate. I opened impressively with a Caprese salad appetizer, with mozzarella balls speared on toothpicks with cherry tomatoes, basil, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Good start, right? A small loaf of fresh French bread soaked up the glistening liquids remaining after the disappearing act on red and white orbs. A Chicken Mushroom Risotto was reducing its way toward completion, and �French Cosmopolitans� with fresh squeezed lime, Grey Goose, Grand Marnier and fresh Acai juice provided ample anti-oxidants and wider smiles. The rice concoction was good, not great, but risotto dishes are always experimental for me, so next time I�ll employ the lessons learned. Unfortunately a few more painful lessons still lay ahead�

After going three for three, a pretty good �night at the plate,� if you know what I�m saying, the dark chocolate fondue was going to be a home run� Touch �em all, pal! Well, um, as my guest noted, making desserts is very much about chemistry and when I missed one little detail, our chemistry cooled like liquid nitrogen. Oh, not really. She did scoff a few pieces of fresh fruit dipped in the clumpy, oily mess, but it was just gross. My mojo damaged by the limp dip, I panicked and made another round of cosmo�s before we got comfortable and searched for a movie. Since I couldn�t find �Crazy Heart� or �The Wrestler,� our search became less focused and I calculated that my Cosmo plied friend would quickly lose interest in �Spinal Tap,� leaving me as her only option�

About ten minutes into the classic rock mocumentary, I sensed my plan was working as she turned toward me and purred, �If you wanted to pick a movie I�d lose interest in, you succeeded.� �YES! That�s right, I�m the man!� I thought... Wanting to play it cool, I continued chuckling at the ridiculous lines of the film, and laughed out loud at Nigel Tufnel�s classic rock god line, �We've got Armadillos in our trousers. It's really quite frightening.� It was at that point I was the one horrified as I discovered there actually was another option for my dinner date besides me, and that was a very sound sleep! Yep, she was resting quite beautifully and I didn�t have the heart to wake her, although there was a strong argument made by another participant in my self-conversation. Yeah, it was a classic angel/devil on each shoulder confrontation. While those two argued, I tried to focus on the movie, but it just wasn�t as funny anymore.

So, as a public service, I offer you guys out there the following tips for a successful romantic dinner. Actually, �go to a nice restaurant� may be the only tip you need, but if you�re going to try the culinary bad arts thing:

Reading recipes before consuming cosmos is a good idea.
When making a chocolate fondue, �remove from heat once the heavy cream reaches a boil��
Cosmopolitans kick ass, so if you do screw up the fondue, don�t panic and make more drinks. Serve ice water instead.
Trying to �play it cool� will often result in you playing by yourself. When she turns on toward you, it�s time to turn Nigel off.

This Emotional Life

2010-01-22T09:18:00.004-05:00

�Life is a journey through time, and happiness
happens when we travel it together.�
- Professor Daniel Gilbert, host of �This Emotional Life.�

I caught that little gem as another episode of PBS�s �This Emotional Life� was winding down last night. It�s so true for many of us, but not always easy to engage depending on the cosmic plane we happen to exist at any given moment�

My cosmic plane at the moment resembles this groovy baby and any regular contributor or lurker of this space knows how I landed it... Arizona� Mayor of Anthem� People�

Speaking of emotion, I nearly experienced the splashy version last night after speaking with my Dad. It was the strangest and best phone call we�ve ever had and he made it. My usually stoic father was engaging, joking and happy. I asked if he had new meds� �No.� "Smoking pot?" �Well, I smoked some last week�� (followed by laughter) �You got a new blue-haired girlfriend?� (Dad laughing) �You son of a bitch�� It was so cool. The call lacked the usual update on sugar levels, water pills and cataracts, and instead focused on his experiences with friends� �Dickie Greene was raving about how I hit �em today!�

The old man was on a roll and peppered me with inquiries about my brothers, mother, Maddy, Megan, Kyle and Joyce� WTF? Who is this guy? Just for a day anyway, it seems this guy Dad is a happy human. Experiencing that moved my cosmic emotional plane into even more rarified airspace.

The Man in the Mirror

2010-01-20T06:05:00.001-05:00

This really isn�t what President Obama had in mind to celebrate one year in office today, but if he�s searching for answers why Scott Brown won last night, he can find it in front of him when he�s shaving this morning.

�Are you bummed out and writing an angry political blog?� I didn�t read this text message until I awoke to a replay of Scott Brow�s victory speech around 4:30AM. No, my dear, I�m not angry.

In my heart, I knew this thing was over last week when that Suffolk poll came out, and I wrote about my own discontent with the timid stance of my President toward the banks who own us. I believe that�s the main issue here. According to an election day Rasmussen poll, approximately 20% of Democrats voted for Brown. They provided the margin of victory and their votes were not a referendum on health care, they were an expression of frustration that their President and his Democratic majority in Congress have not fought for them.

