Not Such Deep Thoughts; The Summer of My Discontent Edition

 

Every so often my mind gets filled to overflowing with random thoughts, and the only way to exorcise them is with one of these long, rambling, brain dumps. I'm at that point right now, well past it, actually, you'll see why as you read on. So here we go. Strap in, because it's going to be a long, strange trip...

Summer, that's my time of year, except this Summer... I swear, as soon as I hit 70, my extended warranty expired. I'm like an old car with too many miles; everything is breaking at once. If I'm not at the Dr's office, I'm on the phone with one, or I'm having some procedure done. Clogged stents, skin grafts, hernias, eye injections, you name it, I'm having it done. This Summer. That means no vacations, no sun, no swimming, and no lifting anything over 5lbs. It's a super buzz kill, but it's not really so bad in the big scheme of things. It'll be good to get everything taken care of and behind me, and Fall vacations can be very nice, although I'm not making any plans just yet. I don't want to jinx things.

It's a Family Affair: On the plus side, my family has been here for me, and not everyone is so lucky. My wife, our sons and our nephews have all been picking up my slack, and I really appreciate it, but Dad loves his work, and it kills me to sit idly by while everyone else does it. Hopefully things will get back to some semblance of normalcy soon. In the meantime, I take pride in knowing that I must have done something right to merit so much love and attention. Thank you, I love you all, more than you can imagine.

Night Moves: Because we can't really schedule anything, and I have to stay relatively cool and dry, we've found some work arounds to get in some fun and positivity. I've become a creature of the night, and of impulse. If it's a nice night, we go for a walk, if there's a good band in town, we roll. We've even squeezed in a few Sox games. Spontaneity is the key, and laughter, music and happy times are the best medicine for all of life's ills.

Low Rider: For a while now I've been seeing an ad on TV for an eye injection that shows a woman driving around town in an orange 65 Mustang convertible. The commercial's soundtrack is Low Rider, and every time I see it, I say to anyone within earshot "Hey, that looks exactly like my car and that's one of my favorite cruising tunes." and then I think to myself; "That's really weird because it's such a unique and specific set of circumstances, right down to the Hula Girl dashboard ornament. I hope this isn't some sort of evil portent." Well, guess what? It was. I've had to start getting eye injections, and they are not fun. In retrospect, it almost feels like it was a predetermined event, and that's more than a little spooky.

The Universal Cat Distribution System: While we're on the subject of predetermined events, I'm a firm believer that cats are agents of fate, and that they choose you, you don't choose them. You can't convince me otherwise. We've always had cats in the house, sometimes too many, but always at least one. This past year the last of our cats passed, and we've been wrestling with the idea of getting another one for a while now, but the timing just hasn't been right. Enter Rudy. Rudy is a neighborhood cat that's been lurking around for years but has always been a little elusive and standoffish. We'd see him in the yard stalking wabbits, but he never came too near the house. Shortly after Noelle passed (she came to us through the UCDS as well, btw), Rudy started coming up on our porch and just hanging out. I'll go out to sit in the shade and he'll come sit beside me. We chat, we nap, and sometimes he gets up on the arm of my chair and nuzzles and licks my ear. We call him our rental cat. We know his name because his owner has attached both a name tag and an Apple Air Tag to his collar. He's a man about town, after all, so his owner has him tricked out for safety. She's stopped by to say hello and to check up on him as she tracks him via the Air Tag and knew that he hung out here. She wanted to see what he was up to, and she was amazed that he was so chummy with us, it's not usually his style. I told her that I thought, A. He knew I needed a little Cat Zen in my life, and B. He wanted to introduce us. It turns out I was right on both counts, Rudy comes by every day to hang, and sometimes the neighbor does too.

Sleeping With the Television On: I'm watching way too much TV lately. How do I know this? Well, before a recent procedure the nurse gave me a little lorazepam in my IV to relax me, and the last thing I remember saying before I drifted off was "Piper, no!" in what I thought to be my best Victoria Ratliff voice, then I laughed myself to sleep. 

Reality Bites: Reality TV, that is. It's basically a primer for behaving badly to other humans, and most of us are good enough at that already.

Go Get Yourself Some Cheap Sunglasses: Speaking of primers, here's a little pool care tip that's worth passing along. I already mentioned that I've been getting a lot of help with my chores of late, and I was showing someone how to shock the pool with liquid chlorine the other day. One thing I've learned is that it's difficult NOT to splash chlorine on yourself when you're doing it, and that's a bad thing. Bad for your clothes, bad for your skin, and really bad for your eyes, it can be dangerous stuff. The splash back happens when the jug glugs, and I've found a way to prevent that. Mostly. You set the gallon jug down on the pool coping about an inch back from the edge of the pool, then gently tip it forward until a steady stream of chlorine comes out, maintaining contact between the leading edge of the jug bottom and the coping at all times. This keeps the jug steady and allows a more controlled pour, it's a trick that's about 98% effective. I said 98% effective, that still leaves plenty of room for error, so always wear your crappy clothes and a pair of cheap sunglasses when you shock. Always.

How 'bout them Red Sox:  The Sox have been a constant source of joy for me of late and help my mood immensely. This team is fun to watch, the operative words here are "team" and "fun". In order to win, you need to work as a team and enjoy what you do. These guys personify that on both counts. I think trading Devers was key to their current success. Like it or not, sometimes addition by subtraction is a real thing, and this is one of those times. When you're paying someone a gazillion bucks, they need to be flexible and do what's best for the team, simple as that. When they don't, it creates unease and malaise with the rest of the collective. There was a lot of talk that the Sox got very little in return for him, but I disagree. They got someone to pick up his entire salary, which is unheard of. They also got rid of a problem child that was dragging everyone down, and they ended up with a cohesive and productive team. That's a huge win in my book. Huge. Can they go all the way? Who knows, but you can bet it will be fun to watch.

Are You Ready for Some Football? I know I am. Preseason starts for the Patriots this Friday night, and I'm juiced for it. I really like Vrabel. He's not Belichick, but no one is, and Bill was going to move on at some point regardless of the Foxboro dynamics. Change is inevitable, it's right up there with death and taxes on the "things you can't avoid" list. Promoting Mayo was a mistake; he just wasn't ready, and that's on Kraft. Dumping him and hiring Vrabel was a pretty good course correction, but it never should have come to that. Vrabel brings a nice mix of discipline and knowledge, and the players seem to respect him. Jumping into the fray at the joint practice with the Commanders the other day and coming up bloodied, that will go down as locker room legend. These guys will listen to him and play for him. That's a lock. Did they get enough weapons in the off season to help him turn the tide and stop the bleeding? We'll see soon enough. I think they have a good foundation, and if I were a betting man, I'd put my money on them having a 10-win season this year, and I'd be very happy with that. The team had hit rock bottom, so there's nowhere to go but up. I hope...

Ok, this is getting a little long winded, told you I had a lot on my mind. One more thing though before I let you off the hook:

A Note to our Mobile Readers: If you view this blog on a mobile device, you're not seeing the blog's sidebar, and consequently you're missing out on some good stuff. There's links to schedules and broadcast info for all things Boston sports. There's also tech, sports and music news feeds, plus links to Boston media sources. It's one stop shopping for the discerning New Englander, or anyone with a love of the area and its teams, all served up hot and fresh.

It bums me out that all of that content gets left out of the mobile view, it feels like the site just isn't complete without it. I've tried turning off "responsive view", that's the setting that lets blogger decide what you see based on your device, but the web view page just shows up too small to read on a phone, so I switched it back. I've also tried changing the blog's theme and layout, all to no avail. I guess responsive view just hates sidebars lol. Seriously, I see why they do this; you want your posts to pop, and nothing pops when it's all too small to read. So, until I figure something out, you have 2 options to see the sidebar and all that good info:

The first option is to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the mobile page view and select "Website View". The page view will change and show you the whole blog, sidebar and all, but as I said, it's small, so you'll need to expand the view to read it. Not perfect, but it's a work around.

The other option is to visit the site on a PC or tablet, then it will display as originally intended.

Of course, there's a third option as well, there's always a third option. You can just carry on and not see the sidebar, it might not interest you in the least. I just thought it was worth mentioning. That is all.

Not Such Deep Thoughts; Be Gone 2013!

It’s been a long strange year, and one that I’m very glad to see go.

Heading into 2013 I had some trepidations, not that I’m actually triskaidekaphobic, mind you, but that 13 stuck in my mind, and it made me feel a little uneasy.

Well, it turned out that my uneasy feeling was a bit of a premonition. I spent most of 2013 in and out of hospitals, and for a while there I was a little unsure if my life would ever return to normal. It did though, at least to some degree, and I learned a few very valuable lessons along the way.

First and foremost, I learned that whatever befalls us, it could be worse, and I learned this little lesson via a 2013 tragedy of horrific proportions. Funny how life works sometimes, the strange coincidences that happen.

I was in a local hospital, things were going from bad to worse, and the decision was made to move me to a large Boston hospital. It was a Sunday just before a holiday; Patriots Day, otherwise known as Marathon Monday, to be exact. Time spools out, as it always does in these situations, no room at the inn, etcetera, etcetera, you know the drill. Sunday becomes Monday, Monday drones on. My consolation is an 11am Red Sox game and my little magic plunger; relief is just a click, click, click away. About half way through the game word comes that my room is ready and an ambulance is on the way. As they unhook me and get me ready to go, I click off the TV so we can concentrate on what we’re being told, then my wife and I sit there in silence and wait.

