Random Memorial for Monday 2/28/11

Gone but not forgotten: wanting to be the air that someone breathes.

It strikes me that for you to be the air that someone breathes, you'd have to be in proximity to that person's mouth. Which, in turn, would put you dangerously close to that person's exhalations -- which are, by nature, carbon dioxide laden. Which means that you would slowly suffocate. Which suddenly isn't so romantic. Coming soon -- the dangers of whispered sweet nothings in an ear full or wax.

My go-to exhortation of romanticism, you will be missed.

BON JOVI WANTS TO DO IT:
http://www.lyrics007.com/Bon%20Jovi%20%26%20Jon%20Bon%20Jovi%20Lyrics/I'll%20Be%20There%20For%20You%20Lyrics.html

AS DOES CELINE DION:
http://www.elyrics.net/read/c/celine-dion-lyrics/i-want-you-to-need-me-lyrics.html

EVOLUTIONARILY, MICE HAVE A FEAR OF CARBON DIOXIDE BUILD-UP:
http://www.livescience.com/5910-carbon-dioxide-triggers-primordial-fear-suffocation.html

Random Scandal Sheet for Sunday 2/27/11

What Chicago is talking about this week:

Let the Rahmmania begin! Now that he's mayor elect, we're learning all kinds of random trivia. For instance, he's missing part of his middle finger from an Arby's slicer accident in his youth -- that then had to be partially amputated because he swam in Lake Michigan and it got infected. First, I fear an Arby's-free future may now be coming to Chicago (and, as it is, I have to go downtown or the suburbs to get my Big Montana-ish fix). Second, when all the people were taking him to task for not being a resident, why didn't he just raise his middle finger and say that he lost a digit in our e-coli infected waters -- because nothing says "I'm from Chicago" quite like that.

MAYBE I SHOULD BUY ARBY's?:
http://chicagobreakingbusiness.com/2011/01/arbys-to-be-put-up-for-sale.html

NINE MORE RAHM FACTS:
http://www.wgntv.com/entertainment/viral/wgntv-leshock-rahm-emanuel-feb23,0,5660653.story

CAREFUL WHEN YOU GOOGLE SEARCH FOR BIG MONTANA - I MISS THE SANDWICH:
http://www.phoood.com/weblog/archives/000118.html

Random Soapbox for Saturday 2/26/11

I don't mean to go off on a rant here, but ...

... I did promise earlier in the week that I would tell my story about raising my voice a few decibels at the local Jewel.

The scene -- having returned from vacation to a Mrs. Hubbard's cupboards situation at home, I headed to my grocery store (Jewel) to fill up a cart of groceries. Like many establishments, they have a preferred card (to monitor your purchasing habits in a creepy big-brother kind of way) which entitles you to sale prices. Sometimes, one forgets to bring the card -- and the cashiers have access to a "fake one" that they enter on your behalf. Today was a day I forgot the card -- but today was also the beginning of the new policy that no more "fake card" use would be allowed.

"Unacceptable!", I said to the cashier. I told her to look at my cart, stuffed full of necessities (including new Guinness Black Lager!) as I explained that I wouldn't be paying what amounted to a "Jewel tax" just because I had left my card at home. A search in their system by phone number didn't pull up my information -- and so I was left with no options.

Well, not quite -- startling her and everyone around me, I leapt out of the line and, in my loudest stage voice possible (projecting -- it's like riding a bike!) ... I asked passing customers if I could borrow their card to beat this system. Finally, a woman (possibly frightened by my heightened sense of alarm and loud vocality) handed me her car keys (which also had her preferred card on it) and said timidly, "please don't take my car".

Crisis averted, I then came to learn that the manager was standing in the next aisle, stocking gum, listening to my ranting and doing nothing the whole time. Upon reflection, I get it. Using the "fake card" means that there was no information being tracked. And it's not the cashier's fault (she shared with me that she was told by management that if people push back, they are welcome to abandon their cart -- which, in a highly competitive market in a business with slim slim profit margins seems ludicrous), especially since she wasn't even old enough to scan my new Guinness Black Lager. I place all the blame with the manager -- whose own company doesn't trust him to have the discretion to avoid this type of situation.

Shame on you, timid manager. I may have come across as a little scary, but someone in your position needs to demonstrate that situational application of the policies and procedures is sometimes necessary.