Most importantly though, Senator-Elect Brown won a majority of middle class voters. In my own very middle-class Fitchburg-Leominster area, the numbers were a crushing 59%/40% and 63%/36% respectively in favor of the winner. Those disaffected voters, in my opinion, would benefit from health care reform, but always seem to get screwed no matter what party is in power. They�ve had enough.

The Obama White House and national Democratic squawks are blaming the Coakley campaign and their candidate. She was weak and ran like she was entitled to the seat, but is there any doubt who would be the winner this morning if the �other� Joe Kennedy had run?
Firing back at their national critics, Coakley pollster Celinda Lake contends their campaign was �hampered by the failure of the White House and Congress to confront Wall Street.� I agree.

Ms Lake continued, �If Scott Brown wins tonight he'll win because he became the change-oriented candidate. Voters are still voting for the change they voted for in 2008, but they want to see it. And right now they think they've got economic policies for Washington that are delivering more for banks than Main Street.�

I hope my president stops the bleeding of this little nick by leading and actually delivering the change he promised. If he doesn�t, the blue blood will really run in November.

Chicken Wire

2010-01-18T07:46:00.003-05:00

I meant to post about the Joe Pernice show last week, but you know, life happens and I don�t have infinite hours to write this nonsense. I found myself having dinner with two of my favorite women in the world, one just released from Typhoid quarantine and the other a refugee flood victim. The pair seemed to be having a good time when suddenly both of them attempted to dump me simultaneously. After some guilt-inducing banter, Barb decided to stay for the show. (See us in the back corner?) I don�t think she was sorry.

Joe Pernice is a poet with a voice and a skill for arrangement that can make a song about napalming a village of little girls and bunny rabbits sound beautiful. (Note: Joe doesn�t have such a song.) I had forgotten about my Ray Neades post a few weeks ago when Joe mentioned Ray and played my highlight of the night, �Grudge Fuck� in his honor. Again, the title sounds pretty horrible, but it�s actually a beautiful song, albeit a �little stalkerish.�

One weird thing was a very loud request for a song off the Pernice Brothers 1998 debut �Overcome By Happiness.� Joe chuckled at the request and then launched into about 30 seconds of just nailing it, before suddenly stopping and saying, �That�s it. That�s all your getting.� I guess maybe the woman with a drink in her hand didn�t die in the garage this time.

Playoffs? Playoffs???

2010-01-17T20:48:00.002-05:00

Three points from the �boyz? Three? That�s pathetic, but I love seeing �America�s Team� spit the cow chip as much as most fans enjoy our �pretty boy� Tom Brady and the rest of Bill Belichick�s �cheaters� lose. Minnesota should really enjoy this win because that loud, dome-field advantage they fed on today will be in New Orleans next week and I expect the Saints will be marching all over Brett Fahv-re�s #4�

In the AFC, the J-E-T-S have been impressive, but doesn�t San Diego always find a way to lose at this time of year� at home� as favorites? Indy lucked out playing a Baltimore team who smashed their emotional piggy bank last week with a complete ass thrashing of the Patriots �value� players. With Peyton Manning and the home field, I fully expect the Colts to pass (a lot) Go on their way to Miami.

Still�

What haunts me is the dream scenario for many Yankee fans and CBS, who can play up the aforementioned Mr. Fahf-RE playing against the team he quit on last year, New Jersey�s JV squad, the Jets. It will be unbearable� Two weeks of Favre-Jets� Ugh.

Scott Brown for Senate?

2010-01-15T20:42:00.004-05:00

I�m a liberal and I�m considering voting for Republican Scott Brown in Tuesday�s critical Senatorial election in Massachusetts. A news report today in the Boston Herald cites a new Suffolk University poll indicating, �an astonishing 17 percent of Democrats report they�re jumping ship for Brown.� Suffolk pollster David Paleologos suggests that�s because of �Coakley's laser-focus on hard-core Dems, potentially at the exclusion of other Democrats whom she needed to win over.�

I disagree. I�m pissed off at the weak-assed performance of my President and his Democratic majority in Congress. They�ve let a minority of tough Republican (and conservative Democrats) oppositionists obliterate their primary legislative agenda: Healthcare. The current, watered down Senate bill sucks and I�m apathetic about its passage. The agent of �Change� I financed and voted for moved so far right after Election Day I haven�t had the chance to enjoy George Bush�s retirement. Yeah, Dubya�s gone, but many of his policies remain and Barack Obama and the Democrats haven�t shown the stomach to fight for the priorities that got them into office:

The wars? � Still going strong. Not wanting to appear weak on �terror,� they�re funding and �surging� in the Bush-Cheney unwinnable conflicts.
Healthcare? � Healthcare stocks are up double-digits since the Senate bill passed without a public option.
Wall Street Greed? � Insiders like Geithner and Summers dominate Obama�s team and Barney Frank�s House Banking Committee �reforms� has gums, not teeth.