When the paramedics arrive they come into the room very quickly and say something really weird; “Turn on the TV”. “Huh?” is all I can manage at first, but within a few moments I come to understand, as much as you can understand something so awful. The paramedics wanted to get right back into Boston so that they could help out, so they hustled us out and into the ambulance, and my wife and I got a ride we’ll never forget.

Things were crazy in the ensuing days, but the one good thing that came out of it all was that I knew that my situation paled in comparison to what others were experiencing, and it made it easy to keep positive and continue on. There’s always someone who has it tougher, always, and that very valuable lesson was seared into my mind.

The other things I learned were less jarring, but no less important.

When you’re not sure what the future holds for you, and you have lots of down time to think, you tend to focus on the things in your life that are the most important to you, the things you’d miss the most if you never got to do them again. You mentally reorder your life; family and friends become very important, work, not so much, and although it can be very hard for a crabby old man like me to remember, you never, ever want to end things on a bad note with someone you care about, or anyone for that matter, life is just too short.

I also learned that little mundane things can become huge life victories, and that’s really helped me to see things differently. I had a really great Christmas, awesome in fact, but the greatest gifts I received this December were not monetary; being able to take a shower without wearing a wet suit, and being able to roll over on my stomach in bed were nothing short of gifts from heaven. That last one was a great gift for my wife also, as I’m one hella-snorer when I sleep on my back. You’re welcome, babe.

Speaking of babes, and thank yous, I also learned how much my wife, family and friends care about me, especially my selfless wife, and there is no finer gift. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

2013 wasn’t all doom and gloom though. We did have that phenomenal run by the Red Sox, who if you ask me were inspired to overachieve by some of the same things that helped me to carry on, and I think our Patriots are borrowing a little of that magic also. No matter what happens or who they lose, the next man up outperforms the last, and they continue to win. There’s something pretty special about that.

I also made it a point to reconnect with as many people in my life as possible. I had plenty of spare time to fill, which made it pretty easy. That, and the fact that my 40th reunion was this year, and it happened to fall perfectly between a pair of surgeries. How lucky is that? It was good to see so many faces from my youth. I find that there’s an interesting side effect that comes from reconnecting with people who hold shared memories with me, regardless of how close you actually were; it reminds me of my family, and how things used to be in my youth, and it brings with it all sorts of bittersweet thoughts and memories. At one point in the weekend we boarded a school bus to take a tour of our home town, and it took all of about 10 minutes for us all to revert back to form, laughing and joking as we travelled back to another time. Amazing.

Anyways, on the whole I’m very happy to say goodbye to 2013, and I’m looking forward to a happy and productive 2014. Back to work, back to a normal life. You can’t imagine how much I’ve missed it.

Hopefully I won’t lose sight of my 2013 lessons learned as I march my way through the New Year. Normalcy tends to breed complacency, and I’ve come too far to revert to form. Life is way too short to be a self-involved wonk.

I hope you all have a safe and happy New Year. Try to take a moment to think about who and what is really important in your life, and what you can do to reorder things a bit, and to let those special people know how you feel. You’ll be glad you did.

That is all.

Not Such Deep Thoughts; Special Worst to First Edition

It’s that time again; the old brain pan is full to bursting with random thoughts and opinions, and it’s time to spew forth and relieve the pressure. I will now proceed to entangle the entire area.

What better way to start than with; How ‘bout them Red Sox?

Wow, from worst to first, and could these guys be any more likeable? In the words of the ubiquitous Bob, I doubt it. I was pretty down on them the last time I did one of these rambling pieces, and I speculated that there was only one way for them to get back into our good graces. Read for yourself:

Not Such Deep Thoughts – Freaky February Edition

“Spring Training is cranking up, and the question on all good Sox fan’s minds is; can they pull their nards out of the fire? The team has pretty much self-imploded and it appears that things can’t get much worse, so that’s something to hang your hat on. But how they fare in the standings this year is of less importance to me than how they act and play. As long as they give it 100%, I’m behind them. Any less and I’ll be turning them off.

Note to Red Sox; forget the fancy demographic studies and bringing in high paid mercenaries. If you want a successful and embraceable team, start with the basics; hard working players with integrity and a love of the game, add in a little inspirational leadership, mix well and bake for approximately 180 days. It’s a no fail recipe.”

I guess great minds think alike, and I’m convinced that Ben Cherington has a pretty great mind. I’m almost tempted to think he may have been much of the reason behind Theo’s initial success here. Almost. Same with John Farrell and Tito, but no one does it alone. There was a brain trust in those heady days, and although Theo was a bright guy, it was group think, strong leadership, and team camaraderie that turned the tide and made the Sox the team of the new millennium, and it took the same mix to bring them back from the dead. Success can be the great spoiler though, as we’ve seen, and I hope they remember that. There’s no telling how they’ll fare in the post season, but for now, I’m happy, and I have high hopes, finally. Go Sox!

While we’re on the subject of sports; how ‘bout them Patriots?

3 and 0 to start out the season, but a shakier start I don’t think I’ve ever seen. Tom has looked downright un-Brady like, but I blame a lot of that on his lack of receivers. With a timing offense, you’re either all on the same page, or you’re looking bad and getting beat.

It’s been the perfect storm as far as Pat’s receivers go; they lose Wes to the Broncos (for the life of me I still can’t figure that one out), Gronk can’t seem to shake his injuries, and then you have the whole Hernandez thing. Sheesh, what a mess. They pick up Amendola and the promising rookie TE Sudfeld in the off season, and they both go down. Who does that leave? Edelman, Hoo-Man and a couple of rookies. Sudfeld came back for game 3, but he wasn’t much of a factor.

The defense has been the only bright light so far, and has been keeping them in the games. Although it’s tough to watch, it may be a good thing. In previous years, Brady has carried the team on his back, running up the score. Problem was, the D wasn’t very good and a lot of teams were hanging in there, matching them point for point. When they’d hit a team with a tough D, one that could stymie their high powered offense, they’d invariably lose. The Giants and Ravens, for example. I think a few ugly wins courtesy of a tough D bodes well. When the Offense gets it together, and they will, the Pats just might have the whole package. They certainly looked a hell of a lot better in the second half of the Tampa game. Brady started to click with the 2 rookie WR’s, Thompkins and Dobson, and they got some good production from their platoon of running backs. They looked sharp and crisp for the first time since camp.

Gronk will be back, and Sudfeld will find his stride again, and both will draw coverage and take some pressure off of the wide receivers. I see good things in the future, time will tell. For now, let’s just say they’re a really lucky 3 and 0.

OK, time to talk some tech. File this one under; ooh, shiny…

The new iPhones are here, and “ooh, shiny” is really all you can say about them. The 5c is basically just like the 5, only it’s composed of cheap plastic and comes in a variety of gaudy colors. The 5s has a faster processor, a fingerprint reader, and is now available in gold, silver and graphite. Both models have slightly better cameras, the 5s in particular, and both come preloaded with iOS7, but that’s about it.

iOS7 is being pushed down to the iPhone 4 and 5 also, so there’s really no big advantage there. There won’t be as many features available when you run it on a 4 or 5, but that’s hardly a reason to sleep on the sidewalk, people. And you never want to be an early adopter when it comes to a major iOS upgrade.

Never.

Ever.

Here’s the thing, if these were really new models, they’d be the iPhone 6 and 6c, but they’re not. 'Nuff said.

As for waiting in line to get one… OMG, please, these aren’t in limited supply, little children in China are cranking these out by the boatload as we speak. Whenever I see a news videos of someone coming out of an Apple store holding a new iPhone over their head in victory, my first thought is; there’s a sucker born every minute, and my next thought is; I bet I could sell them some really expensive accessories…

Speaking of tech, file this one under; the times they are a changin’.

Home entertainment has changed so much in recent years. Music has branched out from physical to digital mediums, allowing us to carry our entire music libraries with us wherever we go. Same with print. I can move seamlessly from my eReader to my smart phone to my PC, and always be on the right page. TV has gone High Def. The sets have gotten both larger and thinner, you can hang them on the wall like art, and there are literally hundreds of channels to choose from. Between the DVR, Video on Demand, the Internet and devices like Apple TV, it’s no longer necessary to watch on the network’s schedule anymore; it’s now possible to watch whatever you want whenever and wherever you like. Growing up in the Record Player, 3 channel TV generation, these are unimaginable advances.

Now I’m not telling you anything that you’re not already aware of here, but what’s truly amazing to me is that these changes have occurred in such a short period of time.

Digital technology makes all these things possible, and more. How cool is it that we no longer need film for our cameras? Way cool, and the list goes on and on. Why are things developing so quickly? I think in part it’s because we’ve hit a point where the workforce is largely comprised of people who have grown up immersed in 1’s and 0’s, never known a world without them. They don’t need to struggle to understand and accept the new technologies like my generation does, and consequently they see some things more clearly. Some things.

Anyway, it’s got me wondering what new technological advances we’ll see in the next 10 or 20 years, and I think we’re in for a mind blowing ride. Forget about 3D, I’m looking forward to the day when I can convert my man cave into a holodeck. Talk about getting into the game... that would be the ultimate.

Alright, that’s enough for now, but before I go, I’ll leave you with this; I saw a video of Louis CK on Conan titled “Everything's amazing nobody's happy” that’s worth watching. Pretty much sums up how we all tend to take amazing things for granted these days. Don’t.

That is all.