NEW GUINNESS FINALLY IN CHICAGO:
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/news/can-new-guinness-lager-live-up-to-the-legendary-name-1927432.html

SHELF vs SALE PRICES AT JEWEL:
http://www.mashupmom.com/?p=33983

MOTHER HUBBARD's CUPBOARDS FURNITURE:
http://www.mhcfurniture.com/

Random Flashback for Friday 2/25/11

So ... a Happy Birthday wish is in order (actually at midnight as her bday is tomorrow) to my niece Casey Jo, seen here in this picture 20 years ago as she celebrated her 1st birthday -- which means I could now bump into Casey in a bar when I return to visit my hometown this Memorial Day weekend. [Not that a nearly 40 year old would hang out in the same bars as 21 year olds -- but Lebanon is a small enough locale that it could happen!] Casey Jo, here's hopin' you're having a wonderful celebration! All the best to you and yours ....

Random Thought for Thursday 2/24/11

I finally caught the TLC series Addiction the other night while on vacation and it struck me that I would be much more impressed with the girl who ate toilet paper if the end result (pun fully intended) was that she no longer had to wipe when she eliminated. That way, instead of being "touched", she would have been just "super efficient"!

ADDICTED ON TLC:
http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/addicted/

HER FAVORITE TYPE IS TWO-PLY -- MINE WOULD BE UNUSED:
http://www.tvsquad.com/2010/12/30/a-woman-whos-addicted-to-eating-toilet-paper-shes-eaten-1-2/

CONSUMER REPORT ON TOILET PAPER DOES NOT INCLUDE TASTE FACTOR:
http://www.consumertipsreports.org/choosing_the_best_toilet_paper.html

Random Wordplay for Wednesday 2/23/11

300 Sextillion.

Used in a multiple choice question: "300 Sextillion is ...

A) ... the latest calculation in dollars for our deficit.
B) ... the decibel level I used today at the Jewel grocery store when they told me they wouldn't scan the fake rewards card that they've always used (because I had forgotten mine at home, but more of that on Saturday -- it's a rant and a half just waiting to happen).
C) ... the latest and truest calculation of the amount of stars in our galaxy.
D) ... what you call it when a host of cotillion girls have an orgy.
E) ... 300,000,000,000,000,000,000,000."

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE JEWEL PREFERRED CARD:
https://www.jewelosco.com/contact/faqs/preferred-cards.jsp

UP GOES THE DEFICIT:
http://www.aolnews.com/2010/10/15/f/

THAT MEANS INCREASED CHANCE FOR ALIEN LIFE:
http://www.examiner.com/astronomy-in-cleveland/300-sextillion-stars-major-nasa-announcement-about-alien-life-today

[Note: the answer is E. You may have chosen C, but that's a trick distractor answer (hey, give me a break -- I work in test prep) as it's the new number of stars in the universe and not the galaxy.]

Random Tune for Tuesday 2/22/11

The letter D (in my ongoing series AtoZ Musical Eccentricities (the cassette years)) brings me to this "rare" youtube find (appreciated more if you are of the 80's) of the video for Blasphemous Rumors. And, hey, if you can't get behind the pointed message of the chorus "I don't want to start any blasphemous rumors but I think that God's got a sick sense of humor and when I die I expect to find him laughing ..." (which is admittedly a little dirge-y, but not everyone has the best coping skills), you can at least marvel at the lead singer's elocution and his ability to articulate so distinctly at that section.

D IS FOR DEPECHE MODE!:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-__VV94ziiQ

Random Memorial for Monday 2/21/11

Gone but not forgotten: referring to myself as Troy in the bar scene.

I'm sure it was the walk past Metropole today on my tour of South Beach. And it might have something to do with this being the last day of vacation (tomorrow's a travel day and Wednesday's a readjustment-to-life-in-Chicago day) which means I've been drinking and sunning all afternoon. Regardless, in the spirit of Jersey's Shore "the Situation", I will hereby be known as "the Predicament". We'll see how it works in the bars tonight (I just have to be careful I don't get too clever and work up some opening line featuring the second syllable of my new nickname).

Fully expecting to say the following in the am (which I really think is the afternoon in Miami): my brief time as "the Predicament" -- you will not be missed.