I have to give credit to the Republicans. After getting their asses handed to them in November of �08, they�ve dug in to defend their assets� big corporations. It�s so ironic that they can still successfully sell that bullshit Reagan �Big Gubment� nonsense (the exception of course being when the big government is a fiery fucking war machine), but have no problem with our asses being owned by big defense contractors, banks and insurance companies. The left just isn�t willing to fight as hard for �the people� and �fairness,� especially when campaign contributions from the same corporate masters drains their gumption, leaving them pale and lifeless.

So while the right fights, the left acquiesces. When Bush and a smaller majority than the Democrats currently have wanted his tax cuts for the rich passed in �01 and �03, they used a legislative �reconciliation� procedure to get it done with a simple majority, not the 60 votes the milquetoast (see: Harry Reid) Democrats have been ass-kissing and compromising to get. The Republicans don't give a fuck if you like them. They're Al Davis's Raiders before they totally sucked: "Just win, baby."

And could Massachusetts Democrats have run a less compelling candidate than Martha Coakley? Jesus, she's like a female Walter Mondale.

It�s such bullshit. I was so fired up going into the presidential election and elated at the �mandate� the blue numbers that November night meant. Since then the Donkey's been bitch-slapped by a feisty minority Elephant and will pay for that weakness in this year�s elections. In my opinion it�s because they have gutlessly moved right to appease the phony �teabagger� protesters, Dick Cheney and Rush Limbaugh.

So Mr. President, you want to govern from the center and sustain Dubya's policies after we on the left put you in office? How �bout I vote to send Scott Brown to help you out?

I won�t do it, but I�m sure not too happy to stop �giving a shit� about all of this.

Past Impression

2010-01-13T20:04:00.003-05:00

This was a good day that a family experienced during Spring 40 years ago.

I�m guessing I was 11, as the Braves were my team in minor league. I assume there was a game earlier in the day, but I was so obsessed with the sport there may not have been one. I either liked being seen in public as a �baseball player� or the feel of scratchy wool against my skin. I report. You decide.

Corey, the blond would be 5 and Kevin about 7. There�s another picture in this set including my mom and dad, but it�s not handy, so we�ll just go with the Daley boys. Just a couple months� later, mom and dad stopped sharing Polaroid frames and every other aspect of life except us.

The family fracture affected all of us differently, but I fared OK mostly due to my surrogate parents, Tony and Barbara Gonnella. Yeah, my best friend�s parents took me in and I always felt part of a true nuclear family, an Italian family at that! Tony was the ultimate sports dad and was always at our games. Mrs. G. was always just there and I could always talk to her. And she was beautiful. Still is at� um, well� now. My buddy Mike took a whole lot of ribbing from our buddies in those years about his hot mom, but I never said a word. As a teenager essentially squatting in that house, she was like my 2nd mom and while her beauty was not lost on me, I respected her and my best friend. Still, I think that image of her as a woman in her 30�s burned an ideal in my malleable mind. There was no �Gonnella sister� and it took a couple decades before I met a woman from that mold. I wasn�t consciously looking for her, but when she appeared I was regressed to a babbling teenager.

I didn�t fully realize the mold thing until recently as I�ve been asking myself questions and cleaning out compartments in my mind for answers. Of course, being a person of significant depth (I am laughing too�), I fully appreciate there are more important things than physical attractiveness, and in a future post I�ll hopefully have learned what some of those are� Actually, as I begrudgingly matured, high intelligence became a demand, and I�ve never been truly happy with a woman that lacked it. That�s especially true now that the kid in the wool uniform is 51. When the physical thing is measured with a stopwatch and excess of that can cause joint displacement and other ailments, you�d better be interesting the other 23:58:30 a day.

Anyway, I�m not sure how this post got here, but lunch or dinner with my two moms has to happen soon. I wonder if the long lost Gonnella sister will join us.

Weekend Update

2010-01-10T20:25:00.002-05:00

�Jane, you ignorant slut.� Sorry, but the post title just brought me back� It also reminds me of the 1978 Stones appearance on SNL when they kinda sucked playing �Some Girls� material and drove commentary like, �I like the old Stones.� Anyway�

Currently �Kiss the Girl,� a big musical number from 1989�s �The Little Mermaid� is featured on the HDTV. The reason I bring this up is that in spite of her impressive shells, Ariel doesn�t really do it for me in the animated female realm. Yeah, Jessica Rabbit seems drawn for men by men, but for me, Pocahontas is still Number 1 with a bullet. I have to say though, this weekend I was impressed with the CGI hotness of Avatar�s Neytiri� Yes, I�m thinking and writing about animated female characters. What can I say, it was a long weekend.

