2 0 8 4:M i s s i v e 8

Another message for you on the Facebook from the future ... from me here in the summer of 2084, where I can continue to use the loophole in the Vitalnet that only exists on the last day of every month when the system is updating in order to to communicate with you in the past.  The story I have to tell is a story that will explain how there is still a desire to reunite the country after the most divisive decades in its history.  I've previously explained that East and West America exist in my time because of the geographical changes to our continent after the 2023 New Madrid Quake tore the country in two creating the Bay of Mississippi, but the Americas of my day also have to govern with entrenched political parties that took the aversion to compromise prevalent at the beginning of the century to new heights.  Those parties are no longer the Republicans and the Democrats, as they dissolved in the squabbles over disaster relief the year of the great quake, and government intractability is now due to the disputes that arrive between the As and the Is -- those who live life connecting to Android systems, and the others who only plug into iProducts.  It is the hope of the IntransiGents, who are themselves the hope of my time, to break through that deadlock, but they recognize that they will have to go backwards to go forwards, and they know that there are lessons to be learned from the failure of the most recent Third Uprising in 2048.  Which is why my IQ, EQ and SQ files are so important.  And which is why I can't risk triggering an alert from sending more than a paragraph to you at a time.  Until the next paragraph can be sent on the last day of the month next, I remain the electronic folder where those files are kept ... t1a7n72.lif.

L V C || C L Memory 7

In ONLY 7 days (that's NEXT Friday night!),  I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #7:  the top 5 TOUCHES of LVC ...

I saved something special for the final ten entries ... including a mini-countdown within the countdown for each of the senses.  Tonight, it's all about the "touches" (the "feels"?) that will forever be associated with my time at LVC ...

#5 ... Rich G's ass "touching" the bottom panel of the door in the fellowship room in the basement of the chapel during one of our murder mysteries when our brotherly characters were having a brotherly fight and I threw him through it (in a brotherly way) ...

#4 ... my feet "touching" the cold cold floor of the dorm room bathrooms first thing in the morning because I never had shower shoes (but it did serve to wake a person right up) ...

#3 ... my hands "touching" a number of cheeks (on the face) when I went through a "light slap phase" with my friends (that thankfully ended without me getting assaulted in return) ...

#2 ... the hands of all the theatre folks "touching" a bucket full of elephant cum (the colloquial name for the gooey mixture of pasty muslin used to unite "flats" on stage to create a seamless wall in a set design)

... and, as shown in the photo image accompanying this post, the #1 TOUCH of LVC ...

... my hand "touching" the hand of President Synodinus on the stage of the graduation ceremony for the traditional handshake signifying the end of all things college in 1995 (until I came back again a few years later for more).

Random Flashback for Friday 9/30/16

Tonight's theme for the 20th batch of photos of my father's that I inherited when he passed (yep ... we're up to 100 and there are many more batches to go) ... is "LateFifties" -- with a few from a holiday get together in the new year for 1957, and two more random pics to close out the decade ...

#96 -- "supper time" written on the back -- the family feast table AFTER the meal when the adults are left drinking coffee, the younger kids are all playing and the older kids stick behind staring longingly at the can of Reddi-whip (stamped Jan 57)

#97 -- "Darlene helping me to unwrap my present" written on the back -- my grandma (dad's mom Esther) getting help from Darlene, who is my dad's brother Junior's daughter ... (stamped Jan 57)

#98 -- "full house" written on back -- with many many kids and one adult having taken over the living room (and that looks like Jessica N to me in the chair on the left ... but it's the wrong decade for her to be in the photo!)

#99 -- summer flowers in front of sheet drying on the line at ye olde homestead ... (stamped Aug 23 of '58 on the back)

#100 --  "Bonnie Lynn Cauler" ... new baby! ... except I don't know whether this Bonnie is family (since the last name Cauler doesn't mean anything to me) or just a friend of the family (as I suspect)

L V C || C L Memory 8

In ONLY 8 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #8:  the top 5 TASTES of LVC ...

I saved something special for the final ten entries ... including a mini-countdown within the countdown for each of the senses.  Tonight, it's all about the tastes that will forever be associated with my time at LVC ...

#5 ... having to resort to whatever goodies could be gotten out of the MaryGreen vending machines seeing as how there were few choices once the dining room closed (although the Coke machine in that basement had a tendency to spit out extras) ...

#4 ... driving to Funck's in the late late night in order to break up an all-nighter (even though it often meant that you'd abandon the study-until-daybreak approach once you got the food in you) ...

#3 ... ordering from Napoli's because they were close enough to deliver (and the cheeseburger subs -- even better than the pizza!) ...

