Here is my 99th blog entry fresh after the over-eating festival of Thanksgiving. Yes, another way to kill time stuffing our faces. It's been 7 hours since I ate and I can't even think of food. Is this normal? Is this healthy? We've been eating OUT on this day for the past five or six years and as good as the food is it's interesting to note that the dullest of ALL the food on our plates was the turkey. It's OK but it's not any kind of award-winning cuisine. I would have been satisfied with the great appetizers/salads/bread...my family agrees.
Glad to see our son has embraced our non-traditional quest on this day...It's just more fun for us to ignore the parade, go to a movie and eat at our Traditional restaurant. This year we flipped our agenda and saw a movie first - very non traditional. Hit the theater at 10 30 am and you may find about 12 people in a 400-seat theater. The movie, by the way, was fun family -- The Fantastic Mr Fox. No way to explain this one but I felt like I had taken LSD and was watching one wacky stop-action show which could have been called - Gumby goes ape shit.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Time flu by
I don't watch much TV news and even with that limited exposure I've seen endless stories about getting the much-hyped flu shot.. ohhhhh, yes the H1N1 (otherwise known as Hiney) shot. My Dr has asked me if I wanted one and you see ads for them in all the major drug stores. I was just in there the other day and felt a urge to bow to the hype but I didn't..
I have to admit I HATE seeing news reports of people getting shots. The camera always zooms in on the point of puncture (POP) and you have to watch some poor 7-year-old start screaming while his parent comforts him. I can recall the one time I took my son in for shots he didn't make a sound..(I guess I was proud - what a HE man?).. I've had hundreds of shots including those dreaded air gun injections in the military. They warn you -- "DON'T FLINCH"... I did once and it tore a very nice one inch slice in my upper arm. The worst experience was a bicillin shot in the hip to give you immunity against everything in the US Navy's universe. Everything except a sore ass/hip. That needle must have gone in 3 inches and hurt like hell. Our squad was supposed to go to the rec area and work off the stiffness.. I didn't go because I had "duty".. I was almost crippled for a week after that.. Did some serious limping through the obstacle course that next day..
As far as the flu, the last time I had anything close to that was during the 1976 Winter Olympics. I can remember this experience. I was a newlywed going to college on the GI Bill and stuck in my 3rd-floor walk up apartment sick as a dog. I recall the Olympics being on our crackling TV with a green haze on the screen. It was hosted by Jim McKay and he was wearing one of those dickie turtlenecks. He was on the screen all the time and my wife and I used to race each other to the bathroom which should have been an Olympic event on its own. We called it the McKay flu..There were no flu shots back in that time period..Doubt it would have made a difference...
My throat is scratchy.. Hide the turtlenecks...
I have to admit I HATE seeing news reports of people getting shots. The camera always zooms in on the point of puncture (POP) and you have to watch some poor 7-year-old start screaming while his parent comforts him. I can recall the one time I took my son in for shots he didn't make a sound..(I guess I was proud - what a HE man?).. I've had hundreds of shots including those dreaded air gun injections in the military. They warn you -- "DON'T FLINCH"... I did once and it tore a very nice one inch slice in my upper arm. The worst experience was a bicillin shot in the hip to give you immunity against everything in the US Navy's universe. Everything except a sore ass/hip. That needle must have gone in 3 inches and hurt like hell. Our squad was supposed to go to the rec area and work off the stiffness.. I didn't go because I had "duty".. I was almost crippled for a week after that.. Did some serious limping through the obstacle course that next day..
As far as the flu, the last time I had anything close to that was during the 1976 Winter Olympics. I can remember this experience. I was a newlywed going to college on the GI Bill and stuck in my 3rd-floor walk up apartment sick as a dog. I recall the Olympics being on our crackling TV with a green haze on the screen. It was hosted by Jim McKay and he was wearing one of those dickie turtlenecks. He was on the screen all the time and my wife and I used to race each other to the bathroom which should have been an Olympic event on its own. We called it the McKay flu..There were no flu shots back in that time period..Doubt it would have made a difference...
My throat is scratchy.. Hide the turtlenecks...
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Whiteline fever
Just completed the ultimate time killing by going away for a week and completely changing all my current daily habits for that time period. Took a drive from here (NY) to Virginia and North Carolina and learned some things in that week:
You know you are somewhat retired when you are eating at a Cracker Barrel restaurant at 1pm on a Tuesday and you fit right in with the general age group AND your hair color matches everyone else's. (Tuesday is meatloaf special)..The food is just fair but at least the menu is simple unlike all the new fangled rib and nacho joints..
Rest stops while driving are really governed by bladder control. It's best to try for the triple play stops - Food, Gas, Pee.
GPS is a great technology. I was wondering how the hell my father found Pennsylvania in 1957 without guidance. The voice commands are nice but sometimes you feel like you're listening to HAL in 2001 a Space Odyssey. You develop a relationship with that damn robo voice over the course of the trip. You feel guilty when you stray (for good reason at times) from its direction. RECALCULATING, RECALCULATING...
I learned when I lived in Arkansas that New York license plates basically say - Yankees in motion. Don't even think of doing 1 mph over the posted limit when south of the Mason Dixon line (an actual line). Some good time killing keeping an eye out for da PO-lice.
It's somewhat relaxing knowing you don't have to get back to a job at 9 am the next day..Maybe that's why everyone at Cracker Barrel was taking their time and taking advantage of free refills.
Why is it OK to eat french fries with every meal when you're traveling?? I don't even like those stupid things. They come with every meal. There should be a surgeon general's warning on the side of each serving "Sweat pants are required"...
You know you are somewhat retired when you are eating at a Cracker Barrel restaurant at 1pm on a Tuesday and you fit right in with the general age group AND your hair color matches everyone else's. (Tuesday is meatloaf special)..The food is just fair but at least the menu is simple unlike all the new fangled rib and nacho joints..
Rest stops while driving are really governed by bladder control. It's best to try for the triple play stops - Food, Gas, Pee.
GPS is a great technology. I was wondering how the hell my father found Pennsylvania in 1957 without guidance. The voice commands are nice but sometimes you feel like you're listening to HAL in 2001 a Space Odyssey. You develop a relationship with that damn robo voice over the course of the trip. You feel guilty when you stray (for good reason at times) from its direction. RECALCULATING, RECALCULATING...
I learned when I lived in Arkansas that New York license plates basically say - Yankees in motion. Don't even think of doing 1 mph over the posted limit when south of the Mason Dixon line (an actual line). Some good time killing keeping an eye out for da PO-lice.
It's somewhat relaxing knowing you don't have to get back to a job at 9 am the next day..Maybe that's why everyone at Cracker Barrel was taking their time and taking advantage of free refills.
Why is it OK to eat french fries with every meal when you're traveling?? I don't even like those stupid things. They come with every meal. There should be a surgeon general's warning on the side of each serving "Sweat pants are required"...
Friday, November 6, 2009
Rap it up
OK.. I have to admit I did watch a bunch of the Yankee celebration parade. Most of the attendees were about 18 thru 26 and did their share of screaming "Yankeeeees, number ONE, baby"..It was easier to watch on TV than to mix it up with the estimated one million fans and swirling paper.
The highlight for me was the parade end at City Hall where the Mayor gave keys to the city to all the players, workers, owners, announcers, trainers, etc. All that was OK but the best part was when they were done they introduced rapper Jay Z (however you spell that). I thought he was going to get a key but I was wrong. The music kicked in and he started what they said is the new NYC anthem "Empire State of Mind"..(did somebody alert Billy Joel?)..The tune is mostly Jay Z rapping which was OK. He had a female singer who added to it. Not to sound too old..it just didn't seem to fit the occasion (OK, maybe that's just me).
Many of the players were moving to the tune but the best part were the front rows where the many Steinbrenner family members were doing their best to get in the groove. There were at least 3 middle-aged women with astronaut-wife hair dos who were just waiting for the music to stop. I swear I saw rolling eyeballs. Mayor Bloomberg looked a bit out of place too. And I think the director had a sense of humor because he kept showing these non hip-hop types. It was must see TV..
I am wondering if it IS the new anthem and it's played at the end of every game if Jay Z can change the opening lyrics to "Start spreading the newwwwwwwwws"? I can't picture Frank Sinatra singing this with a hoodie sweatshirt ...
The highlight for me was the parade end at City Hall where the Mayor gave keys to the city to all the players, workers, owners, announcers, trainers, etc. All that was OK but the best part was when they were done they introduced rapper Jay Z (however you spell that). I thought he was going to get a key but I was wrong. The music kicked in and he started what they said is the new NYC anthem "Empire State of Mind"..(did somebody alert Billy Joel?)..The tune is mostly Jay Z rapping which was OK. He had a female singer who added to it. Not to sound too old..it just didn't seem to fit the occasion (OK, maybe that's just me).
Many of the players were moving to the tune but the best part were the front rows where the many Steinbrenner family members were doing their best to get in the groove. There were at least 3 middle-aged women with astronaut-wife hair dos who were just waiting for the music to stop. I swear I saw rolling eyeballs. Mayor Bloomberg looked a bit out of place too. And I think the director had a sense of humor because he kept showing these non hip-hop types. It was must see TV..
I am wondering if it IS the new anthem and it's played at the end of every game if Jay Z can change the opening lyrics to "Start spreading the newwwwwwwwws"? I can't picture Frank Sinatra singing this with a hoodie sweatshirt ...
Thursday, November 5, 2009
114 wins
I just realized what a time-killing exercise it has been this year watching all those entertaining NY Yankee games. Yup, 114 wins (103 in the regular season and another 11 in the post season).. I am guessing I saw 90% of those games on TV including some of those summertime weekday games. Those were the "unemployment specials". I did make it to the new stadium for one game vs the Tampa Rays.