I also received a few compliments on my writing this weekend, which is always nice to hear, or in this case, read. �I love your blog� was one, followed by an odd comment, since it was left today on a 2007 post: �Your blog keeps getting better and better! Your older articles are not as good as newer ones you have a lot more creativity and originality now keep it up!� Personally, I was hoping for some positive reinforcement for my recent line, �Hearing a woman moan or scream �Oh, God� repeatedly in a Meg Ryan sequence isn�t a reason to believe, but it is solid word of mouth advertising.� I thought it was pretty funny.

In my non-virtual world, today featured a visit from daughter Jessica, her fianc� Jack, plus grandchildren Mackenzie, 8, and Cameron, 10 months. It was nice to see them. Jessica seems to be doing a good job with them, and Jack, I learned, just received a 4.0 in school with perfect attendance. He�s a gentle soul, and his resemblance to my father�s late brother blew my freakin� mind. I have to get some pictures from my dad of my uncle in his early 20�s. Based on my recollection, Jack is a damn avatar of my uncle as a kid. Man�

Finally, I�ve been battling 1�s and 0�s in the form of two database tables this weekend. Here�s a tech tip: Access lacks the ROUNDUP of Excel and that really bummed me out.

Oh, two more things� I don�t know where the hell the Patriots were, but there was a playoff game today in Foxborough and only the Baltimore Ravens showed up. The dismal effort, coupled with a comatose post game Bill Belichick press conference lead me to believe there are serious morale problems on that team and the off-season will bring significant changes, including in the management ranks.

Ah, never mind the second thing.

I�ll Have What She�s Having

2010-01-09T06:38:00.003-05:00

Hearing a woman moan or scream �Oh, God� repeatedly in a Meg Ryan sequence isn�t a reason to believe, but it is solid word of mouth advertising. There are just certain times when people are stronger net prompters of the big guy (Him, not me), and those times seem to be at the edges of our experience: the ecstasy and the empty.

Just like the sharp commentary that pierces this space when I go on a political rant (a mention of pantsuits seems to draw the most ire, but I guess that�s slamming my inferred sexism, not loony-left positions) writing about God draws crowds like those gathered to see if the guy is going to leave the ledge or not. My �Living in the New Year� post of a couple days ago drew more comments than I�ve seen in quite some time. Even Sophocles left a comment. That was cool. Like politics, religion is extremely polarizing in a world where inhabitants are screaming away from each other toward the coldest extremes. For example, in the domestic political realm, has the liberal-conservative invective ever been so bitter?

Wading into Timothy Keller�s �The Reason for God� last night, the author contends a polarizing phenomena is occurring with masses growing at both ends: believers and skeptics. Being at one end, I can tell you it looks like quite a journey to get to the other. And how does one get there if they choose to? One (of many) reasons for my doubt is that the journey of many �born again� Christians I know began with them hitting some bottom in their life and God became a crutch to help lift them up. I�ve observed this several times with people in my life and wonder if my bottom or some catastrophic event would push me there. Again, I doubt it. Why don�t people find God after they win the lottery? Or do they?

Not to say that the �born again� crowd is all inclusive of the faithful. It seems there are as many degrees of faith as there are people. One guy I know is very strong in his Catholic faith, still goes to church, yet has been married for over 20 years to a woman who doesn�t really share his conviction. The faith of that gentleman and other very smart people who are in, or have passed through my life, have me asking the questions. If these smart people, who I greatly respect, have faith, isn�t it worth another look, even if only to understand our differences? I understand faith transcends the mind, but I need to first understand the intellectual credibility of God before I can walk further. Right now I�m stepping tentatively like Bob Wiley. The first words in the book�s introduction grabbed me like a tractor beam, so I�m allowing myself to be sucked in�

�I find your lack of faith - disturbing.� � Darth Vader

Living in the New Year

2010-01-07T21:20:00.002-05:00

It�s January 7th and many resolutions have been crushed under the gravity of undisciplined us. If pressed to resolve, a vague �live more� would be my response, but what does that mean?