#2 ... eating the cake that VP of finance D Fullam made for me the day I "paid off" my college bill (how did I NOT get a picture of that!) ... 

... and, as implied in the photo image accompanying this post (although I'm not certain that Andy P and friends actually had them on their trays), the #1 TASTE of LVC ...

... picking up the guaranteed item off the a la carte side of the order line in the dining hall -- available at every single meal -- the campus grilled cheese (which I know well having made hundreds of them during the time I had campus study work in the kitchen).

Random Thought for Thursday 9/29/16

[My ongoing series for 2016 continues ... with the THIRTY-EIGHTH of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA (coming to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!]

Establishment:  Tropics Piano Bar and Restaurant
Location:  Wilton Manors
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  Coca-cola
Appetizer:  Stuffed Mushrooms
stuffed with andouille sausage
Main:  Shrimp Bercy
jumbo shrimp dipped in flour and egg then pan sautéed in a white wine parsley lemon butter sauce served over angel hair pasta
Side(s):  Hot Cross Bun
Dessert:  Key Lime Pie
Server:  Giovanni aka "Gio"

According to a sign by the door, this establishment is itself a historical building for the island city of Wilton Manors, and according to a lot of recent press, it's a place that is a work in progress after a recent change in ownership (the third just since we made the big move here).  And the bottom line is that there IS still work to be done ... as to how those negatives affected the score, see below:

AMBIANCE:   8/10 (currently, the immediate vibe that is being throwing off is "hotel bar and restaurant" ... which isn't necessarily good or bad, but just an observation ... the lights are dimmed enough to make a person turn down the brightness on the old cell phone to avoid getting stares, and we were lucky enough to be eating during a piano playing session -- two rooms away so it wasn't overwhelming but was just nice background music ... a point is lost because the booth bankettes are too loose so that it's a luck of the draw as to whether the person behind you is one who moves around a lot and shakes the whole seat and a second point is lost because clearly some degree of updating still needs to be done)
FOOD:            7/10 (in descending order from best to worst -- the refreshing key lime pie [with sliced almonds that we first thought was coconut], then the shrimp bercy in a very light yet flavorful sauce [my first bercy, which is apparently an established french sauce], then the giant stuffed shrooms [which seemed like maybe they were frozen pre-fab and not homemade, so a point lost] and finally the rolls and spreadable whipped butter substitute [which came three in a basket for a table of two ... so we had to fight over who got the extra roll, so another point lost] ... plus, as much I liked my shrimp, they arrived with the tails on ... disguised in the breading and the dimmed light, which resulted in a final point lost)
SERVICE:      8/10 (the actual server did fine ... and the person whom we think was the owner/manager stopped by all the tables to say hello .. but a point lost for a missing host at the stand when we first arrived, and a second point lost because the owner/manager [dressed casually] didn't introduce himself as such, although we're pretty certain that's who he was ... [also see the bonus section below for one additional comment])
BACON:         6/10 (indeed, the menu has it in the usual places [burgers, salads, etc], but I didn't see it used creatively anywhere in any other dishes [I wouldn't have minded some in my bercy sauce, unless that would violate all things French] ... so just a few points off in this essential [to me] category ...)
BONUS:         6.5/10 (+3 for dealing well with a service escalation in that the other party in our group did not like the prime rib special and made it known as such, resulting in a return visit from the owner/manager guy, and +3 for, in the end, agreeing that we'd keep it on the bill because the boys would enjoy it [see photo below] and, for the first time in this series, a half point for being a place to which we *likely* return, if only because we believe in the commitment that the new management has to turning things around)

TroyScore:  35.5 out of 50 -- aka 71, a low C

L V C || C L Memory 9

In ONLY 9 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #9:  the top 5 SOUNDS of LVC ...

I saved something special for the final ten entries ... including a mini-countdown within the countdown for each of the senses.  Tonight, it's all about the sounds that will forever be associated with my time at LVC ...

#5 ... listening to whatever records were being spun on WLVC ...

#4 ... hearing the train noises at all times of the day and night ...

#3 ... blasting Paula Abdul's 'Vibology' all the way up to #11 'cause I liked get funked up in the afternoon

#2 ... processing simultaneous performances during (what was then called) Spring Arts Weekend seeing as how so much was going on and campus wasn't quite that big ...

... and, as seen in the photo image accompanying this post, the #1 SOUND of LVC ...

... eavesdropping (unintentionally for the most part) on all of the phone conversations that had to happen in the hallway because there was just one phone in the hall (and rooms didn't have phone jacks when I first started college).