Not Such Deep Thoughts – Freaky February Edition

Blackouts, Whiteouts, Pope-outs, asteroids and meteors, this has been one special February so far. Lots to talk about, so let’s get this party started.

Super Bowl XLVII was notable on a lot of levels, but will probably be best remembered for the second half blackout. In the first half, the Ravens romped, and it looked like the game was going to be a boring blowout. At halftime, Beyonce bounced, and that amped things back up a little, at least it did for me… but then the second half opened up with a Ravens’ runback and I started picking up and getting ready for the rack. Not being a Ravens fan, I had little desire to watch further. Then the lights went out, and everything changed. First off, it silenced Phil Simms for a while, and that was awesome in and of itself, but it also gave the shell shocked 49ers time to gather themselves a bit, and when the lights came back on, they made a game of it. An exciting one, no less, that came down to the final possession. In the end, the Niners came up a little short, but it was a valiant effort, and not without a bit of officiating controversy. Non calls aside, the 49ers lost the game by not showing up in the first half, and the Ravens won by hanging tough for the full sixty minutes. Gotta give them credit, no matter how much it kills me.

Note to football players; God does not decide sporting events. You win because you outplay the other team, period.

Note to conspiracy theorists; if I was getting ready to turn off the TV, how many others were? Is it possible that CBS and the NFL, fearing financial disaster, had a hand in the blackout? Faux News is said to be working on an expose piece and claims to have footage of Roger Goodell entering the control room just moments before the lights went out, carrying a huge bucket of Gatorade.

Just when I thought we might squeak through with another mild winter, bam, we get clobbered by a record breaking blizzard. High winds, whiteouts, bone chilling temperatures and over two feet of fine powdery snow; yikes, what a mess. The whole region came to a screeching stop, which is a good thing. The driving ban prevented people from getting caught on the roads, and it really helped out with the massive cleanup efforts. Some people were outraged by the ban, felt it was infringing on their personal freedoms, to those people I say; STFU. If you’re not a doctor, a cop, a fireman or a plow driver, you don’t belong out clogging up the driving lanes, putting people’s lives in danger to save your sorry butt.

The 2013 Farmers’ Almanac called the recent weather in the Northeast almost to a tee, by the way. Here’s part of their Zone 1 Northeast February prediction: 8th to 11th, unsettled; light snow and flurries. 12th to 15th, a major Northeast snowstorm develops, accumulations could exceed one foot with strong winds causing blowing and drifting of snow. 16th to 19th, lingering snow showers and flurries. Dead on, but just a couple of days late on the blizzard, it actually happened on the 9th and 10th. Still an amazing feat of prognostication though, considering it was written several years in advance. How the heck do they do that, you ask? Well, it’s complicated. I’ll let them explain; “The Farmers’ Almanac weather predictions are based on a secret mathematical and astronomical formula. Developed in 1818 by David Young, the Almanac‘s first editor, this formula takes many factors into consideration, including sunspot activity, moon phases, tidal action, and more. This carefully guarded formula has been passed along from calculator to calculator and has never been revealed.” However they do it, I’m impressed.

Note to all; the Almanac has also red flagged February 24th to 28th and March 20th to 23rd for major coastal storms along the Atlantic Seaboard. The February 24th to 28th storm was predicted to just brush the Northeast as it heads out to sea, and that seems to be the case so far, but the March 20th to 23rd storm promises strong winds and heavy precipitation. Methinks March will not go lamb-like into that good night.

Extreme weather is becoming a bit of a trend these days. I don’t know if it’s global warming or just a normal planetary cycle, but I do know this for a fact; never in the history of this beautiful little planet has there ever been as many people or as much industry. Never. Ever. Does it make a difference in the delicate balance of life? Well, I’m not a climatologist, nor do I play one on TV, but it’s hard not to think so. Manufacturing waste, vehicle exhaust, billions of humans and bovines breathing, belching and farting, it all adds up people, and it worries me a little.

Note to self; never, ever, buy ocean front property.

We got yet another February surprise when the Pope resigned without warning last week. The last time a Pope resigned was in 1415, almost 600 years ago, so you can see why it's caused such a stir, and just to make matters more interesting, there was a purported lightning strike on the Vatican the same day. Hmmm… Lightning has long been associated with the fortunes of Rome. From about 300 B.C. until 400 A.D., a group known as the College of Augurs looked to the skies for signs of Jupiter’s will in the form of birds, lightning and meteors. So, we’ve got the lightning, and we’ve got the meteors (I’ll get to those in a second), if something freaky happens with birds soon, I’m heading for the hills. All kidding aside, I think what the Pope is doing is a good thing. The church is in turmoil, and for once someone is saying “Hey, we need someone at the helm who has the strength to tack against the wind.” The time has come to stop leaning on tradition, and the fact that the Pope can make such a decision gives me great hope. Imagine the strength it took for him to do this; to give up the most coveted position he could ever imagine, I think that alone is a sign from God, a sign of hope.

On the 15th we had a very close encounter with asteroid 2012 DA14, a 45 meter, 130,000 ton space rock. It didn’t just pass between the Earth and Moon, it passed between the Earth and our geosynchronous satellites. That’s a pretty close shave, and as if to emphasize how vulnerable to this sort of thing we actually are, it was both preceded and followed by 2 unrelated meteor strikes. The Chelyabinsk meteor, a “smaller” 10,000 ton space rock, streaked across Russian skies on the morning of the 15th, exploding in an airburst over Chelyabinsk. The force of the explosion was equal to 500 kilotons of TNT, and the resulting shock wave injured 1500 people and damaged 4300 buildings. There was also a meteor sighting in the San Francisco area later that day. No impact was recorded, just an impressive light show. To put things in their proper perspective, if the 10,000 ton Chelyabinsk meteor did so much damage, imagine what a direct hit on a populated area by a 130,000 ton rock like DA14 would do. Can you say nuclear winter?

All right, enough weirdness, let’s talk tech. Here’s a quick update to my last post; My Love/Hate Relationship With Apple. We finally got our Snow Leapord disc delivered and successfully upgraded the iMAC’s OS, as well as iTunes and VirtualBox. I also added 4GB of RAM while I was at it. I didn’t continue on to the latest OS, Mountain Lion, thank goodness. I found out (just in time) that Mountain Lion breaks older versions of Microsoft Office, so we saved ourselves from another heavy dose of collateral damage. Phew… Anyway, now the little pink nano is set up, sync’d, and fully functional, and it is a pretty slick little device, but as I said in the previous post; this was way too much hassle just to set up a simple music player. Way too much.

While we’re on the subject of Apple, upgrades and collateral damage, I also upgraded my Apple TV’s firmware and guess what? Now my wired desktop no longer shows up in the connected devices/available iTunes library list. My laptop, my Touch and my wife’s wired iMac all do, but not my desktop. I’m not sure if it was my latest iTunes upgrade (10.7) or the upgrade of the Apple TV device to version 5 that messed things up, but it’s a real pain. When I’m streaming my iTunes music I have the Apple TV screen saver set to use the contents of the My Pictures folder so there’s a constant stream of our Kodak moments on the big screen, and the desktop is where the bulk of my pictures live. My suspicion is that although the iMac has a wired connection, it also has built in Wi-Fi, and Apple TV firmware has been modified to only look for devices that have their own built in Wi-Fi, and no longer looks for wired devices that are accessible via an external Wi-Fi connection such as a router. You’re killing me here, Apple…

Note to Apple; the short life span of your products (ie: new models or major software revs every 5 to 7 months) will be your undoing, we are not all Apple Fanboys.

OK, last thing, promise. Spring Training is cranking up, and the question on all good Sox fan’s minds is; can they pull their nards out of the fire? The team has pretty much self imploded and it appears that things can’t get much worse, so that’s something to hang your hat on. But how they fare in the standings this year is of less importance to me than how they act and play. As long as they give it 100%, I’m behind them. Any less and I’ll be turning them off.

Note to Red Sox; forget the fancy demographic studies and bringing in high paid mercenaries. If you want a successful and embraceable team, start with the basics; hard working players with integrity and a love of the game, add in a little inspirational leadership, mix well and bake for approximately 180 days. It’s a no fail recipe.

That is all.

Not Such Deep Thoughts: How I Spent My Summer Vacation Edition

It’s been a summer to remember; hot sunny days, very little rain, and way too much to do to be spending time staring into this screen, but Labor Day is upon us, and my brain pan is filled to overflowing with random thoughts, so I will now proceed to entangle the entire area.

Let’s start off with my lack of posting. I’ve really been struggling with that old work/life balance thing lately, and I came to the conclusion that if I wanted to squeeze any sun and fun into this summer, something(s) had to go. I outsourced the weekly mow (again, but this time I think it’s permanent), took a hiatus from working on my websites, and put off all but a few crucial home projects. I also employed a couple of other time management tricks and tradeoffs, which we’ll get to later. The end result was that I was able to take some time off and enjoy the summer. It was definitely the right choice; summer is much too short, and much too precious to waste. Being outdoors, spending time with friends and family, drinking in the beauty of the season, and life in general, there’s nothing quite like it.

Speaking of not working on my websites, I picked up some really interesting electronical gadgets this summer, and it killed me not to post about them, but I held off. It was tough, but at least I’ll have lots to post about going forward. Good things to come!