Love � Do I have to explain this one? A dreamer once wrote it's "all you need."
Give � Whether family, friend, foe or total stranger, if you�re not contributing to their well being, then the reason we exist eludes you.
Laugh � Just looking in the mirror should be good for a few. While you�re at it, make others laugh. A lot.
Cry � It�s soul cleansing, moisturizes dry eyes, and provides good contrast to make laughter all the richer.
Try� new things � I�m counting the eel I had last night, and cross-country skiing is on the list.
Create � Experiment with food, words, crayons, watercolors, wood, fabric, light or any other artistic medium.
Read � Feed your head with words and the images you create from them. Right now I�m nibbling �Dr. Quantum�s Little Book of Big Ideas � Where Science Meets Spirit.� I hope to have a fusion reactor built by the time I�m finished. The stimulation of reading and learning will help you ideate (I know... not really a word, but I'm in Marketing.) or solve problems completely unrelated... I promise. It will.
Machine shop � Don�t hate me because I lost weight over the holidays� I�m down nearly 25 since last Memorial Day thanks to like-minded co-workers and a desire for healthy longevity. Now I want to finish downsizing and buy some clothes.
Live Local � Support local businesses. Move your money to a local bank or credit union.
Travel � Just go... anywhere you have not been. Boston is one hour from me and I�ve never walked the freedom trail. Paris in the springtime is a dream that needs realization.
Open � Another holiday self-gift is �The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism.� I have a reason to believe, but I offer no guarantees except my eyes are now open.
Nothing � Getting back to a vacuum means you can fill it anew.

That�s all I�ve got, but I�m um, open to suggestions. What are you doing to live more?

28

2010-01-05T19:18:00.003-05:00

Some years ago on this day, a 28 year old mother gave birth to her second child, a daughter. I first glimpsed that daughter about 28 years later and� Well, I�d just like to thank that mom for bringing her into this world.

On a completely unrelated bent, here�s what design looked like in 1958, the year yours truly was born.

That Year

2009-12-27T14:09:00.003-05:00

2008 lacked a Fifteenkey �best of� list, and I like lists, so let�s compare where I was v. where I am�

Category	2007	2009
Digital Download	Wilco's Sky "Blue Sky"	Built to Spill "There Is No Enemy"
Day	October 19th	November 10th
Musical	The surprisingly wonderful White Christmas" at Boston's Wang Center	"Wicked" was�
Walk	10 blocks straight down Broadway with Kyle	Up 2 brick steps
Meeting Quote	"I'm not doing math in my head right now."	"I didn't get much sleep last night."
Toy	Nikon D40 DSLR	Blu-Ray player
Book	"Moneyball"	"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" CD during vacation.
Job	(Tie) New doorway to the basement and landscaping makeover	Changing a tire on a 6 lane highway outside SF.
Business Trip	Cleveland including a ballgame at the Jake.	Marketing meeting in Newport, RI
Concert	Wilco with Megan and Madison	Kyle singing Karaoke at the Roadrunner in Anthem, AZ
Gift Given	Tickets to "Mary Poppins" on Broadway for Kyle's birthday.	Donation to the Special Olympics
Gift Received (New)		A second chance
Documentary	I added this category because Sicko" got nosed out for best movie	"Jerusalem: Center of the World" on PBS
Moment	Kyle standing to walk and hug and kiss Megan	Caring for a sick friend.
Movie	Knocked Up, seen with Megan while she was� uh�	Tie - "Julie & Julia" & "Star Trek"
Doctor	(Tie) Christie Stine and Madelena Martin	No, really. They're the best evah.
eVendor (New)		priceline.com

My Christmas Card to You

2009-12-24T10:08:00.003-05:00

It�s been quite a few years since I sent out Christmas cards. I still have a book of 37 cent (2002) Christmas stamps and paired 2 cent (2006) stamps, so the thought was there, but execution was lacking, or spirit was.

I do feel bad for not reciprocating the warm holiday greetings shared by so many, and especially by those who have faithfully carded me for years. This week I received my annual greeting from Clint, one of my college roommates from �the Ruggie House� in Tucson. It�s got to be nearly 30 years I�ve received a very personalized greeting from Mr. Miller. Clint�s from Chicago, so his catch-ups over the years have touched upon �da bears,� �da bulls,� and �da Sox,� both white and red. You, my friend, will get a card next year.

My lack of an annual Christ-mas-marketing campaign does not mean targeted marketing has also ceased. Each year, my children and Mom receive individual cards with loving sentiments�This year I needed one more courier of holiday hopes and dreams and the search for that (hopefully recycled) conveyance has been daunting� They may as well stack Christmas cards between the Mozzarella and Provolone! Oh, the cheesiness! I tortured myself with about 100 of these folded fictions, thinking, �who says that?� �I�m hooked on you?� That card should feature a bloodied big-mouth bass, but I digress� They even have �troubled relationship� cards now� They�re those long, narrow narratives that start out like, �I know my 10 11 12 mistresses trouble you, but honey lighten up, it�s Christmas!�

Anyway� For the most part, these �greeting� cards help people who can�t find words of their own, and there is my plight. So, failing to find the words, here are some cultural cues to the crackling fire warming my heart and soul this year:

George Winston�s �December.�
Personally delivered Christmas cookies.
Old Man Marley reunited with his estranged family toward the end of �Home Alone.�
A long city walk.
�I wanna live again!� - Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey in �It�s a Wonderful Life.�
�2000 Miles� by the Pretenders.
Giving.
�You feelin' strong, my friend? Call me elf one more time!�
Christmas parties with loved ones.
�Rigging up the lights��
The occasional morning commute.
A Special Olympics donation received as a gift from co-workers!
Matching it with my own donation.
The Grinch�s heart growing three sizes�
John Lennon�s �Happy Christmas (War Is Over).�
A hand to hold.
Charlie Brown�s gang singing �Christmas Time Is Here.�
A North Pole payoff to keep my son off the Naughty List.
Burglarized Cheeze-Its.
For that matter, inert cheese�
A choir singing �Oh, Holy Night.�
The joy of watching my daughter and her daughter prepare for Christmas.

Big Papi: �Who�s coming tonight?�
Maddy: (Thinking�)
Impatient Big Papi: �Santa Claus!�
Maddy: �is coming to town!�

Megan was complaining last night about how difficult it is to buy for me. I really don�t want any stuff. I have stuff. My gift this year will be watching my presents open their presents�

I�m sorry I can�t string together my own figurative popcorn and cranberries to describe feelings this year, but I hope even for a moment, you can feel them too.

Oh, one more thing about my Christmas this year� It won�t be blue.

Merry Christmas

The Longest Night

2009-12-21T06:53:00.000-05:00

At 7:04 this morning, the Fall of 2009 will fade away, but only on the calendar. My favorite season was a keeper this year. Winter? Long, dark nights? Bring it.

The Grinch Who Tried to Steal Christmas

2009-12-20T11:23:00.003-05:00

It was quiet. Too quiet. I walked up the green carpeted stairs to a still-lit evil lair with a glowing, squawking box, but the attic level chamber was empty. Walking over to extinguish the cable signal, horror struck at the sight of packing styrofoam debris littering the green. A small fragment of brown packing tape lay like a fallen feather. My eyes shot left to (now obviously) badly hidden shipments of �merch� and I knew a capital Christmas crime had commenced. As with many domestic transgressions, the perpetrators are typically family members and this was no exception� I muzzled the wimpy good cop, stuffed him in a closet, and the bad ass cop bolted down the stairs and into the suspects dwelling with the force of a 2AM drug bust. �WHAT DID YOU OPEN???�

The suspect was a white male, 18-20, and did a terrible impression of slumber. �WHERE ARE THEY?� A quick scan of the room noted one of the hot goods, a �Harry Potter� �prophecy� proudly displayed right out in the open on a bookshelf. �WHAT THE F%$#???! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE TAKING THOSE THINGS???� The suspect, now clearly aware the gig was up, lay prone, hoping the bust was all a bad dream. �GET UP! NOW!!!,� I bellowed and the perp slowly drew down a comforter revealing a �Jaws� tee-shirt. Strangely, there was a giant shark head coming out of the floor, but I couldn�t let that oddity distract me from my job: recovering the stolen items and documenting evidence for the �naughty list� hearing scheduled for the next morning. This present poacher was slick. He immediately lawyered up and wouldn�t respond to verbal requests. �WHERE�S THE LOOT?� He didn�t flinch. I amped up the volume like Jack Bauer does to terror suspects on �24� and it worked just like it does for Jack. Shark-guy reached for his jeans. �SLOWLY,� I warned. �That�s right pal. Nice and slow.� Two �Harvey Twoface� replica coins from �The Dark Knight� were retrieved and handed over. One item remained. �OK, WHERE�S THE BOX?� Silence. �UPSTAIRS, NOW!� was belted with more Jack gusto. �WHERE�S THE BOX?� A quick flick up of the head toward an attic door revealed the final, damning evidence. A cardboard shipping container looking like it had been chewed through by insane squirrels lay on the wooden planks. A quick search turned up a third item that the Christmas klepto had missed. I surmise panic must have ensued at some point during the crime, and the heist of the prophecy and cash was deemed sufficient for this nights smash and grab. The perp then ditched the evidence and fled.

The next morning, a contrite suspect awoke around 7AM and immediately showered. That has never happened. Ever. He also dressed in a nice shirt and a tie for an early family visit at �Nana�s��

The Holiday Hoodlum remains in custody pending a �naughty list� ruling and possible sentencing.

Oh, and check out Jack Bauer interrogating Santa!