Random Wordplay for Wednesday 9/28/16

Okonomiyaki is the new Empanada.

Used in a sentence:  "You heard it here first folks -- just like I predicted back in 2012 that empanadas would be the next food craze (replacing all those extra fro-yo shops with which we were inundated) ... I am prepared to announce in 2016 that 'okonomiyaki is the new empanada'"

Of course, if you find it funny that *I* may be a future trend-spotter (what with my penchant for celebrating / memorializing / honoring / remembering / fetishisizing the past in just about every blog post), then you may have to overcome that observation to believe me.

And if you're not familiar with the modern day okonomiyaki (as expanded in Japan post Hiroshima-bombing when war widows needed an income and the proliferation of okonomiyaki stalls took place), then know that it supposedly translates to "anything you want grilled" and also know that it is basically Japanese layered pancakes.

In a modern world fond of mash-ups, it's got a crepe base, and layers like lasagna and eggs mixed in like an omelette, and now comes with a branded okonomiyaki sauce (think worcestershire) ... and did I mention that you can put whatever you want on the layers (i.e.  bacon, bacon and bacon ... with maybe pork belly too).

I'm telling you ... keep an eye out ... there will be okonomiyaki food trucks driving through your city ... and okonomiyaki counter service places popping up in your neighborhood ... and okonomiyaki stands on your street corners ... because okonomiyaki is the new empanada.

SOME OKONOMIYAKI HISTORY:
https://www.pressreader.com/usa/sun-sentinel-broward-edition/20160911/281565175214446

THE SOURCE OF TODAY'S GRAPHIC IMAGE:
http://en.japantravel.com/tokyo/jyaken-nou-okonomiyaki/15339

THE OFFICIAL OKONOMIYAKI MUSEUM:
https://www.japanhoppers.com/chugoku/hiroshima/kanko/269/

L V C || C L Memory 10

In ONLY 10 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #10:  the top 5 SIGHTS of LVC ...

I saved something special for the final ten entries ... to start with, a mini-countdown within the countdown for each of the senses.  Tonight, it's all about the sights that will forever be emblazoned in my mind -- I can close my eyes to this day and immediately see all of these items ...

#5 ... seeing the rows and rows of old school computers in the computer lab (in the era prior to anyone having anything more than a word processor) ...

#4 ... walking down the dorm hallways and reading all of the whiteboard signs hanging on the doors (some happy, some sad ... and plenty with drama) ...

#3 ... watching Days of our Lives in black and white on the little eight inch portable television set (every day while eating lunch in my dorm room, having walked out of the cafeteria with a tray like I had permission to do so) ...

#2 ... taking in the view whilst on the Little/Leedy Theatre stages (both before and after the renovations) ...

... and, as seen in the photo image accompanying this post, the #1 SIGHT of LVC ...

... experiencing the transformation of campus each holiday season for the celebration known as Christmas in the Valley -- replete with live nativity scenes, song processions, ceremonies by candlelight and lights and decorations aplenty to usher in the season each year.

Random Tune for Tuesday 9/27/16

For only the 10th time since I started this blog back in 2009 (!?!), I'm dusting off an (obviously) occasional series called "Country Music has the best ... lyrics ... ever".

Tonight's entry is so bold as to even call itself the "perfect country and western song" ... because it includes a bonus verse (and who doesn't love a bonus verse) that finds a way to feature trains, trucks, prison and gettin' drunk -- also known as the key ingredients for country songs.

Of course, I did have to go back to "classic" country ... when I was only three years old ... to find the David Allen Coe version of "You Never Even Called Me By Name".  I was prompted to do so after hearing it on a recent Thursday (that's the day for the Music Choice Classic Country station when I'm here working from home) ... but listening back to it tonight, I realize that I hear a snippet of it any time that we're playing cards with Shirly P (darlin').

Be sure to stick around for the grand finale (and just try not to shout it out loud):

Well, I was drunk the day my mom got out of prison
And I went to pick her up in the rain
But before I could get to the station in my pickup truck
She got runned over by a damned old train

THE BEST ... LYRICS ... EVER:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAOVRkSCWmg

L V C || C L Memory 11

In ONLY 11 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #11:  the reprise of my LVC studies.

I liked it so much ... I couldn't stay away!

Or, in actuality ... I started night law school, had a crisis of confidence, took a leave of absence from Widener, got a phone call from the student loan folks asking what I was doing and when I wanted to start paying them back, found out that if I went back to school I could postpone that activity ... and bing, bang, boom ... I was matriculated back at LVC.