THEY HOSTED JERSEY SHORE LAST SEASON:
http://www.metropolesouthbeach.com/

WHAT MINUTE OF FAME IS "SIT" IN, ANYWAY?:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=hoppes/100108

EXCEPT IOWA WRESTLING's ALREADY USING MY NEW NICKNAME!:
http://www.thepredicament.com/

Random Scandal Sheet for Sunday 2/20/11

What Southern Florida is talking about this week:

It's the weather (it's always the weather). I'm here (just made the move from Ft. Lauderdale to South Beach this afternoon) because I wanted to escape the winter weather in Chicago (ironically, one day last week, it apparently hit 62 there) and it has been a few days of nothing but sun and 80 degrees all around -- which is a far cry from the cold snap they had here just two months ago. How cold was it? So cold that farmers used helicopters to fly low over the crops to create a warming effect at night. [Sadly, three of them crashed in the same morning!] Bottom line ... higher prices for strawberries, citrus, tomatoes and green beans. Plan your menus accordingly.

AND IGUANAS FELL OUT OF THE TREES!:
http://www.physorg.com/news182238058.html

MAYBE A LITTLE MORE PRACTICE WOULD HELP HERE?:
http://www.cbs12.com/articles/pahokee-4729971-helicopter-happened.html

FOR DETAILS, SEE TOM SKILLING at SKILLING CENTRAL:
http://www.chicagoweathercenter.com/about/tomskilling/

Random Soapbox for Saturday 2/19/11

I don't mean to go off on a rant here, but ...

... the new mayor will have his hands full (I'd include the pronoun "her" in that sentence had Carol Mosley Braun's campaign not imploded after she called out another mayoral candidate at a church gathering for being a crack addict) with the violent crime situation in Chicago. It is true that overall rates are down (which is a good thing for sure) but most disturbing is that a recent analysis showed that almost all homicides and shootings happened in 8.5% of the city.

Since I'm not living in those neighborhoods (which is also a good thing -- at least for me), I'm not living in fear, but it saddens me to think about the deck being stacked against those that do. It's apparently a cycle of poverty and gang living and something called "intergenerational disenfrachisement". Our current police superintendent is on his way out after the election (or at least all signs point to that), so there will be an opportunity to demonstrate leadership on this issue before the year is out.

By the way, I thought about this after taking the back roads home from the Everglades the other day (pics posted on FB) and realizing that I was in a part of Ft. Lauderdale I hadn't been in before. First sign I was in a troubled hood -- the cops had pulled over a school bus to resolve some issue. Then any doubt I had was disbursed when I saw a cop car in my rear view window turn on its lights to get through a busy intersection ... and the car next to me immediately sped up, cut in front of me, squeezed between traffic and a bus and fled the scene.

I'm enjoying my vacation ... but it will be good to get home to the 91.5% safe parts of Chicago that I love.

HOMICIDES DOWN IN BIG CITIES:
http://tucsoncitizen.com/usa-today-news/2010/12/28/homicides-fall-in-big-cities/

SEARCH CRIME BLOCK BY BLOCK IN THE CITY:
http://chicago.everyblock.com/crime/

A TREASURE TROVE OF DATA ABOUT FT. LAUDERDALE:
http://www.city-data.com/city/Fort-Lauderdale-Florida.html

Random Flashback for Friday 2/18/11

And ... scene. It's time for the curtain call for Philadelphia Story, the LVC winter play twenty years ago in 1991 to which I've flashed back the last few weeks. Since the picture was taken by someone in the audience there to see me, I should start by saying I'm sorry that this isn't the whole cast in the shot. And I'll finish by saying that these specific LVC theatre flashbacks will take just a quick break, and return in three weeks with remembrances of the spring musical "The Pajama Game".

**By the way, if you are in the area, please support Wig and Buckle's production of "Anything Goes", playing this weekend and next on the LVC campus. For details and to purchase tickets, please visit www.WigandBuckle.com.

Random Thought for Thursday 2/17/11

Turns out I learned how to increase my vegetable intake while on vacation, as bourbon is at least 51% corn by definition! Drink your vegetables!!

MAKE YOUR OWN BOURBON:
http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/how-to-make-bourbon-whiskey-6166.html

DON'T KNOW WHO BUDDY WAS, BUT HE LIKED HIS BOURBON:
http://www.straightbourbon.com/drinks.html

OH YEAH ... PLUS CORN HELPS YOU POOP!:
http://www.wehealny.org/healthinfo/dietaryfiber/index.html

Random Wordplay for Wednesday 2/16/11

Capricious Mash-up.