Too Much Ain�t Enough�

2009-12-18T08:46:00.002-05:00

Yeah, I go to the lyrics and song titles well often, but fortunately (or not) I�ll dry up before it does. Anyway, who can tell me that song�s writer without a search?

Vacationing today in sunny and brisk (-7^o) Central Massachusetts, my personal orgy of consumerism will wind down with a few �small things� for loved ones. Through this debiting process, there�s been a little internal meter in my head calculating �too much� v. �ain�t enough� for my non-naughty list. Actually, I�m certain my A list will be very appreciative of my efforts. If �the thought� is really what counts, they can be assured I�ve over thought many of these contributions to the EBITA of �stuff� producers.

Chatting with friends, there seems an understanding that the �stuff� isn�t important, yet every year we bury ourselves in it for a fleeting feeling that lingers less than a January 1 hangover.

[I just edited out a passage that got really dark to go in a different direction.]

I�ll put the sources, marketing and profit of the �stuff� aside for now, to focus on the �why we do it.� For many, gifts are simply a tangible expression of the living and loving things we do all year. When we comfort a cry� hold� listen� caress� wipe away tears� understand� laugh� love� those are the soulful human expressions represented in a gift. "Here, I hope you like this Xbox of love." Well, there's probably no soul in that re-gifted fruitcake you're contemplating, but you get the idea�

Oh, I see UPS is here delivering more tangible human expressions�

Dead Man Rocking

2009-12-16T06:56:00.003-05:00

eMail titles can portend bad things and yesterday I received one titled, �Ray Neades.� I knew the dude was dead. I didn�t know �Tiny� well, he was one of a string of guitar players in the revolving door known as Angry Johnny and the Killbillies. I�m fairly certain I saw him play with the band at Chicago�s old Lounge Ax back in the late 90�s. Oh! Now I�m certain as I recollect a classic picture of Ray as a guest at the Klug�s Rock n� Roll Hotel in Lombard, IL. (Dave, you got that pic?)

Anyway, I recall him as a big hearted guy and one who could make an electric guitar scream, even if it did look like a tiny mandolin against the mass of Ray. The late 90�s were a tough time, but it seems he emerged� better. Here�s a piece of a myspace post by Ray that brushes up against those long days and nights:

�"Grudge Fuck" song by The Scud Mt. Boys -Back in the late 90's I went through some truly dark times. I used to listen to this song over and over. It to this day means a great deal to me. Very beautiful melody combined with a truly desperate lyric that demands attention.�

Yes, it does. Rest in Peace Ray.

PS � In a �circle of life and music� instance, I did a quick update check on Joe Pernice of the Scuds and see he�s playing the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge on January 14th. Seems a good night to hear some great music and raise a glass to Ray.

Update: Jeff has a great story on Ray over at the Robot left out in the rain.

Putting the spark back in my plug...

2009-12-14T06:59:00.000-05:00

Yeah, my snow thrower sputtered to a stop about 80% through a wet snow laden driveway this week, and yours truly had to figure out why before the next visit from Mr. Snow. Not only did I find the manual to my Ariens 7524, but two spare �shear bolts� needed last year at this time� After replacing last year�s �non-shear� substitute with the real thing, I removed the spark plug for inspection. The center and side electrode were carbon black and while cleaning might be an option, an RN4C with a .30 gap should fire me Ariens up.

A trip to purchase said plug didn�t happen yesterday, nor did any Christmas shopping, as I was the last family member to enjoy a stomach bug (with a heartburn chaser) from Maddy�s day care. I struggled to the grocery store and gobbled Tums before discovering my wallet wasn�t with me� That was special. More Tums and Gatorade helped and I�m feeling almost human again, though my stomach has a ways to go before I�ll trust throwing down a dog at the B�s tonight with Jeffro.

Tis the Season�

2009-12-12T08:35:00.002-05:00

�but don�t call me jolly. Fat guys in red suits after a few thousand hot toddies are jolly. I�ll admit to being merry. Anyway...

Four hours of sleep just isn�t enough, but it�s better than three.
Speaking of three, I wonder if the NFL ever considered a three minute warning instead of 2?
I prefer shopping with my mouse, but Barb reminded me yesterday that some purchases need to be experienced in person. I�ll live a couple of those today�
�but only after Kyle and his pal Leo see the Harry Potter exhibit at Boston�s Museum of Science; although I�m not sure what the boy wizard has to do with science. Maybe it�s the science of currency.
I hope our President understands that the early adopters who got him nominated over the very capable Hillary Clinton are not too thrilled with his performance.
I splurged and got myself OXO �Good Grips� for Christmas�
This week the news was gently broken to me that I won�t be receiving a 2010 Wilco calendar. They�re not making one. Now I just don�t want anything.
I�m looking to outsource wrapping.
I hope the Bruins show up Monday night when Jeff and I do.
Jamal is getting a �Fisher-Price Rainforest Peek-A-Boo Waterfall Soother� for Christmas�
I was in a very cool church this week and we both survived.
A similar survival experience occurred with some mozzarella, but only I lived through that encounter�
In the new year, I resolve to write less crappy posts.