While I’m on the subject of gadgets; I’ve figured out that my Blackberry is the root of all evil. I had shelved my personal cell phone a while back; I hated carrying two phones, so I threw mine in a drawer and started relying solely on my work Blackberry. Problem is, the flow of information is non stop, and once I pick it up, even for something as innocuous as checking sports scores, I’m sucked right in. It’s kind of like a virtual rabbit hole that takes me directly back into work. It drives my family crazy, and it makes it impossible for me to disconnect. As we were getting ready for vacation this year, my wife suggested that I upgrade my old cell phone and start using it again, because if I didn’t, she was going to throw my Blackberry into Nantucket Sound. Very convincing argument, and seeing as Samsung had just released the new Galaxy S III, I was immediately on board. Smartest thing I’ve done in a while. The S III is a beautiful device, and yes, Apple is correct; it is a lot like an iPhone, except its better, more to come on that soon. The most important thing is that it helped me break the chains that bind me to my work, and possibly prevented my wife from committing a crime of passion. Now when I’m off, so is the Crackberry.

Speaking of passion, I love our pool. No traffic or parking issues, no humping chairs and coolers, no sand in my sandwiches. Just mosey out the back door, hop on a float, and drift away. Heaven. And those midnight moonlight swims on hot summer nights are nothing short of decadent. Sometimes when I’m out there, I find myself looking around, positive that someone is going to catch me and throw me out, traces of my fence hopping youth. It pains me to think we’ll be closing it down soon. The season is too short, and it’s a lot of work, but its well worth it.

Another way I’ve been able to carve out some quality time this summer is by writing off the Red Sox completely. I’m no fair weather fan, I’ve been with them through thick and thin, good times and bad, but here’s the thing; There’s no crying in baseball! I won’t watch a bunch of whiney babies, and this is the biggest bunch I’ve ever seen. The average salary in MLB is 3.3 million, and these guys have the nerve to bitch and moan, it’s disgusting. I’m glad they blew up the team, and I hope the axe continues to fall. A coaching/front office shakeup is the next step in the process; maybe a new manager can get this team back on track for next year. In the meantime, I’m not paying the exorbitant prices to see a game, and I’m not wasting my time watching them on the tube. Instead, I’ve been spending my time watching the grandson play in the Jimmy Fund Little League Summer Tournament. It ran through August, ending just in time for the start of Pop Warner, and it has been a pure delight. No better way to while away the summer hours then sitting in a lawn chair, feasting on $1 hot dogs and 50¢ popcorn, and cheering on the home town team. There’s still a little bit of crying, but it’s nothing a blue raspberry slushy can’t fix.

Vacation: It’s all about the bacon. Normally, we don’t eat a lot of bacon, but when we’re on vacation, we seem to have it at least twice a day. In omelets, on sandwiches, wrapped around scallops, it just goes with everything. Did you know you can get bacon martinis? Wow, it’s the perfect food, and I’ve found that there is a direct correlation between bacon intake and overall vacation satisfaction.

File this one under; building a better mousetrap. We came downstairs one morning to find an end table tipped over and the cat camped out next to it, staring intently at the baseboard heater. We weren’t sure what had gone down, but she wouldn’t budge from the spot (not even for bacon), so I moved the couch out of the way and got down on my hands and knees with a flashlight. Sure enough, she had a little field mouse cornered inside the baseboard. Cute little gomer, but he had to go. My wife got out one of those no kill traps and baited it with cheese, but he was too afraid of the cat to move a muscle. What to do, what to do… enter my wife with her Mouse Eradication Device (patent pending), or as we like to call it, the canister vac. She took off the rug brush, added all the extension tubes, and got into position. When she had the business end of the tube close to the mouse, I flipped the power on and “foop, bonk, bonk, splat”, that mouse was history. Catches ‘em, kills ‘em, and bags the body; I really think we’re on to something here.

Who ya gonna call? Mousebusters!

We’ve made a couple of trips down to Gillette this summer for training camp, and I must say, the Patriots have really done it right. Free parking, free event, great sightlines, and the chance for autographs from your favorite players; it’s a great event to take the whole family to. The only drawback is the drive, but they’ve got that covered to some degree, also. Patriot Place makes it worth your while to make a day of it. Arrive early and stay late, take in The Hall before practice, then one of the many restaurants after. Nice. Red Sox? We don’t need no stinkin Red Sox…

Well, I’ve rambled on for long enough, gotta get outside and enjoy the last few hours of this Labor Day weekend. I’ll leave you with this: Just because it’s Labor Day weekend, that doesn’t mean that the summer is over. It ain’t over until it’s over, so get out there and enjoy!

That is all.

Not Such Deep Thoughts; Special Leap Year Edition

Had an extra day, thought I’d make the most of it. And away we go…

Lots of interesting stuff happening down at The Fort. Comings, goings, sage advice and weak excuses; yep, it’s Spring Training time again, and there’ll be lots to talk about. I’m not really sure why they call it Spring training, though. I just don’t associate February with spring, especially when it’s snowing. I think Winter Ball would be a lot more appropriate.

Speaking of the Sox, and comings and goings, first Wake hangs up his cleats, and now Tek is following suit. Wow. That’s a lot for Sox fans to deal with; they’ve both been such a big part of the team for such a long time. It’s going to seem really strange not seeing them on a daily basis. In this age of the mercenary sports star, players that remain with a team as long as they did, and contribute as much as they did, are few and far between. They become woven into the fabric of the franchise, and it’s hard to imagine the team existing without them. It will, though. We’ll move on, but we won’t forget the great memories they’ve given us, or the great things they’ve done for our area. I wish them both prosperous times going forward, and send my heartfelt thanks.

While we’re on the subject of Tek, did I ever tell you my Varitek/Hooters story? Doesn’t matter, I’m going to anyway. My wife used to have a severe case of anti-Hooterism; wouldn’t go if you paid her. Well, we ended up stopping at the Fort Myers Hooters one day on the way back from the pahk. We had a request for a Hooters calendar from a friend, and we were going right by, so there we were. The wife and I were both hungry, and the wings smelled sooooooooo good, that she decided to throw caution to the wind and accompany me inside.

She got a kick out of the kitschy décor and the lively music, and our waitress turned out to be from Nashua, so things were off to a pretty cool start, and wings and cold beverages quickly ensued. As we were sitting there, I noticed that Jason Varitek was sitting a couple of tables away. I told my wife, who’s a huge Varitek fan, and I offered to go get her an autograph. Smart woman that she is, she suggested that rather than bothering him, we should send a round of drinks to his table, so we did. We told the waitress to tell him they were a thank you from some home town fans, and we kind of thought that would be the end of it.

It wasn’t. After a little while I saw him get up from his booth and head our way. He came over, leaned down on the table, and introduced himself. Like he really needed to, but that’s the kind of guy he is; unassuming and very personable. He chatted us up for quite a while, and then grabbed the menu and signed it for us with a nice little personal message. My wife was over the moon, and so was I, but not for quite the same reasons. She had met Tek, her favorite player, and he turned out to be all that a fan could ask for, Me, I was pretty thrilled by meeting him too, but the best part for me was that I knew I now had a lifetime pass to Hooters, at least the Fort Myers one, anyway. Nice.

Well, if I’m going to retell old stories, I guess I owe you a new one to go with it. Here goes; A Deacon, two Priests and a Bishop walk into this bar… Actually, it was a church, and this isn’t going to be one of those lame jokes. It’s a somewhat amusing real life story that happened just this past weekend, and it involves said clergy, pomp, circumstance, and a flying tackle. Got your interest? Good.

My nephew was being confirmed last Sunday as part of a pretty large class, and the Regional Bishop was presiding to boot, so the church was packed and seats were at a premium. One of the nephews and I left the seats to the ladies and stood in the back of the church, along with many others. We were the first two off of the main aisle, which is a pretty good spot, viewing wise. The procession slowly filed past us, as did our confirmant, and the festivities got under way.

As I said, the church was packed, and it was starting to get a bit stuffy as the mass went on. Suddenly we heard a woman gasp loudly, and we looked across the aisle to see the woman struggling to keep her husband erect. He appeared to be in the process of fainting, and I could tell that he was either going to smash his head on the back of the last pew, or face plant on the fancy marble. It also registered that she was never going to be able to hold him; she had a bad angle, and he was a pretty big guy. The last thought I had was that the way she was tugging at his right arm was causing him to spin a little so that I had a good view of his chest, and at that moment a little green light flashed in my head and I was off.

I zipped across the aisle, dipping as I went, and my shoulder made soft but firm contact dead center on his chest. I wrapped my arms around him in a bear hug and kept churning, forcing him up and back against the wall, and we came to rest like a couple in a loving embrace. His eyes were still closed, and I started to have a panicky “now what do I do” feeling. Of course, dead silence had fallen over the congregation, this was a major interruption to a major ceremony, even the organist had stopped playing, and that made it all the more unreal and uncomfortable, but as his wife fussed over him, and I still hugged him tightly, his eyes began to flutter open. He turned his head slightly until we were nose to nose and officially Eskimo kissing, and his eyes went through this amazing transformation; from unfocused, to uncomprehending, and then to angry, and he began trying to push me away.

Although I was a little leery of loosening my grasp, I decided it was time, and slowly disengaged. I’ve never been much for hugging guys anyway, and my job there was done. I lift things up, I put them down.

The fainting man’s family quickly whisked him outside, and as I turned away to leave, I noticed that everyone in the vicinity was watching our little drama intently. Even the organist had craned his neck over the railing and was staring down at us. I felt a little sheepish as I returned to my original post, but the smiles and thumbs up I got from my family went a long way to remedy that.