This time was different ... as seen by my much more consistently good grades ... and because I was just going to campus classes as a true commuter.  When it was over, though, I had both '95 AND '00 after my name on the alumni mailings from my school ... and I had a third piece of paper ... and I could say that I both opened AND closed the decade of the nineties as an LVC student.  

Said another way ... of the twenty semesters in that time frame, I belonged to LVC and LVC to me for fourteen of them!

Random Memorial for Monday 9/26/16

Gone but not forgotten:  the Arnold Palmer.

Now I'm not blaming Xarelto per se ... but I do think Kevin Nealon should watch his back (or his front ... specifically his heart).

I have to admit ... my connection to Arnold probably begins and ends with knowing about (and always enjoying) his cool and refreshing eponymous drink.  I mean, after all, I was only two years old when he wad inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

However, I was first exposed to golf as a sport in college courtesy of my main roommate (Jon M), and my golf education continued these last two decades for obvious (to some) reasons -- so I knew he was a Pennsylvanian, and I knew he started a TV channel, and I know that he was one of the great ones who gave his all and lived virtually scandal free (I won't mention the big one here ... you'll have to google it yourself if you care enough to do so at this time) -- which is so far removed from the lifestyles of today's modern athletes.

You who learned that the perfect mix was 2/3 tea and 1/3 lemonade (note:  it's NOT a half and half as so many of you think) ... you will be missed.

THE PALMER LEGACY:
http://www.cbssports.com/golf/news/arnold-palmers-illustrious-career-and-lasting-legacy-in-a-snapshot/

THE PALMER DRINK LEGACY:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2016/09/26/the-story-behind-how-arnold-palmer-invented-his-famous-drink-the-arnold-palmer/

SPEAKING OF DEAD GOLFERS:
http://golf.about.com/od/historyofgolf/tp/22-Champion-Golfers-Who-Died-Tragic-Early-Deaths.htm

L V C || C L Memory 12

In ONLY 12 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #12:  the retirement of President Synodinus!

Now I'm not necessarily saying that he left *because* I finally graduated and he couldn't stand the thought of LVC without me ... but I *am* saying that our timelines overlapped -- in the best way possible, because he was an advocate of the arts, came to see many of our shows, took the time to know about the personal stories of his students and set the college on a path toward the new millennium.

I was so fond of his leadership that I reached out to him upon hearing the news to share my appreciation for what he had done for "my" undergard .. and, true to his classy form, I received the personal note of acknowledgement.  

Looking back, his arrival early on in the decade and his departure near the end nicely bookended the majority of my LVC experience.

Random Scandal Sheet for Sunday 9/25/16

What southern Florida is talking about this week:

... tomorrow night's debate.

Of course we are.  I mean we are a battleground state after all -- although I've learned that with current electoral college data crunching, it's actually a county by county game (and I'm not necessarily in a battleground county where me and mine sit in the state).

Some expect Super Bowl type numbers tomorrow night ... but I don't think the advertisements have risen to that level.  And let's face it -- there's a chance that it will be the ONLY debate of the season ... because we all know that if Trump gets unhappy, he'll likely find a way to pull out of debates two and three.

Only Trump and Clinton will be verbally sparring ... because the host site is in Aleppo and so Johnson got lost on the way.  (Just kidding ... it's in New York and is being multi-cast on many many channels ... and Johnson won't be there because he couldn't get to the 15% threshold, which means you know that Stein had absolutely no chance.)

There will be fireworks.  There will be slip-ups.  There will be insults.  There will be faces -- lots of faces.  And there will be commentary -- my own -- available exclusively on the Facebook.  Expect a bit of snark ... which is just something I use to make the truth a little more palatable.  Here's hoping our divided states of America won't have completely fallen apart by this time tomorrow night!

A DEBATE PRIMER:
http://www.uspresidentialelectionnews.com/2016-debate-schedule/2016-presidential-debate-schedule/

WHY THE FIRST DEBATE WON'T BE IN OHIO AS ORIGINALLY PLANNED:
http://www.cleveland.com/rnc-2016/index.ssf/2016/07/wright_state_university_in_day.html

THIRD PARTY PEOPLE AND DEBATES, A HISTORY:
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/debates-730122-presidential-candidates.html

L V C || C L Memory 13

In ONLY 13 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #13:  graduation!

Let me say that again:  GRADUATION!

I know you may have been thinking that that would be the last memory in this series ... but I have some special plans for the top 10 ... and I have two post-scripts to bridge the gap from here to there.

So, notwithstanding the fact that the vast majority of the people with whom I started my college career in the fall of '89 had graduated two years prior (I had a year off ... and a bonus semester ... and then waited until the May ceremony to experience all the pomp and circumstance), in May of 1995, I walked across the stage and made official what so many thought might never happen (I did [and do] so enjoy proving people wrong).