I was very happy to see the great outcome of the Yankees' 2009 season. They had provided a very high level of entertainment for me. SO now what?? I no longer have the comfort of tuning in 5-6 games per week and listening to the familiar voices. No more post-game wrap-up talk on TV and radio (Yankees have their own TV channel). Perhaps it's time for a break but now what??? After last night's victory I realized here is 5 months or so of alternative sports. Sure I like football but NY has 2 very average or below-average teams and jeeesh it's only once a week - usually Sunday. Plus to be honest I don't have a feel for football strategy. Well, not to the extent that they discuss on the endless pre and post-game shows.
There is basketball. I try all the time to watch the Nets and Knicks but it just doesn't hold my interest and there never seems to be any drama until the last 3 minutes - which can take up to 20 minutes in real time. I've also tried hockey and like basketball it just doesn't click. Plus I always remember my father's assessment of hockey. "Too many damn fights with refs just standing around watching".. I played some hockey as a kid but I fell through the ice once and it ruined my zippy new figure skates.. Besides what kind of doofus wears 'figure' skates to play such a manly sport?
Tomorrow there is the big Yankee parade at the Canyon of Heroes - a downtown street/area re-named for such monumental events. There have been a few great baseball celebrations including the Mets in 1969 and 1986 and a slew of Yankee parades (too numerous to detail) and the NY football Giants.. Of course there have been other events - astronauts, war heroes, Lindberg, Queen Elizabeth...
Should I stay or should I go? Should I stretch that good feeling and head downtown? I have the time..then again there is going to be a lot of public urination.. Maybe there's a good hockey game on...
I was very happy to see the great outcome of the Yankees' 2009 season. They had provided a very high level of entertainment for me. SO now what?? I no longer have the comfort of tuning in 5-6 games per week and listening to the familiar voices. No more post-game wrap-up talk on TV and radio (Yankees have their own TV channel). Perhaps it's time for a break but now what??? After last night's victory I realized here is 5 months or so of alternative sports. Sure I like football but NY has 2 very average or below-average teams and jeeesh it's only once a week - usually Sunday. Plus to be honest I don't have a feel for football strategy. Well, not to the extent that they discuss on the endless pre and post-game shows.
There is basketball. I try all the time to watch the Nets and Knicks but it just doesn't hold my interest and there never seems to be any drama until the last 3 minutes - which can take up to 20 minutes in real time. I've also tried hockey and like basketball it just doesn't click. Plus I always remember my father's assessment of hockey. "Too many damn fights with refs just standing around watching".. I played some hockey as a kid but I fell through the ice once and it ruined my zippy new figure skates.. Besides what kind of doofus wears 'figure' skates to play such a manly sport?
Tomorrow there is the big Yankee parade at the Canyon of Heroes - a downtown street/area re-named for such monumental events. There have been a few great baseball celebrations including the Mets in 1969 and 1986 and a slew of Yankee parades (too numerous to detail) and the NY football Giants.. Of course there have been other events - astronauts, war heroes, Lindberg, Queen Elizabeth...
Should I stay or should I go? Should I stretch that good feeling and head downtown? I have the time..then again there is going to be a lot of public urination.. Maybe there's a good hockey game on...
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Fun to run?
Last Sunday was the NYC marathon. Never having any skill or urge to run, I watch amazed that somebody can run 26 plus miles in under three hours. This ranks with one of my least favorite time killers in that I feel way too guilty watching an event like this. So this year I watched while jumping on my home treadmill (not to be confused by the ones I don't use at the gym). I felt somewhat involved while chugging on a 5% incline at 3 mph (whew, I almost broke a sweat after 24 minutes). I calculated I may have made it half way across the Verrazano Narrows bridge. Imagine quitting at that point?
So after the extreme treadmill experience and to justify my continued race viewing I lifted weights and convinced myself I am really cooking with those 15 lb dumb bells. Meanwhile I am watching these 122 lb skeletons run like lunatics through Brooklyn. I finished up my guilt-killing routine with 100 sit ups. Ahhhhhh, now I am ready. Somebody drape an American flag over my shoulders and put that leafy crown on my head.
What made this a little bit worse (to refer back to an earlier entry) is that we had about 80 or so Moon Pies and only 25 or so trick or treaters. So there are 50 plus of those chocolate treats in the house. I asked for them to be relocated to a needier family. I think that's been done but who knows. I looked up at the sky last night while bringing out the garbage cans and there was a FULL moon. That sight used to make me think of the opening of the old Honeymooners TV show but now it's just a floating harvest Moon Pie..!!
So after the extreme treadmill experience and to justify my continued race viewing I lifted weights and convinced myself I am really cooking with those 15 lb dumb bells. Meanwhile I am watching these 122 lb skeletons run like lunatics through Brooklyn. I finished up my guilt-killing routine with 100 sit ups. Ahhhhhh, now I am ready. Somebody drape an American flag over my shoulders and put that leafy crown on my head.
What made this a little bit worse (to refer back to an earlier entry) is that we had about 80 or so Moon Pies and only 25 or so trick or treaters. So there are 50 plus of those chocolate treats in the house. I asked for them to be relocated to a needier family. I think that's been done but who knows. I looked up at the sky last night while bringing out the garbage cans and there was a FULL moon. That sight used to make me think of the opening of the old Honeymooners TV show but now it's just a floating harvest Moon Pie..!!
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