The rest of the mass proceeded uneventfully, thank goodness, and my new found fainting friend never returned, which is probably a good thing. The frosting on the cake for me, though, came during the collection. A friend of ours had our area, and as he passed by with the basket he smiled and said “It didn’t surprise me when I looked back and saw you at the center of things.” I just smiled back, because that pretty much sums up my life. I am Forrest Gump.

Apropos of nothing, my lower back is really bothering me this week. I don’t know what I did, but I seem to have done it well.

OK, on to some serious stuff. Davy Jones passed away this week, taking with him another little bit of my past. When the Monkees first arrived on the scene, I was just a wee lad of 11, and like most of my contemporaries, I was a big fan. I saw every show, had every album, and I still know every word to every song by heart. I know, they were a manufactured group, yada, yada yada. Doesn’t matter. They had some of the greatest song writers of that time period penning their lyrics, and they were happy, infectious tunes, and the Monkees were happy, infectious guys. They’ve stood the test of time, also. They’re the guilty pleasure on my iPod, and through the magic of cable, they reached whole new generations. My sons watched their TV show with me when they were just little spuds and quickly became fans. Their Great Woods stop on their 20th reunion tour in the late 80’s was the first concert they ever attended, and the night was one of those classic family bonding moments that I’ll carry with me to my grave.

Last year they came to the Lowell Auditorium, and my wife received some tickets as a birthday gift. It turned out that the Bruins happened to be playing for the cup that night, but we went anyway. Both my buddy and I had an earphone in one ear listening to the game, as did half the audience, and Davy was smart enough to give updates and wave around a Bruins jersey. It was a great night, on a lot of levels, and has become another little “stepping stone” in the river of my memories.

So, old Davy has caught the last train to Clarksville, or wherever it is that rock stars go when they pass too soon, but he’ll live on in our hearts and minds, and our iPods.

It’s been a pleasure, Mr. Jones.

That is all.

Not Such Deep Thoughts: Special Countdown to the Super Bowl Edition

That old clock on the wall can’t move fast enough for me this week; I’m just wishing the hours away. That’s the way it is when the home team is in the big game, I’m tense and nervous and I can’t relax, and there’s a million thoughts swimming through my head. Maybe if I get some of them out, it’ll help, so let’s get right to it.

The whole Pats Giants rematch thing is both the best and worst possible scenario we could hope for; Its prime fodder for the media, the source of endless discussion amongst fans, and a game that will surely draw mega ratings, as both teams have huge television markets. These two teams also have a history of tight hard fought games, which brings with it the promise of must see TV and a big payday for both the NFL and NBC.

The other side of the coin is a little ugly for us Pats fans, though. The Giant’s seem to have the Patriot’s number of late, and while the prospect of the Pats getting a little revenge really floats my boat, thoughts of the ’07 loss to this same team keep creeping into my brain and crowding out all of the happy. I’m also getting more than a little tired of listening to all the talking heads; Can Brady still do it? Is Eli the next greatest thing? Will the Gronk be able to play, and if so, can he make a difference? It’s been way over the top.

Speaking of the Gronk, and his impact; there’s not a doubt in my mind about his status. The kid is a football machine. I'm convinced he's a cyborg, and I swear, if you peeled back a flap of his skin you’d hit metal. Nothing could prevent him from being on that field from beginning to end on Sunday, except maybe Bill, and that isn’t gonna happen. You have to love him; he’s just a big goofy guy who lives for football, and he will not be denied.

While we’re on the subject of amazing tight ends, I think Hernandez is going to be a big factor in the game. While Gronkowski is number 2 on the list of most receptions by a tight end in their first two seasons, Hernandez isn’t far behind, coming in at number 5. He gets a little overshadowed by his teammate at times, but he’s a force to be reckoned with, none the less, and I think he’s going to excel on Sunday.

I’ve been honoring Wes Welker and his playoff stache campaign, #TheWelker83, by not trimming my beard or mustache for the last couple of weeks, and I’m beginning to look like a cross between Teddy Roosevelt and some guy who lives under a bridge. On the plus side, I’m really looking forward to my wife’s 7 layer dip, and this bushy baby is going to be a great flavor saver. Mmmh.

Speaking of Wes; we all know he’ll come through in the clutch, that’s his thing, but I have the strangest feeling that we’re also going to be talking about Chad on Monday. He’s just too good of a player to completely disappear the way he has, and I think his time has come.

I’m a superstitious guy and everything has to be just so on game day. Usual seat, usual clothes, you know the drill. Are you listening Bill? The grey hoodie, please. No substitutes.

Deep down, I have a pretty good feeling about this game. I think the Pats have the perfect mix of motivational tools at their disposal; revenge, validation and inspiration. You know that both Belichick and Brady still feel the sting of the ’07 defeat like it was yesterday, and all the crap in the media this week only serves to intensify those feelings. They’re going to play like a team possessed, mark my words. Belichick has been cranking the heat at their practices, and even simulating the extended half time, presumably in an effort to condition the team to the strangeness that is the Super Bowl. I really like this, and it makes me think that we’ll see them come out in the hurry up right from the start. A fast tempo, different formations, and a good mix of screens and draws will get the G-men back on their heels early, and really open things up for Brady.

On the defensive side of the ball I think both Big Vince and Spikes are going to be ferocious, and in Eli’s grill constantly, and I’m convinced that old Bill will have a trick or two up his sleeve with the coverage that’s going to confuse Manning and allow the defensive backs to shine. He knows what he has, and what the Giants can do, and he’s had a lot of time to think on it. You can’t continually beat Bill. He makes mistakes, but he always learns from them.

There’s also the fact that this Giants team only went 9 and 7 on the season and are far from the powerhouse that the media and their fans make them out to be. They’ve done a good job containing the Pats recently, but they are not a great team. They’re a standout in a weak NFC who’s on a late season roll, no more, no less.

Of course, I could be all wrong, but I’m betting on that third motivational factor to pull it all together for the Pats; inspiration.

These Patriot players have a deep devotion to Mr. Kraft, and they’ve watched him be strong all year. He worked hard to pull players and owners together to save the season, even though his heart was breaking, and he continues to be strong for them even now. How he gets through some of these interviews without breaking down is amazing to me, and should be an inspiration to all. I know it is to the players, you can see it, and I know they’ll be drawing on that inspiration this Sunday. Being strong, playing strong, both for themselves and for the Kraft family.

Go Pats!

Not Such Deep Thoughts; Shiny New Year Edition

Despite some very dire predictions, 2012 is starting off on a pretty good note for me. I’m finally getting back in the groove at work after a lengthy hiatus, and a lot of good things have happened in my personal life that bear chronicling, so let’s get right to it.

I think a good starting point for this exercise would be the Mayan Calendar and the whole 2012 doom and gloom thing. Here are a few facts from Wikipedia:

December 2012 marks the conclusion of a b'ak'tun - a time period in the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar which was used in Central America prior to the arrival of Europeans. Unlike the 52-year Calendar Round still used today among the Maya, the Long Count was linear rather than cyclical, and kept time roughly in units of 20: 20 days made a uinal, 18 uinals (360 days) made a tun, 20 tuns made a k'atun, and 20 k'atuns (144,000 days or roughly 394 years) made up a b'ak'tun. Thus, the Mayan date of 8.3.2.10.15 represents 8 b'ak'tuns, 3 k'atuns, 2 tuns, 10 uinals and 15 days. Researchers have said that while the end of the 13th b'ak'tun would perhaps be a cause for celebration,[3] it did not mark the end of the calendar, and there is nothing in the Maya or Aztec or ancient Mesoamerican prophecy to suggest that they prophesied a sudden or major change of any sort in 2012.

"For the ancient Maya, it was a huge celebration to make it to the end of a whole cycle," said Sandra Noble, executive director of the Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies. The 2012 phenomenon, she said, is "a complete fabrication and a chance for a lot of people to cash in."[3] "There will be another cycle," said E. Wyllys Andrews V, director of the Tulane University Middle American Research Institute. "We know the Maya thought there was one before this, and that implies they were comfortable with the idea of another one after this.”

Wordy stuff, I know, but it all boils down to this; the only thing we’re really sure of is that 2012 marks the end of a Mesoamerican calendar cycle. The end of one era and the start of another, no more, no less. Maybe this era will be a new age of enlightenment, one where dogs, cats, republicans and democrats can all live together without excoriating each other, and then again, maybe not. We’ll see. In the meantime, I suggest you relax and enjoy the ride, that’s my plan. Oh, and Happy 5th World to all my Mayan friends!

OK, so now that we’ve kinda sorta proved that this year isn’t going to be the end of the world as we know it, let’s get to some good stuff.

The most exciting thing about 2012 for me so far, actually happened in 2011; the birth of our new Granddaughter. She arrived into this world about midway between Christmas and New Years, perfect timing as most of the family was free of obligation (work, school, etc.) and we were all able to gather to share the moment. Big props to our daughter in law for allowing our little band of hooligans access to a very special event, and even bigger props to she and our Son, for making such beautiful babies! She’s perfect in every way, and I love her with all my heart.

Another high note in this fledgling New Year has been the play of my beloved Patriots. They earned a first round bye in the playoffs, and then proceed to STOMP the Broncos in the second round. I was getting sick and tired of hearing all the hype in the lead up to the game; Can the Patriots win in the playoffs anymore, or will they be one and done again? Can anyone beat Timmy the miracle man, or is his destiny sealed by a higher power? Sheesh, it was enough to make a man crazy, but I think in the long run it helped our cause. The Sons of Belichick traditionally respond very well to the whole underdog, don’t get no respect thing, and it really showed in the intensity of their play. If they can maintain this caliber of performance, I’d say they just might make it to Indy.

