1.24.2006
Because You Asked...
...well at least one of you did.
Having been born and raised in Pittsburgh, it is not surprising that I have had certain relationships with many of the local Sporting Franchises. In the 70's when most of the the Golden Triangle was obsessing over the establishment of Dynasty, I was more taken by the Pirates - I even was fortunate enough to attend a game of the World Series in '79. Alas, baseball soon seemed more of a circus than the american passtime, and my enjoyment of the sport diminished until I realized that I detest the sport. While the Pirates flirted with a chance at greatness, and the Steelers awaited the retirement of Emporer Chaz Noll, I delighted in the triumphs of our Flightless Birds, and the Magic that was Mario on Ice. Of course the NHL went on a spending spree right around that time, the long term effects of which were only felt last year, when the leauge decided a year without play was better than any alternative. Haven't watched a game begining to end since the mid to late 90's. Through all of the distractions though, sundays in fall were reserved for the true black and gold of the Steelers. While my interest waned when the good times went bad with Baseball and Hockey, Football was another animal altogether. Somehow even the worst football game was better than the best of the rest. Fortunately, the Steelers have not been at their worst in quite some time.
Their performance of late has been so good that the black and gold clad Steelers will find themselves in the rareified air of Detroit this Feb. for that Leaugue's championship game - The Super Bowl.
I've been lucky enough to see Super Bowl victories, Stanley Cup Victories, and even a World Series victory during my time in Pittsburgh - as a fan, I know I'm very lucky.
So in just a short while I will be rewarded for my long term devotion to the Steelers. For even as the Penguins and Pirates tried to gain top billing from the pigskin set, I realize that Cliff Stoudt, Mark Malone, Bubby Brister, Neil (I helped us blow a perfectly good super bowl) O'Donnel, and even Kordel Stewart, on any given Sunday mean more to me than any other Pittsburgh Team. To have suffered through the bad seasons, the good seasons gone wrong, and the last minute heartbreaks, makes XL all that XLer.
To my team, and the team of so many others, win or lose, thanks for another spectacular season. I don't usually rate an individual over an entire team, but damn boys, win this one for Jerome, and you get to go along for the ride too.
go and tell me all about it
Having been born and raised in Pittsburgh, it is not surprising that I have had certain relationships with many of the local Sporting Franchises. In the 70's when most of the the Golden Triangle was obsessing over the establishment of Dynasty, I was more taken by the Pirates - I even was fortunate enough to attend a game of the World Series in '79. Alas, baseball soon seemed more of a circus than the american passtime, and my enjoyment of the sport diminished until I realized that I detest the sport. While the Pirates flirted with a chance at greatness, and the Steelers awaited the retirement of Emporer Chaz Noll, I delighted in the triumphs of our Flightless Birds, and the Magic that was Mario on Ice. Of course the NHL went on a spending spree right around that time, the long term effects of which were only felt last year, when the leauge decided a year without play was better than any alternative. Haven't watched a game begining to end since the mid to late 90's. Through all of the distractions though, sundays in fall were reserved for the true black and gold of the Steelers. While my interest waned when the good times went bad with Baseball and Hockey, Football was another animal altogether. Somehow even the worst football game was better than the best of the rest. Fortunately, the Steelers have not been at their worst in quite some time.
Their performance of late has been so good that the black and gold clad Steelers will find themselves in the rareified air of Detroit this Feb. for that Leaugue's championship game - The Super Bowl.
I've been lucky enough to see Super Bowl victories, Stanley Cup Victories, and even a World Series victory during my time in Pittsburgh - as a fan, I know I'm very lucky.
So in just a short while I will be rewarded for my long term devotion to the Steelers. For even as the Penguins and Pirates tried to gain top billing from the pigskin set, I realize that Cliff Stoudt, Mark Malone, Bubby Brister, Neil (I helped us blow a perfectly good super bowl) O'Donnel, and even Kordel Stewart, on any given Sunday mean more to me than any other Pittsburgh Team. To have suffered through the bad seasons, the good seasons gone wrong, and the last minute heartbreaks, makes XL all that XLer.
To my team, and the team of so many others, win or lose, thanks for another spectacular season. I don't usually rate an individual over an entire team, but damn boys, win this one for Jerome, and you get to go along for the ride too.
go and tell me all about it
1.05.2006
THESE LITTLE TOWN BLUES
Well, at least I did get to feel a part of it.