[First, quick note. It's vacation, but I've yet to take a vacation from the micro-blogging. I have played fast and loose with the posting date sometimes (great feature, blog-spot!), but I do have at least one post per day back to this concept started in the summer of 2009. Speaking of which, on vacations like this one (and thanks to the relatively newer feature of FB that allows you to have an email copy of your wall sent to you -- great feature, FB!), I often have a chance to download old output to the blog. As of today, retro-randomness back to Nov 09 is available for viewing -- and I provide every way to drill down to whatever you might want to see. Just use the tabs on the side to look by month, or by daily topic, or by theme week, or by occasional series (great feature, www.capcognition.blogspot.com)!]

So ... used in a sentence ... on a lazy vacation day like today, I thought I'd take it easy and provide a capricious mash-up of two themes from February for today's item. If you take the early Feb. SuperBowl influenced theme week that focused on the things that I'm drawn to in the Sports pages and mash it up (all the cool kids are doin' this nowadays!) with the Friday Flashback series of pictures from The Philadelphia Story (where I played the role made famous by the actor from Indiana, Pennsylvania who went on to Washington as Mr. Chips) ... you will get ...

... world famous moto-cross racer Jimmy Stewart! I'm sure this youngster is amazing in his craft, but a part of me wants him to employ a six foot tall imaginary rabbit as a logo!

JIMMY JUNIOR's IS TEARING IT UP RIGHT NOW:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=4011969

THE ORIGINAL JIMMY's NOT THAT SHABBY EITHER:
http://www.flixster.com/actor/james-stewart

NOW LOADED WITH RETRO-RANDOMNESS!:
http://capcognition.blogspot.com/

Random Tune(s) for Tuesday 2/15/11

You may have heard that vacation is nigh, but if not, you can easily figure out my eventual destination from the tunes chosen below ...

SO I'LL SAY IT THRICE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qIZFFfyfLw

I HEARD HE's THE DAD OF JADEN AND WILLOW:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUBB1lOLD6k

DAMN IT IF IT WON'T BE TOO WARM TO WEAR A BLAZER:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLuf8rJAbyY

THE MODERN MIAMI-ITE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZQrkLhSgpY

Random Memorial for Monday 2/14/11

Gone but not forgotten: the work week, ending today for me.

Or ... said another way ... VACATION! First up, family is here visiting -- which means Michigan rummy and Philly cheesesteaks! Next -- free day at the aquarium (penguins and belugas and dolphins, oh my)! Then -- an escape of the blizzardry and frigidity of late (not counting the thaw that's actually happening while I'm away) by way of sunny Florida! First bad sunburn of the season ... I can't wait to get acquainted with you! GTL (without much G and really no L at all), "cab's here" (except I'll be driving most places), "t-shirt time" (or make that, wife-beater time) ... I am taking "Lake Shore" to the Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood/Miami area ...

Sobriety, you will not be missed!

YOU CAN EVEN GET TASTIKAKES IN CHICAGO AT THIS ESTABLISHMENT:
http://www.phillysbest.com/

I WOULD NOT BE SEEN PUBLICLY WITH THIS MERCHANDISE (I'M TOO OLD!):
http://www.squidoo.com/jersey-shore-merchandise

IT WILL END HERE:
http://www.visitsouthbeachonline.com/

Random Scandal Sheet for Sunday 2/13/11

What Chicago is talking about this week:

Electioneering season is in full swing (the mayor's race might come down to next Tuesday's vote, if Rahm can knock out Chico with 50%+1) ... which means that you can choose to exercise your civic duty in multiple ways:

Vote early (and vote often?): each ward has a site accepting voters from 9-5 this week until Feb 17th.

Vote naked: the "absentee ballot" concept has been brought forward for the new generation and it is simple to vote from home (details below).

Vote, vote, vote (just once, not three times): If neither of those plans fit your lifestyle, then know now that polls will open at 6am on Tuesday Feb 22 so that you [locals] can choose the next mayor of Chicago, the next city clerk, the next city treasurer and (if contested) your next alderman.

FIND YOUR WARD's LOCATION FOR EARLY VOTING:
http://www.chicagoelections.com/page.php?id=9

YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO PUT ON PANTS:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/elections/2829192,CST-NWS-naked24.article

POLLS OPEN FEB 22 REGARDLESS OF THE WEATHER:
http://www.chicagoelections.com/

Random Soapbox for Saturday 2/12/11

Look, I don't mean to go off on a rant here, but ...