All the attention and publicity is probably a good thing for little Timmy Tebow also, by the way. Now that it’s painfully obvious that he’s a one trick pony and not a professional quarterback, it will help him in his future endeavors. Word is he’s being courted by CBS executives to replace Ashton Kutcher on Two and a Half Men. The storyline will be that he’s their long lost cousin, a college jock who finds he can’t make it in the bigs, but takes solace in his deep religious beliefs and returns home to open a store front church and enrich the lives of his friends and family. Think Highway to Heaven with a laugh track. Sounds like a winner to me!

Speaking of winners, how about this winter? It’s been unseasonably mild here in the Northeast. So much so, that for the first time ever I was able to put up, and take down, our Christmas lights on bright, sunny 50◦ days. We’re half way through January and I still haven’t had to shovel or snow blow at all, and I can count on one hand the number of frigidly cold days we’ve had so far. Strange days, indeed. Before you know it, pitchers and catchers will be heading south and we’ll be well on the way to spring. If this is global warming, I’m all in.

And while we’re on the subject of pitchers and catchers, I’m hoping that our Olde Towne Team gets their act together this year. I’m still so distraught by the epic fail that was last season that I can’t even bring myself to say (or write) their name, but I’ll come around. Life goes on, and one trip to the new Baby Fenway should do it. I can smell those sausages grilling now, and the crack of a bat on a ball is music to my ears, conjuring pleasant memories of endless, carefree summers. Nice.

Well, I’ve bent your ear long enough for now, so I’ll leave you with this;

Whatever 2012 may have in store for you, roll with it, and savor every moment.

That is all.

Not Such Deep Thoughts: Epic Fail Edition

This was originally going to be the “Early Fall Edition”, but since last Wednesday night’s Sox meltdown, it’s become the “Epic Fail Edition”. I’ll still be voicing my thoughts on the pros and cons of early fall, but in another post. The Sox collapse, and its subsequent fallout, will be the main topic of discussion here, mainly because it’s all I’ve been thinking about, so let’s dive right in:

The Sox ended the season just the way they started it, badly. They actually played worse in September than they had in April, as hard as that is to believe. They just flat out sucked, and it was all the worse because we’d seen what they were capable of. On September 3rd they had a 9 game lead over the Rays in the Wild Card race, and a 99.6% chance of making it to the post season. Check out the graph below of the Sox and Rays chances of reaching the playoffs throughout the season. It’s painful to see, but it’s the only way to truly understand the magnitude of their collapse.



Now that’s a picture that really tells a story.

How do you blow a lead like that? Well, you can’t blame it on any one person. An epic collapse like this takes a village, or a team, in this case. Everyone from the top of the organization to the bottom needs to fail to pull off something like this. If I could look at it objectively, it would actually be quite an impressive feat, but I can’t.

Terry Francona was the first casualty of this debacle. Actually, he was the second; Red Sox Nation was the first. We had to watch this slow motion train wreck unfold. Terry paid a bigger price, though. While we were just uncomfortable, and ultimately disappointed, he had to walk away from something he loved. Was it the right decision?

Undoubtedly.

He lost the clubhouse, and you can’t continue on as manager once the people you manage become unmanageable. That being said, you can’t really fault the guy. He was the perfect manager in the Dirt Dog days, and he did a masterful job of guiding them to not one, but two championships. This team has moved on, though. They’re not the Dirt Dogs anymore, or even the band of Idiots they morphed into. Matter of fact, they’re not even a team. They’re just a bunch of overpaid, overindulged, selfish wonks.

You have winning seasons and losing seasons, victories and disappointments; it’s all a part of it. Both fans and players have to roll with it, because ultimately, it’s just a game. What’s inexcusable is when the players don’t do their job. They get paid a fantastic amount of money, quite a bit of it coming from the pockets of the Fenway Faithful, and for that they only have to do two things. First, they have to play to the best of their abilities, and second, they have to pull together as a team. They have no chance whatsoever of succeeding if they don’t do both. Doesn’t seem like such a hard concept to grasp.

How do you fix something like this? In my opinion, you need to start by cleaning house. Some of the players need to go, and whoever takes the helm needs to be ruthless about it. Where was the captain through all of this? I really like Tek, he’s a great guy who’s done a lot for the team and the city, but you can’t stay on as captain after being a part of this mess. The captain’s role is to lead by example, or if that fails, through good old fashioned ass kicking. Didn’t happen, as far as I can see.

There are quite a few others whose time has come, maybe even a portly pitcher or two, even if it means the Sox take a huge hit in the pocketbook. Examples have to be made, and whoever doesn’t get shown the door needs to understand in no uncertain terms that not being in shape, not trying your hardest all season long, and not being a team player, is unacceptable. That’s not a lot to ask of men who make more money in a year than most of us see in ten, and without a doubt, it’s the only way to get this team back on track.

That is all.

For now.

Not Such Deep Thoughts: Special Stanley Cup Edition

Well, it’s that time again; the old noggin is filled to ‘esplodin’ with unvoiced thoughts, so let’s get right to it, and there’s no better way to start this off than by saying:

How ‘bout those Bruins, eh?

They took us for a long and wild ride on their quest for the cup, and the victory was made that much sweeter by its sheer unexpectedness. Sure, they were a pretty good team this year, but after their epic collapse in last year’s playoffs, I just didn’t think they had it in them. Boy was I wrong. In retrospect, it played out a lot like our other sports team’s recent championships; the dark horse team that rose to every occasion, time and time again, always managing to get the job done. No trash talk, no false bravado, just blood, sweat and hustle. It’s become standard operating procedure for our Boston teams. Shut up and play is our mantra here, and it’s served us well.


Speaking of the Bruins, could these guys be any more likable? They just keep surprising me with the things they do, mainly because they’re so down to earth. Out and about with the general public after the victory, walking the streets, stopping in at a barber shop to have their beards buzzed, putting the Cup in a baby stroller and taking it down to Tia’s to hold court, beautiful. You just don’t see that type of behavior in professional sports these days and it’s very refreshing.


Anyone know where I can get one of those Locker Room hats? Damn they’re hard to find.


Not to diminish this year’s feats in any way, shape or form, but while we’re on the subject of the Stanley Cup, I’ve been weighing this years Championship victory against what I’ve always considered to be the most exciting hockey moments of my life; the 1970 Bruins quest for the cup.

Orr, Sanderson, Espo, The Chief, Hodge, Pie and The Cheese, that was quite a team, my team, and they were having an incredible season. My Dad and 2 of my Uncles were long time season ticket holders back then, so I got to go to a lot of games, but when it came to the playoffs, nuh-uh, no one was giving those babies up, so my buddy, his little brother and I packed up our lawn chairs, sleeping bags and street hockey sticks and headed on down to the Gah-den to get us some tickets.

We spent three days waiting in line; two camping in the alley between the Garden and the Registry, and one night sleeping in the Garden itself. Our parents would come by a couple of times a day to drop off food and generally check on our well being; it was long before the cell phone, no way to check on Junior except in person in those days. We kept ourselves busy playing street hockey in that alley, there was always a game going on, or playing cards with our neighbors in line. Barrel fires lit the night, and the only thing to fear were the rats (great big rats). We’d sit there at night clutching our sticks, trying in vain to stay awake.

On the last night they herded us all inside and sat us in sections according to our place in line. We ended up exploring every inch of that place before the night was through, us and about a thousand other kids. Pure nirvana for a 15 year old Bruins fan. We walked out of there the next day clutching tickets to games 3 and 4 of the finals, feeling like we had just hit the lottery, and we had, of course, because we were standing high in the gallery during the game 4 overtime period, screaming and yelling ourselves hoarse, when we all learned that number 4 could fly.

Ah, memories. As I said before though, I don’t bring this up to diminish what this year’s team has done; it’s just hard to think of any Bruins team without measuring them up with The Big Bad Bruins of my youth. This season was just as exciting, but for much different reasons.

That 1970 team seemed predestined for coronation; the Orr era Bruins were akin to the Montana era Niners, you just knew they were going to win, and we ate it up. The excitement they generated with their spectacular play and bloody fights, combined with the unabashed hero worship of my youth and the new found freedom our parents had afforded us that spring was totally intoxicating, and it left an indelible mark on me.

This 2011 Bruins Championship was exciting because the outcome was always in doubt. Close, hard fought games, incredible plays, incredible hustle, and incredible determination. They personified team, and made you proud to be a fan.

As I said; just as exciting, but for much different reasons.

On a sad note; I lost 2 of those Bruin loving, larger than life Uncles during this past season, one of them passing just before game five. I like to think they went to join my Dad, and they were all watching from the gallery as that final horn sounded and bedlam ensued. In my mind’s eye I can see the pure joy and excitement on their faces. It’s such a clear and beautiful image that it has to be true.

That is all.