GRADUATION!

Random Soapbox for Saturday 9/24/16

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

... NO, Facebook, NO!

I get that you are all proud of being so ubiquitous and so smart that you go out of your way to "help"my user experience.

I get that you know that I happen to enjoy me some Penn State football games, and that you encouraged me at some point to actually tell you that I follow the team.

But a boy has to run errands sometimes, and that means that he may have to leave at halftime and go pick up some groceries, and so he uses the modern technology of the DVR to save the game to watch at soon as he gets back from said errands.

Which means that, after signing on to the Facebook to wish some happy birthday greetings during the time delayed viewing of that game, THAT BOY DID NOT want to see the final score over on the right hand side of his screen.  (In case you don't get it ... THAT BOY was me.)

Facebook, I consider that a spoiler alert FOUL ... for which you deserve a PENALTY.

NO, Facebook, NO!

FACEBOOK SAYS YOU CAN TURN OFF THE SCORES:
https://www.facebook.com/help/community/question/?id=10153258664257455

OR THERE'S THIS:
https://www.facebook.com/SpoilerShield/

AND OTHER WAYS THAT FACEBOOK IS RUINING OUR LIVES ...:
https://thinkprogress.org/science-says-facebook-is-ruining-your-life-a498502e1fe1#.8yhx6y1jw

Random Posting for Penn State 9/24/16

Here are 9 Nittany Nuggets from today's game:

1.)  Well *that* was a lot of touchdowns.  Shame they didn't belong to *our* team.
2.)  Although, they were ranked #4 ... so is it acceptable to say something like, "it was just an honor to play a ranked team"?
3.)  At some point, I would have been okay with them playing more highlights from that game in 1994 when we last beat a top 5 ranked team.
4.)  Because, let's face it, at some point the cheering also became more about "let's just get at least one touchdown" (which was thankfully modified from "let's just get on the board and not have a shutout").
5.)  Finally, at some point I also began to feel like everyone going for it on 4th down was kind of like we were being insulted (like ... "we got this ... don't worry about them ...").
6.)  I suspect that one's opinion on a controversial targeting call depends on whether the player getting ejected was on your team or the other one ... but I get it -- safety first.
7.)  Speaking of which, thoughts go out to all those who continue to deal with injuries.
8.)  There were storms in my 'hood today, so I couldn't hear everything the announcerpeople said to directly quote (and mock) them, but I do have to say, it's starting to dawn on me that they are kind of super creepy and very fixated on the size of these boys, spouting out stats and characterizing body types in every other sentence.  Their obsession is going to give these kids eating disorders!
9.)  I don't care what anyone else says.  *My* player of the week is from the other team, because you can't deny that "Mr. Everything" PEPPERS comes off as impressive what with playing so many positions in one game.

In closing, thanks to Joey JULIUS for continuing to prove that the game highlights can come from all different kinds of plays ... and here's to competing for the Governor's Victory Bell next week in another late afternoon game!

THE TARGETING CALL TODAY:
http://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/index.ssf/2016/09/former_nfl_vp_of_officiating_f.html

SPEAKING OF FOOTBALL COMMENTARY:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2010/09/18/nfl-the-5-stupidest-things-football-commentators-say.html

*MY* PLAYER OF THE WEEK IS FROM THE OTHER TEAM:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgFjVt-i-9c

L V C || C L Memory 14

In ONLY 14 days (that's just 2 weeks), I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #14:  that time that Toad the Wet Sprocket came to campus.

I love me some Toad.  Almost every song of theirs released prior to that date on this (dirty) shirt from April of 1995 reminds me of some different aspect of my college living.

Which is why I was so excited when Jenn D had a few of us students in her office and she said that student council had some money and was thinking of bringing a band to campus.  I offered up Toad and they were in the right price range ... and soon enough they were booked!

I got to go pick up the band (except the lead singer) at the Lebanon Quality Inn in my little two door Ford Escort (only the best!) ... and they repaid me by signing my cassette (and getting the lead singer to do so as well from the tour bus parked outside the gym).  The show itself was amazing ... although we did have extra student volunteers who lined up in front of the stage for the first song until Toad asked us to disperse because it felt like they were playing in a prison.

What a way to cap off (the majority of) my college career!

Random Flashback for Friday 9/23/16

I can't tell the story of my life twenty years ago (in 1996), without talking some more about DJ.

We're coming up on fifteen years since we lost him ... which means there's a whole "next" generation of the family who only know of him through our stories and our photos .. and which is why I feel like this photo of his room in the Greentree townhouse serves to freeze time.

Clearly, I had ignored the "keep out" sign on the door back then (breaking roommate code), and tonight I decided against posting the messy pictures of the rest of the room.  He only cleaned up when he was bringing a girl over, and that girl never was the one on the poster.

The fact that Pam Anderson never stopped by is just one story of many ... too too many for this format.  But at some point I'll have to get them all written down ... for the "next" generation ...

L V C || C L Memory 15

In ONLY 15 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #15:  the mysterious murder quests (vol. I, II, III and IV).

During my time away between my junior and senior LVC years doing theatre in my cousin's company in western PA and OH, I was cast in several of his audience participation murder mysteries.  When I split from his company, I decided to take his concept (a show where the audience picks cast members to follow throughout the night, which means no one person sees everything that happens) and turn it up a notch.

Nearly a dozen full length plays later -- most of them set in my fictional town of Winston Falls, and many of them featuring interconnected repeating characters -- these were put on all across campus every other month throughout the end of my time in college.

I can't possibly thank everyone who assisted ... but Andy P, Brad H and Jon M were always supportive behind the scenes (and very occasionally IN a scene), Kristi H made it a point to see every single show, and lots of my fellow thespians and great friends had a role (or multiple roles) ... Brandon F, Brigette C, Erik S, Greg B, Joel F, Karen H, Kevin P, Kyle R, Kym H, Lisa E, Lissa S, Phil H, Rich G, Steph A, Suzanne W and Wayne K.  I know I'm missing some folks (my apologies if it's you!) ... but there's just so much to remember.  Hmmmm ... maybe these deserve a countdown of their own ...

Until then, here's to 'On Bullies, Bullets and Best Friends', ''Til Death Us Do Part', 'Holly, Hemlock and Mistletoe', 'Rendezvous with Revenge', 'Dreading the Last Dance', 'Too Many Cooks Poison the Broth', 'Guilty as Charged', 'Indecision', 'You'll Figure it Out', 'Revival' and 'Haven?' ... and here's to the gun that was featured in each and every show.

Random Thought for Thursday 9/22/16

[My ongoing series for 2016 continues ... with the THIRTY-SEVENTH of FIFTY tastes of FLORIDA (coming to you on sequential Thursdays.  All.  Year.  Long.)!]

Establishment:  Zona Fresca
Location:  Ft Lauderdale
Meal:  Dinner
Drink:  Dr. Pepper
Appetizers:  Nachos with Steak (no Beans)
fresh corn chips, melted jack and cheddar cheese, guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream and steak
Main:  Three Street Taco Platter
one each of Chicken Breast with grilled nopales cactus, avocado, cilantro, onions, and lemony dressing, Roasted Pork with pickled onions and cilantro and Baja Fish authentic Baja-style! fresh beer battered fish with shredded cabbage, pico, and our own tangy dressing
Side(s):  Chips and Guac
Dessert:  n/a
Server:  Francisco

When it comes to quick tacos ... there are places like Taco Bell (the common denominator for the common folk) and sit down restaurants of Mexican or Mex-fusion persuasion ... and then there are the Tijuana Taxis of the world that seem like a frat boy's version of his favorite late night taco joint.  Into the mix comes Zona Fresca, a southern Florida mini-chain (with eyes at expansion ... a common thread in this series for many of these soFlo chains) and it has taken its place at the top of the pyramid because if provides an authentic taste via counter service.  It may not be as experimental as the taco food trucks in the scene, but it solidly scores (see below, remembering that a place without bacon automatically starts at a disadvantage on my scoring scale):