... there's a way to tell when you've gone too far with your gambling. What may start as harmless fun as the elderly stare blankly into the screens of the one arm bandit machines in Atlantic City, losing quarter after quarter of their laundry money (just realized that shows my age, as I'm sure it's all computerized now -- and I'm sure you lose dollars at a time) ... can turn quickly into something else entirely.

I haven't lived in PA since the "fundraising" sites were approved, but there are several surrounding Chicago, and it's hard not to be bombarded with some great billboard slogans -- including "the loosest slots around", which always sounded just a shade away from a blurb on a porno. I do get to see those who line up for the daily numbers (I play only when it goes over $100 million, which is often enough that I should have won something by now, right?) and to watch those who buy scratch-offs waiting for their My Name is Earl moment (miss you Jamie Pressley!) when they should be feeding their babies (or, as it often seems in Chitown convenience stores, spending that money on their prescription mental health medicine).

Finally, the cake has been taken (the dice have been rolled? the craps have been crapped?) in Kentucky, which announced this month that it would allow bettors to gamble on horse races -- that have already been raced! You know your problem is bad when you take a risk on a situation that already has a determined outcome -- and lose. At this point, your gambling problem has morphed into a stupidity problem! Just throw you money away to those who really need it (note: you can find my address in my facebook profile).

AH ... KENTUCKY ... YOU ARE SO BROKE THAT YOU NEED MONEY THIS WAY?:
http://www.fox41.com/story/13757906/judge-approves-betting-on-old-horse-races

HOW TO: FIND LOOSE SLOTS!:
http://www.slotmachinesystems.net/slot-machines/loose/

YEP, WE'VE GOT AN "ANONYMOUS" GROUP FOR THIS:
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/qna.html

Random Flashback for Friday 2/11/11

Here's another photo of LVC's production of The Philadelphia Story some 20 years ago. So that would make this triumvirate the Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart and John Howard of Annville. [If you compare this week's picture to last week's picture, you'll see that I was really good at acting directly into the stage for some reason (poor audience).] This was college theater so I can't say I was all Stanislavski'd up for this performance, but I do recall going "all method" for two scenes -- the one where Cary/Dexter/Matthew punched me in the face and the one where I kissed Tracy Lord on stage a little too realistically! Good times!

Random Thought for Thursday 2/10/11

Today would have been your 35th birthday, DJ. And so long as you are still vividly remembered, you're not really "gone". So ... here are a few stories that automatically bring you back by way of memories ...

1) That card game of Spit we played in the townhouse where we turned up card after card that were identical. It was so spooky, we decided to abandon the game.

2) That trip to Becca's college where you "misplaced" the Porsche (luckily, we were able to find it later).

3) That habit of sitting on the Greentree balcony and smoking cheap-ass Swisher Sweets looking out at Lebanon -- not talking too much, just a-sittin' and a-smokin' and a-thinkin' (and we did it long before Denny Crane and Alan Shore did it on Boston Legal!)

4) That confused look you had when you threw a piece of a shrimp to Mauler and she batted it around instead of eating it, time after time.

5) That concept I was able to explain to you at our drunken frat parties that we could reclaim the phrase "spit up" from babies -- particularly if it was early in the night and we were just clearing space to drink more.

I told Demon to find you when I put him down in '08 ... I hope he did. We all miss you.

[no links tonight ... in honor of a treasured son, brother, uncle, grandson, cousin, nephew and friend]

Random Wordplay for Wednesday 2/9/11

[Look, I'm going to end this Theme Week:My Kind of SportsCenter with a bang ... you choose the post that matches your taste level. Know in advance that they are all legitimate news stories from recent sports sections.]

RATED PG -- Tossing Waffles

Used in a sentence: "How do folks north of the border protest their teams' poor performance -- by tossing waffles on to the hockey rink (Canadians are so happily non-violent)!"

RATED PG-13 -- Butt Drag

Used in a sentence: "It went all the way to mediation, but the high school student accused of sexual assault (he inserted his finger into his opponent's rectum during the wrestling match) is using the defense that it was a legitimate wrestling move -- known as the "butt drag".

RATED R -- Standsoftinger or Laydownhardinger

Used in a sentence: "Poor 6'8" German Christian Standhardinger's future in LaSalle basketball ended before it began due to a late night public sex romp in a park (how very European) --it might have all gone unnoticed if his name would have been Standsoftinger or Laydownhardinger!"