Not Such Deep Thoughts: Countdown To Christmas Edition

From the Christmas can be dangerous department; This year I only whacked my head once getting the tree and ornaments out of the attic. As I was climbing down with the last load I was thinking that I had gotten out of it a little too easily this year, and sure enough, my load suddenly shifted and a large storage container of breakable ornaments started a slow slide off the top of the pile. Supporting the other container with my knee as I wobbled precariously on one leg on the drop down stairs, I snatched the escaping container before it dropped, and consequently smashed the back of my hand on the metal hinges. Although the knuckles bruised and the back of my hand has swollen up considerably, I still considered it a small victory. I usually end up sporting a bloody gash on my head at Christmas, so a gnarly hand is nothin, I can just keep it in my pocket. Plus, I didn’t smash all the ornaments. Win, win!


Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses are my new holiday favorites. Little crispy chunks of candy canes in them. Mmmm.


The best bang for your buck gift this year is LCD Televisions in the 32 to 46” range. You can find top of the line sets like Samsung, Sharp and Sony on sale from $300 to $800. The Samsung LN46C630 has been on sale for as low as $750, that’s just slightly more than half of what I paid for my 32” 2 years ago. Not bad. I know it’s late to still be shopping for big gifts, but if Santa were to leave you a few gift cards or some of the long green, you might want to think about it. Do your homework first though, cuz if you find a good price online, most places will match it. Also, keep in mind that some places (like Paul’s TV) will deliver and set the TV up, same day, for free. See, there are some good things about a bad economy!


Speaking of bang for your buck, if you’re looking for something less expensive that will still put a smile on your geek’s face, check out both the Roku Box and Apple TV. For under $100, you can stream movies, photos and music from the internet to your TV. The Roku comes in 3 flavors, HD ($59), XD ($79) and XDS ($99). I recommend the XDS, it delivers a 1080p picture, has better WiFi and a wider variety of outputs. You’ll need the additional optical audio output if you listen to your music or home theater soundtrack through a separate stereo system. There’s also the Apple TV device, which is very comparable and similarly priced at $99. It only outputs a 720p picture, but it also has an optical audio out. More importantly, if you’re already an iTunes centric household, this is the device you want. When you turn it on, it will automatically seek out and connect to any iTunes library on your network. How cool is that? It’s chilly, Willy.


And while we’re on the subject of gifts, unexpected ones are always the best. I was tense and uptight yesterday on my way to the mall. Work kept calling, even though I’m out on PTO, the traffic sucked, and I was way behind the curve in the Christmas shopping department. All my troubles melted away though when the CD I was listening to ended and I switched over to the radio. Who would have thought that a straight arrow, no nonsense kind of guy like Rex Ryan would be posting foot fetish videos on the interwebs. For the rest of the afternoon I chuckled every time I thought of him saying “Those are nice feet, Ma’am, would you mind if I smell them?” Now don’t get me wrong, I’m a “whatever floats your boat” kind of guy, but when you’re in the public eye as much as Rex is, you have to be a real dope to post videos of yourself and your wife on an internet fetish site. Oh wait, that’s a redundant statement, isn’t it? Well, as they say, if the shoe fits, smell wear it…


Hershey’s Candy Cane Kisses are no longer my favorites. I’m really likin’ these cherry filled ones.


My favorite holiday albums are “A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector” and “A Charlie Brown Christmas”. Two very different sounds, but both are great in their own right. Phil’s “wall of sound” production is a masterpiece, featuring Darlene Love, Ronnie Spector and The Ronnettes and a cast of literally thousands, infusing some old favorites with his pulsing trademark sound. Vince Guaraldi’s “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is a must have for your collection and shouldn’t be dismissed as a silly cartoon soundtrack. The man was a true genius, and his piano work floats and soars through each track against a backdrop of incredible jazz bass and percussion. The recording quality is fantastic, to boot. When I listen to it, it feels as if each note reaches in and gently massages the stress centers of my brain.


How about those Patriots? Man, what a surprising turnaround. When they traded Moss I said we’d probably look back on this trade as the moment this year’s team jelled, and it looks like I was right. I love being right. Why did it make such a difference? Because Tom was always trying to force it in to him. Now he has to look to his other receivers, and he’s got quite the bunch. Branch is back in a big way, and Welker is as dependable as always. Add in the rookie tight ends Hernandez and Gronkowski, plus the slippery little Woodhead, and you have a stable full of sure handed overachievers. How do you defend against that? Blitzing is pretty much the sure bet, but with Mankins back, and these big tight ends, it’s not so easy. And if they do get beat, Brady has a bunch of options for the quick out. I love this team.


Update; these caramel filled kisses are pretty good too!


Speaking of sports, another great and unexpected holiday gift came from the Sox, in the form of Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford. Good acquisitions for the team, and for the Sox’ bottom line; TV ratings and shirt sales had been trending downward, they needed fresh meat.


On a somber note, I haven’t seen our resident bunny in a while, but I have seen a very large fox. The other night I was out doing the trash and he trotted right by me, not more than 10 feet away. He wasn’t the least bit afraid, which leads me to believe he was hungry and on the hunt. My wife wants me to start bringing my cell phone out with me at night. I can see it now, me trying to dial with one hand with a fox clamped on the other. Yeah, right. I have a better idea. I bring out my short trenching shovel. If old Freddy Fox gets within arms reach, I’m gonna El Kabong him into next Christmas. KABONG!


Never mind the caramel filled kisses, these white and dark chocolate swirled ones are… Oh Sh*t! I think I just ate all of the candy for the stockings! My wife is gonna beat me with a stick, or my trenching tool!

I guess I’m not done Christmas shopping after all. Anything open on Christmas Eve?


Merry Christmas to all, and to all, a good night!

Not Such Deep Thoughts: Special Frost On The Pumpkin Edition

So, I’ve been amongst the missing lately. Can’t be helped. I’ve been so busy that some things, like this blog, and my yard, have had to go on the back burner for a while. We’re about ¾’s done with our Man Town makeover, and we’re already halfway into a total gut of our den. Add to that a couple of humungous projects at work both coming due at the same time, and I’m left with nothin’. Most nights I just crash and burn wherever I stop. (Note to self: falling asleep on a kitchen stool is not a good thing, on so many levels…)

It’s a good tired though, because it comes from getting things done and moving forward. The only bad part; things are happening that I want to comment on, and I can’t. Consequently, my mind is filling up with random thoughts that I need to purge, so without further ado, I will now proceed to purge:

I’m convinced that we have some of the strangest and most determined squirrels in existence living in our back yard. Trying to keep them from wiping out our bird feeders is like a never ending chess game. No matter what we come up with, they find a way around it. Lately they’ve come up with a new trick, now they’re eating our pumpkins. They gnaw big holes in them and feast on the seeds, and they don’t just work on one until it’s gone, they hit all three at once. My wife sprinkled them with pepper this year, didn’t deter them. They just waited until a good rain washed it off, and then started in. The greedy little beggars are really starting to bother me. I’m thinking I might be able to make a pretty nice pair of slippers out of them. Would it be a tripping hazard if I left the tails on? That would look pretty cool.

Man, what a season the Pats are having. Nail biting excitement, major drama and a 6 and 1 record, does it get any better than this? I don’t think so.

Speaking of the Pats and major drama; Randy Moss is one far out dude. The guy just can't help himself. I think it stems from the sense of entitlement some of these guys have. They're catered to from High School on, and it gives some of them a really skewed sense of reality. Randy doesn't seem to understand, or care about, the consequences of his actions. He gets his money no matter what he says, or does. If I ever bad mouthed my employer in a news conference, I'd be looking for a new job, and stressing big time. Not old Randy, he just moves on. He’s landed with the Titans this time, good luck to them.

While we’re on the subject of entitlement, I think it’s time for all of us to take a good look in the mirror. Go ahead, take a look, I’ll wait… Ok, you know what you just saw? You saw both the reason for the current economic downturn, and the solution to it. It’s not the banks and big business that have done this to us; we’ve done it to ourselves. Sure, they’ve been a big part of it. The banks were making sketchy loans, and Wall Street was selling shares of nothing, but we bought into it, and we have to change the way we think and act to get ourselves out of it. Its not gonna be a quick fix, either. It’s going to be a long and painful process. We have to refocus on what’s really important in our lives, and cut out all the excesses. No one held a gun to the heads of the people that are walking away from their debts and forced them to buy houses that they couldn’t afford, or to put all their money into a market heavily invested in said bad loans. Our culture of entitlement is to blame. If you can’t make the payments, don’t buy it. If you’re border line on your mortgage, then don’t fill your house with chrome appliances, granite countertops and huge flat panel TV’s. If you’re building a nest egg, put it in the bank; don’t give it away on Wall Street. We all have to start living within our means and being smart if we’re ever gonna get out of this mess.

Along these same lines, I was very disappointed with the recent elections. Part of it was the tone. We’ve reached a point where smear tactics are the norm, and I’ve had enough. I don’t want to watch their nasty ads, and I don’t want them besieging me with their robo-calls. Think any of these pols understand how fruitless this behavior is? Everyone I know has been screening their calls for weeks, and the mute buttons all across America have been working overtime. What a waste. If they took the money they spend on this foolishness and donated it to a good cause, they'd have my attention immediately. The other part of my displeasure is the partisanship. It doesn’t matter whether you vote the Republicans or the Democrats in, if they don’t work together, nothing will change, and they won’t work together as long as we the voters continue with the current lynch mob mentality. They’re petrified to cooperate with “the other side”, in fear of angering their base and getting the boot. I understand people being angry and wanting to clean house, but it doesn’t help. As I said before, there is no quick fix to our current dilemma, and people need to face that fact, as awful as it is. We need to change the game, not the players. We need to insist that our elected leaders work with their opposition, instead of thwarting them at every turn, and we need to do the same. You may not like who ends up getting elected, but you need to support them, regardless. I hear all this talk about change from both sides, but I don’t see any evidence of it. All I see is gridlock and pettiness. Only teamwork gets it done people, try to remember that.

On a lighter note, the Celtics are looking good so far this season, and it’s been a delight to have The Big Shamrock in town. Posing as a statue, leaving autographed sneakers somewhere and tweeting clues to the location to his fans, priceless. He’s been a force to recon with on the court, also. You’ve gotta love this guy, and this team.

Apple has been bitten by a bug once again. This time there’s a glitch in iPhone iOS4.1 and your calendar won’t recognize the switch to Daylight Savings Time. They promise to fix the problem with the release of iOS4.2, and I’m sure they will, but this is just another example of releasing a product before it’s been fully tested. Their breakneck pace on that front is driven by, you guessed it, us. If companies don’t keep up, they get left behind, ‘cause everybody needs and wants that “next big thing” yesterday, even though they know there’s going to be issues. Now I love gadgets as much as the next guy, but I’ve learned the hard way not to be an early adopter. Along with that instant gratification comes issues and regret, always, and I’ve already got a boatload of both, thanks.

On the frost on the (half eaten) pumpkin front, it’s starting to get a bit chilly here in New England, and as I said earlier, we’re in the middle of some remodeling work. Plastic sheeting has become our best friend during this project, it is not, however, a very good insulator. brrrrrrrr. Things are moving pretty quickly though, and I think we’ve finally found a keeper with this contractor. I can do a lot of things, but carpentry is not one of them, so it’s good to have someone who knows what they’re doing, works quickly and is pleasant to deal with. They’re doing a phenomenal job, and really helping us to stay within our budget, which is important. This is a mandatory energy saving thing, not just a beautification project, as last winter we had to nail a quilt over one section of the den wall to stop the draft. It was brutal. The bonus here is that these guys are kind of fun having around, all things considered. You have to be comfortable with a contractor who’s in your house all day, every day, and we are. We’ve had some real beauts in the past…

Argh! While I was writing this, the Pats laid an egg of epic proportions. Make that 6 and 2…

That is all.

Not Such Deep Thoughts; Special Summer Vacation Edition

I’ve been on vacation and maintaining radio silence, so it’s that time again, time to purge all those temporary files that have been building up in my head. There’s a lot, and I need my brain back, so let’s roll;

There’s nothing as relaxing for me as the beach in the late afternoon. The crowds are gone, the sun has mellowed; it’s the best time to be there. Sometimes I just sit in my sand chair and stare at the ocean, sometimes I walk the beach at waters edge, always listening to the rhythmic sounds of the surf and contemplating the vastness of it. It’s so powerful, so unrelenting, it always reminds me that I play only an infinitesimally small part in the workings of the universe, and that always makes my problems seem infinitesimally small, also, and that’s a good thing, as Martha would say.

Speaking of Martha Stewart, I was never a big fan of hers before the whole insider trading thing, but my views on her have changed. She did her time without so much as a squeak, and rather than staying aloof and alone in jail, she actually became a part of daily prison life and made some very unlikely friends. Now I’m not advocating a life of crime, but I do admire people who take their punishment without whining and blubbering, and who don’t write a book about it when they get out. You shouldn’t be rewarded for the errors you make in life (Are you listening, Miss Lohan? I doubt it). While I was on vacation I found one more reason to like her. I saw her on late night TV and she was talking about a “You Tube via On Demand TV” event she had recently attended, and she mentioned that her favorite You Tube video is the same as mine; Sneezing Panda. I just can’t get enough of that video, it cracks me up, and it looks like I’m in good company.

Will the Sox get anybody back from the DL in time to make a difference? It’s not looking good.

And speaking of the DL, Jacoby Ellsbury is no Wes Welker.

Two weeks is the perfect amount of time for a vacation. The first week you start to wind down, by that middle Saturday you’ve hit TRM (Totally Relaxed Mode), and when the end finally approaches, you’re usually more than ready to get back home to your creature comforts, and your creatures.

Speaking of both vacations and creatures, our cats are wicked smart, and they know when we’re getting ready for vacation. It always plays out the same; the minute a suitcase comes out, their little dance starts. First they get a little standoffish, ignoring us unless we’re trying to pack, then they’re either on or in the suit cases. Maybe they’re thinking that preventing us from packing will prevent us from leaving. It all culminates when we’re closing up to leave, and one or both of them bites or scratches me when I go to give them a goodbye pat. Always the same. There’s also a minor variation of “the dance” when we get home. When we first come in, they’re all over us, but then there’s a lull in the action. It’s almost like they’ve just remembered that we deserted them and they’ve decided to give us the cold shoulder. It doesn’t last too long though; they’re usually back underfoot pretty quickly. By the time we hit the rack, they’re usually both in the bedroom with us, purring and snoozeling in their favorite spots. I really missed that while we were away.

From the “Be careful what you wish for” department; as I said before, I was way ready to get home and get back to business by the end of my vacation. That lasted for all of a day. I had conveniently forgotten that I was going to have people who had been waiting the whole two weeks to talk to me, both at home and at work, and they all pounced on me on that first Monday back. Contractors, Drs., Lawyers, customers, bosses, friends and family, everybody wanted a piece of me. Sheesh, it was a nightmare. I don’t think I left work before 7pm any night last week, and I’m pretty sure I only had time for lunch twice. Plus, when I did finally get home there were lots of chores that had backed up, and little time or energy left to do them. It’s interesting to me that people don’t understand, or don’t care to understand, that when you get back from an extended absence you can’t dedicate large blocks of time to them. It’s not that you don’t want to; it’s just that there are too many things that need attention, at least for the first couple of days. Instead, everyone clamors to be first, and consequently things go to hell in a hand basket. No matter how hard you work, you end up pissing people off, and that’s very frustrating. I call it the “Vacation Residual Factor”, and it’s as certain as death and taxes.

Brady will not be a holdout. It’s just not his style. If a deal doesn’t get done, he’ll fulfill his obligation and he won’t grouse publically. I’m also sure that privately he’ll make it known to Bill and Bob, and I don’t mean the roast beef guys, that he’ll be entertaining all offers next year, and that there will be no home town discounts. Can you blame him? Life is uncertain in the NFL, and although Tom will probably go on to something equally as lucrative when he retires, he’d be a fool not to look for that last big payday. Will the Patriots ante up to keep him going forward? Hard to say. If it were just up to Bill, I’m sure the team would roll the dice and let him move on, but it’s not just up to Bill. Mr. Kraft doesn’t appear to meddle in team affairs that often, but he is a shrewd business man. He knows that in these tough economic times, marquis players can still fill seats, even if a team is not performing all that well, and that’s what it all comes down to; filling seats.

I have an idea for a new reality TV show; The Real Housewives of Revere Vacation at the Vineyard. It’ll be great. I got the idea when a group of 8 to 10 women moved into our condo complex on our last weekend there. It was hard to get a count, because I didn’t really have enough time to distinguish amongst them. They were all between 30 and 40, and they were always coifed to the max. Big hair, makeup, jewelry, high heeled sandals and bathing suits. You just knew they weren’t headed to the beach. Uh-uh, no sand in the butt crack or salt in the hair for these ladies. It was a really scorching week, as it has been everywhere, so I couldn’t help wondering how they were going to keep that look without staying indoors. I’m betting they spent most of their time in the clubs on Circuit Ave. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but the island is more of a beach and water sports kind of place during the day, and has a definite low key bohemian flavor at night. When I’m there, getting dressed up for dinner means switching from T shirt, bathing suit and sandals to semi clean shorts, a polo and sneakers. Sometimes I even rinse the salt and sand off too, but not often. So here are my plot thoughts; the cameras follow the ladies around as they try to move about the island without their “look” melting, or as they go to a gallery opening and mingle with the local barefoot artists. They could even go fishing for blues, the possibilities are endless. Forget Jersey Shores, this show will have ten Snookies, and not a Guido or a dance club in sight. You know they’re gonna mix it up with someone before the vacation is over. I love it!

I’d like to see the Shaq Daddy end his career in Celtic green. I’ve always loved watching the big man play, even when he was a Laker, and I think he’s still got enough left in the tank to be fierce off the bench. He’d give them the size and muscle they need, and it would be a treat to see.

Speaking of having something left in the tank, I’m loving my Toyota Highlander. My previous vehicle was a Dodge Durango, and although it had all kinds of payload space, it was a real gas guzzler. Because of the high price of gas on the island, I always stop and top off in Falmouth before getting on the ferry. The Durango usually took 7 to 10 bucks to top off after the ride to the Cape. In contrast, it only took 72 cents to top off the Highlander. Nice. Being able to watch a DVD while I wait for the ferry isn’t half bad either.

Because we’ve been going with a beach vacation theme here, I’ll leave you with this last thought. It’s a neat little excerpt from the book "How to Live At the Beach," by Sandy Gingras:

“At the beach, life is different. A day moves not from hour to hour but leaps from mood to moment. We go with the currents, plan around the tides, follow the sun. We measure happiness by nothing we can hold... nothing we can catch. Everywhere…Life is jumping and elusive and momentously momentary. We want to [stretch] the days, distill the memories, make them last. At the same time, we know that the beauty is in the evanescence. Every wave comes in, then retreats. Every day promises, then turns its back and slips away. Every joy has a little tease in it, a give and a take, and leaves a wake of longing."

That is all.