AMBIANCE:   9/10 (bright and fresh and clean, with a separate salsa bar and outdoor seating -- what's not to love! ... plus parking [not a lot ... but enough] and what sounded like authentic mexi-music playing ... just a single point lost because the line of those waiting to order backs up into the eating area)
FOOD:            7/10 (I was pleasantly surprised to see the tacos all came double wrapped ... and I really enjoyed the buttery texture of the not-chunky guac ... as for the individual types of tacos sampled, the fish was the tastiest, followed by the juicy juicy flavorful pork and last was the chicken -- a point comes off for that chicken one being overwhelmed by the cilantro, a second point gets deducted because the homemade chips weren't warm [which would have elevated the nacho appetizer], and a final point is lost because they contract with that *other* soda provider instead of with Coca-Cola)
SERVICE:      9/10 (it's another counter service location, but the gentleman behind the register was friendly and efficient ... and had a way of calling everyone "boss" with it sounding sincere and not cloying ... just a point lost because he touched the tip jar before taking the order ... I'm not even certain that it was deliberate, but more of a subconscious stroke of the container ... I would have tipped either way, but it was the only mildly off-putting part of the exchange)
BACON:         5/10 (this is the fourth Mexican restaurant in this series, and I'll say here what I said for two of the other three:  "it's a tricky category, as traditional authentic Mexican food is more about the fresh ingredients ... and although the menu includes many references to pork and carnitas and such, the reality is that I didn't see a single reference to bacon on the menu ... out of sensitivity to the culture and because of the high scores in all the other categories, I'll put a few points on the board") 
BONUS:         10/10 (+3 for having the audacity to make fun of the gringos not once, but *twice* on the menus [implying weaker taco and weaker beer choices], +3 for being popular enough to have lines yet efficient enough to move through them quickly [just during our meal, which was #395, they processed another 30 orders], +3 for the option of outdoor seating set back far enough from the main highway that it would feel like patio eating and +1 for being a place to which we will most definitely return)

TroyScore:  40 out of 50 -- aka 80, barely a B

L V C || C L Memory 16

In ONLY 16 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #16:  the dedication of the LEEDY Theatre.

Mind you, it had already been in use for months -- including for two big shows (the spring musical and the fall play) and even for some little shows (the murder mysteries that *still* haven't been featured yet in this countdown -- yet).

But here, in December of 1994, it was being *officially* dedicated -- and I'm pretty sure I was serving as an usher for the fancy event.

With so much of my LVC memories being theatre related, it was kind of fitting that with my time drawing to a close (at least the first of my times), the ending of the Little Theatre era was coinciding with the ending of "my" era (not that it's all about me ... except for how, you know, it is MY countdown and all).

Random Wordplay for Wednesday 9/21/16

Murder's Lament.

Used in a sentence:  " I present Murder's Lament (the latest entrance in the occasional series of super-short sTROYies)"

THERE IS NOTHING so heavy as the empty pet carrier that you lug into the house when returning from the vet after the passing of a family member.

THERE IS NOTHING so soft as the old sweatshirt that was used to swaddle your loved one to hold against you while waiting for the drugs to kick in before the final procedure -- the same one used in 2010, 2012, 2013 and ... this past Tuesday.

THERE IS NOTHING so difficult as the decision to be made as to the time to take the most unselfish of actions.

THERE IS NOTHING so peaceful as knowing that the pain and the uncomfortableness are gone.

THERE IS NOTHING so tender as the look in your loved one's eyes as they seek someone familiar amidst the fog of the sedative.

THERE IS NOTHING so sweet as the sigh your loved one gives as they lay their heads against your chest to find comfort from the beating of your heart in their final moments.

THERE IS NOTHING so sad as that last breath.

THERE IS NOTHING so empty as the room you enter back at home because you hear the phantom cries of the one who once spent so much time there.

THERE IS NOTHING so full as the minds of the ones left behind with remembrances of seventeen years of cuddle sessions.

THERE IS NOTHING so rewarding as knowing that the empty pet carrier can be donated to a rescue agency that will see to it that it will be used to transport others to their forever homes.

THERE IS NOTHING so lasting as the memories.

THERE IS NOTHING so permanent as the love.

THERE IS NOTHING so heavy as the heart as it grieves.

L V C || C L Memory 17

In ONLY 17 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #17:  going into the woods one more time.

Who doesn't love a sequel?  The theatre kids sure did ... hence the return to Grenta Glen, to get off campus in the fall of 1994 (after having done so in the winter at the beginning of that year) for Theate Retreat II to do some bonding (shared experiences), expanding (sharing of experiences) and communicating (how to share experiences).

We were a bigger group that time ... and the only off site trip was for those of us who went rocksliding at the nearby Cornwall Furnace (you had to be there ...), and we had a grand old time.

It seems like, seeing as how I was graduating, I also left my final words with everyone ... and they sound like themes I've been saying all my life:  "One of the dangers ... is to become immersed in a clique, by design a promoter of group think and a demoter of individuality.  Take the time to meet people you may not usually run into; talk to people you may not usually talk to; experience others who may not have experienced you or RUN THE RISK OF NEVER APPRECIATING WHO YOU ARE!  ... In anticipation of a future broadened by successfully accomplished challenges and enhanced by individually stimulated thoughts ..." -- that's how I left them.

It turns out I agree wholeheartedly with my 22 year old self.

Random Tune for Tuesday 9/20/16

Courtesy of the power of the google search (and boy is that thing powerful), I already know that the song that will eventually appear linked below was featured before on this blog.  With 3000 some posts, there's bound to be a repeat of sorts every now and then.

The reasoning was different, though, on July 8 of 2014.  At that time, I was featuring a college era mixed tape soundtrack.  At this time, I'm back to the trash can to see what cassette is being discarded tonight (not for judgmental reasons, but because I happen to also have the CD in the music collection) ... and it's time for the 1977 Eagles release of 'One of These Nights' ... which includes the tune with these favorite lyrics of mine:

And when you're looking for your freedom
(Nobody seems to care)
And you can't find the door
(Can't find it anywhere)
When there's nothing to believe in
Still you're coming back, you're running back
You're coming back for more

Indeed ... "put me on a highway and show me a sign" and you best bet that I'm going to "take it to the limit one more time".

YOU KNOW I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A DREAMER:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFQMk6WWcoM

L V C || C L Memory 18

In ONLY 18 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #18:  the shows from 94-95 that I wasn't in.

Well ... I was in the audience, so I guess that has to count for something.

It was that awkward semester where I was all but graduated (wrapping up a single class and spending most of my time in a political internship in Harrisburg) and despite having identified with the theatre group for all my regular semesters on campus that came before it, there is a time when retirement from the stage has to happen.

Unless I auditioned and didn't get a part and I made all that up to feel better about myself.  But no ... I'm pretty sure it was that I was living off campus and only had the time to *watch* the "next" generation lead the theatrical charge ...

Random Memorial for Monday 9/19/16

Gone but not forgotten:  the Hurricane wooden coaster a few towns away on the side of the road of I-95.

And, sadly, I never got to ride it ... seeing as how it closed in 2011 and the big move to this neck of the woods/sands wasn't until 2014.  But I did look at it fondly every time we passed it (up until it was no longer there) ... as it reminded me of the great wooden coasters of my youth (specifically the Comet at Hersheypark and the Phoenix at Knoebel's [honorable mention to the Thunderhawk at DorneyPark and the Mean Streak at CedarPoint]).  Now it's finally been torn down to make way for a "downtown main street" style shopping and entertainment complex.

That which always made me wonder why there was never anyone riding it every time I saw it, you will be missed.

HURRICANE NO MORE:
http://www.local10.com/entertainment/final-section-of-dania-beach-roller-coaster-demolished

BUT LOOK, IT'S FOREVER ON THE YOUTUBE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_P2RSe05xqM

THE BEST WOODEN COASTERS (AND THE PHOENIX IS ON IT!):
http://www.incrediblecoasters.com/Top10WoodenCoasters.html

L V C || C L Memory 19

In ONLY 19 days, I'll be back on campus at my alma-mater at an extra special homecoming as Lebanon Valley College continues celebrating its 150th birthday.  In honor of that countdown, here's memory #19:  fighting to get my cumulative GPA back above 3.0.

And ... although the struggle was real (albeit that phrase wasn't in popular use back then), I can report (and document) that I succeeded.

If you've been following along (or if you knew me back then), you know/knew that my college career started in 89, included a semester studying abroad, was interrupted by a year off to pursue theatre in western PA ... and also had a mad finish with some bonus classes -- Linguistics with the famous Dr. D in the summer of '94, Biology in the fall of that year to meet liberal arts requirements and a special internship that same bonus semester (with PSERS in Harrisburg).

Spoiler alert -- I was back at LVC for a few MORE semesters at the end of the decade, but for now and for this place in the story/countdown, I was well on my way to actually (and finally) graduating -- with a GPA I had rehabilitated.

Random Scandal Sheet for Sunday 9/18/16

What southern Florida is talking about this week:

... how agoraphobia is looking better and better every day.

Now added to the list of things it may be too risky to do ... walking past NYC dumpsters and malling in Minnesota.

I know, I know ... change your behavior and the terrorists win (whether domestic, presidential or otherwise).  I also know that the continued desensitization to the violence makes it way too easy to have an initial response of "is *that* all you got?" once you hear about how there were injuries but no deaths in either case and how bombs didn't go off as planned in New York and New Jersey.

But still ... "give me a compound for me and my loved ones so that we can disconnect from a world gone mad" is sounding more and more like a survival plan ... ALSO, of course, thoughts are with all those victimized in these latest mini-attacks.

THE LATEST ON CHELSEA:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/19/nyregion/chelsea-explosion-what-we-know-and-dont-know.html?_r=0

THE LATEST ON MINNESOTA:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/people-injured-stabbing-attack-minnesota-mall-42170873

THE LATEST ON AGORAPHOBIA:
http://mentalhealth.com/home/dx/agoraphobia.html