RATED PG:
http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/Maple+Leafs+waffle+thrower+charged/4015162/story.html

RATED PG-13:
http://www.fresnobee.com/2011/01/20/2241009/wrestlers-meet-in-mediation.html#

RATED R:
http://deadspin.com/#!5737924/necking-in-a-car-can-ruin-your-transfer

Random Tune for Tuesday 2/8/11

I've always said that the enemy to any future writing career of mine is my inability to edit myself. As it is now, I've written myself into a corner today with my need to pick a random tune that upholds both my Theme Week: My Kind of SportsCenter and my occasional Series: AtoZ Musical Eccentricities (the cassette years) for the letter C.

However, I think I can do it with a little bit of word association rondele ... Super Bowl --> National Anthem --> Aguilera --> Burlesque --> Cher --> National Anthem --> Super Bowl.

Does anyone really doubt that I have some Cher cassettes around the house?

WITH ALL THE WORDS IN THEIR CORRECT PLACE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6xvDPd5prY&feature=related

Random Memorial for Monday 2/7/11

Gone but not forgotten: yelling FORE on a golf course (yep, it's still theme week:my kind of SportsCenter).

You wake up one day and everything you thought you knew is suddenly wrong. Could it be that it's a sign of the end of times? Might Nostradamus or the Mayans of even Paul have hidden this clue in his letters way back in the day -- might they have predicted that this would one day be our reality?

The courts have ruled that now-one-eyed-blind amateur golfer Dr. Kapoor (who apparently lost that eye when his golfing buddy Dr. Anand shanked a ball so badly into his noggin) was not in the foreseeable "zone of danger" that would have required his friend to warn him with the age-old cry of "fore". I think it means that he was so bad that his partners should have known that they were at risk during the whole game!

Days of not living in fear that they will take away "timber" next, you are missed!

THE DOCTORS PROBABLY WISHED THEY STAYED WITH THEIR PATIENTS THAT DAY:
http://sportslawnews.wordpress.com/2011/01/31/fore-warned-is%E2%80%A6-irrevelant-anand-v-kapoor-222-new-york-state-court-of-appeals-albany/

QUATRAINS ... FOUR ... FORE ... I THINK THERE's A PROGRESSION:
http://www.nostradamus.org/

IS THE ZONE OF DANGER LIKE THE DANGER ZONE?:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPYF2p-cGx8

Random Scandal Sheet for Sunday 2/6/11

What Chicago is talking about this week:

In the spirit of my theme week (My Kind of SportsCenter), it turns out the famous WrigleyvilleSports in my neighborhood has a second business -- it's the owner of Pittsburgh Fan in that city ... and, as such, here in Chicago, it's the place to pick up the Terrible Towel. (Of course, turns out the towel's use tonight is for drying up the tears.) Having seen the news story today, can I just say it was a treat to see Myron Cope on the TV screen -- instantly reminded me of my time in Uniontown with my "grandmother" JoAnn.

By the way, turns out SuperBowl night is a dangerous time to be on the roads what with drunk driving (if you're local, that's assuming your car's been shoveled out from the blizzard). If you're out and about, be safe!

WRIGLEYVILLE, MEET PITTSBURGH!:
http://www.manta.com/c/mtrl251/pittsburgh-fan

A LITTLE MYRON COPE IS GOOD FOR ANYONE:
http://www.wgntv.com/news/eveningnews/wgntv-wrigleyville-sports-and-the-terrible-towel-20110204,0,768936.story

YOU DRINK AND DRIVE. YOU LOSE:
http://www.drunkdrivingfacts.net/checkpoints/springfield-illinois-dui-checkpoints-and-patrols-scheduled-throughout-super-bowl-weekend-2011

Random Soapbox for Saturday 2/5/11

I don't mean to go off on a rave here, but ...


... first let me take a step backwards. It's already time for another theme week: My Kind of SportsCenter. If you're a regular reader or know me well, this won't be news ... but here are the key ideas: late bloomer, more booksmart than streetsmart, missed the whole high school athletic phase, also missed the video game craze substantially, know enough to read up on the local teams to engage in small talk as required, overwhelmed by statistics so I'll never be part of a fantasy league. So that groundwork laid, do know that I still read the Sports section of the paper -- it's just that I pick up on the more random things. So ... here's to almost a week's worth of posts on what I find interesting from that world.