Gotta go. Maddy wants �eggies.�

Half-Holiday Postscript

2009-12-08T20:58:00.004-05:00

One thing I failed to mention in my December 3rd half-holiday recap is that I missed Sloan� Yeah, what a loser. After all, the boys from the Great White North blasted me in the Windy City with one of my best shows evah back in June of 2008 during the SHRM conference and I owe them. Still, I just couldn�t reconcile the 11:30PM gig with a 7AM flight� However, thanks to the magic of digital toys and yourtube, we can all enjoy a very high quality taste of what I missed�

Take It Upon Yourself (from their new ep)

Believe In Me � (from 2008�s Parallel Play)

PS - $18 is a small price to pay for that kind of rock�

�Is this heaven? No, it�s Iowa.�

2009-12-05T07:32:00.002-05:00

Thursday I took a vacation and it was like a lifetime in an afternoon. �It�s December 3rd!� was met with a bright smile and shimmering eyes as we practically skipped like children on the buoyancy of rising mercury in the 60�s. A Christmas tree lighting and some Newbury Street window shopping was on our back of a napkin agenda, and passing the Boston Common ice rink somehow conjured up discussion of how truly lucky we are. After passing Manny�s old pad, we were there, hips and knees still intact after sampling a couple miles of Boston topology. Though considerably younger than me, my date was pretty, but parched, so we settled onto a couple resting stools and sipped liquids from �V� shaped glasses. After eyeing a block of cheddar �the size of a car battery^1.,� Joyce was all smiles as she scarfed (daintily, of course) and made cheese jokes. After the refueling, we searched for sacks in Saks. The sheer volume of shoes and handbags for women approaches incomprehensible, but I hung in and took note of likes and dislikes� I also envisioned Megan�s eyes bugging out if she were witness to this �Sex and the City� display of chick chic. After being pulled back from the ledge of a post �V� shaped drinks impulse buy, I did get a card from one young retailer for future consideration. �Thanks, man. What�s your name?� �Kyle.� Of course it is�

Cabbing over to the North End with my Italian guide, the driver asked where we were from. �Iowa.� I have no idea why I responded with a major corn producer, other than to give context to the �we don�t have stores like that where we come from.� Dinner was unexceptional except for the Hopper-esque ambiance and my wonderful view. After skipping dessert, and having not yet hit our stepping quota, we left and righted, dodged traffic, passed through a blue time tunnel, and finally caught view of the flying saucer that would beam us safely home.

We never did see the tree lighting, but our hearts got lit up pretty good anyway.

1. Shameless �Seinfeld� reference from "The Foundation."

When Black Friday Comes...

2009-11-27T06:52:00.002-05:00

Why�s it �Black Friday,� anyway? Here�s a good Gizmodo article on how to avoid Black Friday ripoffs.

So, it�s 6:21AM and I feel a gym trip beckoning, but for now I�ll just exercise 2 of my fingers. For the record, that would be the index finger of my left hand and the middle finger of my right. Strange. Considering how much I tap, maybe Mavis can still teach this old dog.

When I was in Vegas earlier this month, gerontologist Ken Dychtwald was our keynote speaker, and a fine headliner to our cool opening video on the changing workforce, but that�s not important right now.

During his presentation on the evolving expectations of generations, Mr. Dychtwald attributed a quote to former �Original 7� astronaut and US Senator John Glenn, who in 1998 became the oldest human to enter space. At the time Glenn was criticized for the trip by some who saw it as a publicity shot for an old politician. True or not, his response got me scribbling in the canyon of a conference center: �Just because I�m about to turn 77 doesn�t mean I don�t still have dreams.� Once I got home, I transcribed those words onto a greeting card featuring a monkey smoking a cigar. I sent that South to another man looking at a 77th birthday, but one who seems to have let go of his dreams. Since the passing of his wife of 30 years in 2007, Dad has confined himself to a solitary life, even though he has many friends and acquaintances in �the Villages.� Most times it seems futile, but I always encourage Dad to �get out there.�

Yesterday as we danced and laughed in the car on our way to �Nana�s� for dinner, Megan, Kyle and I howled while discussing how long it would take Dad to say, �Lee, I gotta go. I gotta pee like a race-hoss.� To our gleeful surprise, Dad didn�t have to pee, but he had to go. �I�m going out for Thanksgiving dinner with Dick and Kay.�

Thanks John Glenn.