I'm sitting back in the great expanse many of you know as the Southwest. 12 hours + of travel time from NYC just behind me, and the last week still spinning in my noggin. Things to pass on to you dear readers...
The Setup
The 5+ years here in gallup have caused certain sensitivities to develop. Most of them can be sated a thousand times over in a place like New York. So a trip to Grenwich Village was sort of one of the must do's on the list. As luck would have it, I struck footwear gold. A very nice shoestore that actually had a decent selections of Men's kicks that did not include Sketchers, Lugz, or anything remotely athletic. I splurged on a fine pair of black ankle boots. I call it a belated Christmas present, and so did my better half.
Friday brought us to the madness that is Times Square. The prep work for NYE was well under way, and being a holiday weekend, the theater crowd was in full effect. Meg hooked us all up with tix to Spamalot. I'm not huge on the whole Musical Theater tip, but The subject matter was pretty hard to pass on. David Hyde Pierce was freaking brilliant. I would have to say that to see the show without him would have been a lesser experience. Interestingly, Tim Curry was in absentia, replaced by an Actor I have no chance of naming presently, he did a hell of a job, and I suspect brought his own take on the role to the stage. You'll be distressed to know that Phantom is still a draw, and that Disney is adapting their version of Tarzan to the stage (shudder). If it had been my dime I would have opted for a play, and their looked to be some interesting ones to choose from, including a very bizzare take on Charles Shultzes Peanuts - with the kids gone all Gen-X or some shit. (BTW, Snoopy died of rabies).
Did I mention I got a mismatched pair of boots? Yup. a 42 & a 41 1/2. Luckily a short ca ride is all that would be required to go and attempt an exchange, and since Saturday saw the creatives in the group head off to a painting class, it was up to me and My Father in-law to head over to the Villiage. Shortly after hailing a cab, we were heading west and stopped at a light. Then - a sudden lurch forward and the sound that is unique to two durable vehicles colliding - we got rear ended by another cab. As if that is not enough excitement, the cab that struck us veers off to the left side of the street, slams into a Mercedes SUV (Ha Ha! I hate SUVs) and pushes it onto the sidewalk where a large building halts any further progress. The cab's rear wheels continue to spin rapidly billowing white smoke into the air. Our cabbie gets out (after thoughtfully stopping the meter), checks his car for damage, and finds none. He then pops the trunk, assuring that his vehicle is still luggage capable. Finally he looks to his passaengers, and we let him know that we are in fact, just dandy. With that the meter begins again, and we finish the task at hand. My boots now match, and I appear to be whiplash free. That was truly the most exciting part of new years eve for me, as we just chilled at Meg's place, a few friends of hers stopped by, and we polished of four bottles of Champagne. Woot!
A trip to Chinatown, brought us to Winnies, a dive that I will describe as a Chinese adaptation of Dee's Cafe in Pittsburgh, only smaller and with Karaoke. I did Sinatra (Summer Wind, not My Way) and a severly intoxicated gentlemen who cheered on all singers in a language I could not even begin to think actually exists, made my night by smoking indoors - Double Woot!
The Stark Beauty of it all - Stanten Island Ferry. 40 degrees and overcast is probably not the best way to see New York from the Water, but it was still fantastic. We then wandered the Financial district for a bit, and topped things off with a great meal at Lupa, a fantastic Italian restaurant where everything was delicious, and not too badly priced for NYC.
A final trip up 5th Avenue for some retail therapy brought us to the Manolo Blahnik store. One the first dy of their 1/3 off sale. When your signifigant other offers up the argument that they are saving $900 on a pair of snakeskin pumps, just remember that there is still almost 2 grand of NOT SAVING going on simultaneously. Still it was fun to browse, but nothing had to come home that day. However footwear for my sweet was not denied, as she picked up a pair of red Frye Motorcycle boots. That made the bank account much less worried.
Aside from some delays at Laguardia (bad weather in Chicago), things went smoothly home, and all in all the trip reminded me that I still love the noise, the dirt, the pace - The City. It's not Pittsburgh, but an Urban setting is always a welcome comfort.
Now the trip is past, the semester in full tilt boogie, and routine is reestablished. The spiritual recharge will hold me over for a while, I'm sure.
go and tell me all about it
I'm sitting back in the great expanse many of you know as the Southwest. 12 hours + of travel time from NYC just behind me, and the last week still spinning in my noggin. Things to pass on to you dear readers...
The Setup
The 5+ years here in gallup have caused certain sensitivities to develop. Most of them can be sated a thousand times over in a place like New York. So a trip to Grenwich Village was sort of one of the must do's on the list. As luck would have it, I struck footwear gold. A very nice shoestore that actually had a decent selections of Men's kicks that did not include Sketchers, Lugz, or anything remotely athletic. I splurged on a fine pair of black ankle boots. I call it a belated Christmas present, and so did my better half.
Friday brought us to the madness that is Times Square. The prep work for NYE was well under way, and being a holiday weekend, the theater crowd was in full effect. Meg hooked us all up with tix to Spamalot. I'm not huge on the whole Musical Theater tip, but The subject matter was pretty hard to pass on. David Hyde Pierce was freaking brilliant. I would have to say that to see the show without him would have been a lesser experience. Interestingly, Tim Curry was in absentia, replaced by an Actor I have no chance of naming presently, he did a hell of a job, and I suspect brought his own take on the role to the stage. You'll be distressed to know that Phantom is still a draw, and that Disney is adapting their version of Tarzan to the stage (shudder). If it had been my dime I would have opted for a play, and their looked to be some interesting ones to choose from, including a very bizzare take on Charles Shultzes Peanuts - with the kids gone all Gen-X or some shit. (BTW, Snoopy died of rabies).
Did I mention I got a mismatched pair of boots? Yup. a 42 & a 41 1/2. Luckily a short ca ride is all that would be required to go and attempt an exchange, and since Saturday saw the creatives in the group head off to a painting class, it was up to me and My Father in-law to head over to the Villiage. Shortly after hailing a cab, we were heading west and stopped at a light. Then - a sudden lurch forward and the sound that is unique to two durable vehicles colliding - we got rear ended by another cab. As if that is not enough excitement, the cab that struck us veers off to the left side of the street, slams into a Mercedes SUV (Ha Ha! I hate SUVs) and pushes it onto the sidewalk where a large building halts any further progress. The cab's rear wheels continue to spin rapidly billowing white smoke into the air. Our cabbie gets out (after thoughtfully stopping the meter), checks his car for damage, and finds none. He then pops the trunk, assuring that his vehicle is still luggage capable. Finally he looks to his passaengers, and we let him know that we are in fact, just dandy. With that the meter begins again, and we finish the task at hand. My boots now match, and I appear to be whiplash free. That was truly the most exciting part of new years eve for me, as we just chilled at Meg's place, a few friends of hers stopped by, and we polished of four bottles of Champagne. Woot!
A trip to Chinatown, brought us to Winnies, a dive that I will describe as a Chinese adaptation of Dee's Cafe in Pittsburgh, only smaller and with Karaoke. I did Sinatra (Summer Wind, not My Way) and a severly intoxicated gentlemen who cheered on all singers in a language I could not even begin to think actually exists, made my night by smoking indoors - Double Woot!
The Stark Beauty of it all - Stanten Island Ferry. 40 degrees and overcast is probably not the best way to see New York from the Water, but it was still fantastic. We then wandered the Financial district for a bit, and topped things off with a great meal at Lupa, a fantastic Italian restaurant where everything was delicious, and not too badly priced for NYC.
A final trip up 5th Avenue for some retail therapy brought us to the Manolo Blahnik store. One the first dy of their 1/3 off sale. When your signifigant other offers up the argument that they are saving $900 on a pair of snakeskin pumps, just remember that there is still almost 2 grand of NOT SAVING going on simultaneously. Still it was fun to browse, but nothing had to come home that day. However footwear for my sweet was not denied, as she picked up a pair of red Frye Motorcycle boots. That made the bank account much less worried.
Aside from some delays at Laguardia (bad weather in Chicago), things went smoothly home, and all in all the trip reminded me that I still love the noise, the dirt, the pace - The City. It's not Pittsburgh, but an Urban setting is always a welcome comfort.
Now the trip is past, the semester in full tilt boogie, and routine is reestablished. The spiritual recharge will hold me over for a while, I'm sure.
go and tell me all about it