... back to the rant -- except it's not a rant -- it's a rave today (I've come to realize that endless ranting can get a little too Loughneresque). Perfect as an antidote to the media circus hyper commercialization of tomorrow's match-up, take a moment to skip past the Steelers/Packers show (just a moment, though, 'cause I'm calling for a Steelers win and some more progress for Ben "No-Means-Maybe" Roethlisberger's path to redemption) and take a look at a true football hero -- Chance Anthony.


Winner of the second annual Rudy Award, this Kentucky footballer was named the Most Inspirational High School Football Player in America. Talk about an amazing story of possessing the right attitude and about taking life's adversity and turning it into determination to reach your goals. "If somebody gives you the opportunity, you've got to take it and run."


Words of wisdom for us all (and what should be the message and get as much attention as tomorrow's big game).


SEE THE VIDEO HERE:
http://www.highschoolrudyawards.com/nominees/314/Chance_Anthony.aspx?mid=1661


OR GET CAUGHT UP IN THE HYPE INSTEAD:
http://sbtwitter.nfl.com/


OR GO BACK TO THE INSPIRATIONAL STUFF:
http://www.weplay.com/blog/chance-anthony-of-kentucky-earns-10000-scholarship

Random Flashback for Friday 2/4/11

Look at me -- emoting for some reason (and I don't know why it was just toward the stage instead of out to the audience). If memory serves me right, I was playing tabloid reporter Mike (called in to spy on the MainLine Philly celebrity wedding of Tracy Lord -- pay careful attention to that 'y' in Tracy and the absence of the 's' in Lord, as that would have been a completely different kind of play requiring a completely different kind of emoting). And that's Tawni Nicklaus (she was once my friend on FB, but we grew apart -- is that the nice way to say it when you've been defriended? -- so I can't really tag her) in the key role. And can you believe I had that much hair 20 years ago that I could dramatically part it and slick it all back?

Random Thought for Thursday 2/3/11

[Look -- if Regis can learn how to do it, then surely I can finally figure out how to use the Twitter. So, here's a new occasional series ("occasional" because I don't have the skill to edit myself to a limited number of characters very often): Retweetable Randomness!]

If babies look super cute as they chew on their feet, then why is it I get dirty looks when I "get my chow on" to finish what my toenail clippers started?

REGIS LEARNS TO TWEET:
http://classic-tv.com/RegisTriumphsOverTechnologyFinallyLearnstoTweetVIDEO.html

OVERDOSE ON CUTE BABY PICS:
http://www.babies-cute.com/naughty-baby-eating-his-foot

PROPER TOE NAIL CARE:
http://www.ayushveda.com/tipson/how-to-care-your-toe-nails/

Random Wordplay for Wednesday 2/2/11

Grannies on Safari.

Used in a sentence: "The voice I enjoy hearing on the local news this week is ... the poor senior citizen on-the-ground in Egypt who keeps on filing reports from the situation as she tours with her group, Grannies on Safari."

Look -- I understand that this is serious and that the violence is getting out of hand (I know so because even Anderson Cooper got beat about the head and shoulders!). So I shouldn't jest. After all, the last time I can recall this level of upheaval is when Anwar Sadat got shot during my step-mother's daily dose of General Hospital (a story I didn't share when I got to meet Mrs. Sadat when she came to an IU#13 event back home in May of 88). But, come on, Grannies on Safari -- how does that phrase not put an image in your head that causes you to smile?

MEET THE GRANNIES!:
http://www.granniesonsafari.com/MeetTheGrannies

EVACUATED TO GREECE, I GUESS THEY ARE GRANNIES GO GREEK?:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/3622146-418/fraser-egypt-athens-johnson-chicago.html

SO MUCH FOR HER HOPE FOR PEACE:
http://articles.cnn.com/2009-03-26/world/sadat.peace_1_jehan-sadat-egyptian-president-anwar-sadat-islam?_s=PM:WORLD

Random Tune for Tuesday 2/1/11

Here it is, the third and final post of this year's Dead Celebrity Tune Trilogy (this morbid menage-a-tois, this terribly-missed triumvirate) -- Stormy Weather from the late great Lena Horne. And with a blizzard a-blowing outside, what a perfect fit. [Thanks to those who've reached out to me. I have blankets and food and candles and I feel prepared for the thundersnows and 18 ft waves off the lake and 4 ft drifts. The only thing I didn't add was a clothesline from my door to my car, cause that seemed a little bit too much (and too reminiscent of Little House on the Prairie)].

BABY ITs COLD OUTSIDE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzLkXdkuhX8