It was the bottom of the 9th when I decided to check on Baseball’s All Star game. Little did I know it would continue into the 12th inning. I’m just watching it on Gameday, so I haven’t seen much of what has transpired. I do know that both teams have had scoring chances in those extra innings. The game should be over by now.
The game will now go into the 13th inning… They should be able to get everyone in now, don’t you think?
15 innings!!!
It is extremely interesting to learn that one of the most recognizable songs sung at sporting events has had such a long history. The tune is celebrating its 100th anniversary and has only been officially sung at events since 1976 when Harry Carey (then a Chicago White Sox broadcaster) went from singing it between commercial breaks to himself to initiating the traditional seventh-inning stretch. Funny how something that he initially frowned upon would become one of his trademarks. So much so that after his death, celebrities were invited to go up to the box at Wrigley Field and sing to varying degrees of success. Read the interesting history of the song
Take Me Out to the Ballgame Now 100
Recently while reading an email from playbill.com, I discovered that Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities
It has been sometime since I have read A Tale of Two Cities. I do remember the character of Madame DeFarge (by name alone but she must be a memorable character). But, like Les Miserables, it is set during the time of the French Revolution. Reading some of the reviews from premiere stagings at the Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota, Florida it sounds like it could enjoy a decent run in New York (if not it will be “the worst of times” for those involved). You can read a synopsis of the show and listen to songs from the show at the website.
You can get tickets to see the new musical or other shows at TicketsNow Homepage
So…ok…I have taken a bit of a hiatus from the AFI list of 10 best in 10 genres. I think almost every major sport is featured in at least one movie. Baseball, basketball, football, bowling, dodgeball, and racing to name a few. Most seem to feature the underdog overcoming insurmountable odds to triumph over the adversary… be it physically or metaphorically. Sometimes the underdog does not always win. But here is the list.
I must admit that I have not seen three of these movies (Raging Bull, National Velvet, nor The Hustler). There are so many better films then Jerry Maguire: A League of Their Own (I only see one movie listed focusing on a female competitor). I also like the Robert Redford baseball tale The Natural. Or Remember the Titans but it seems that cinemas have been bombarded by feel-good or tragic football stories of late.
My personal favorite is Hoosiers. It not only tells the story of a small-town high school basketball program overcoming huge obstacles to get to the state finals, but it also paints a beautiful backdrop of rural farmlife in 1950s Indiana. In true form, most of the folks living in the town of Hickory (Hicks?) live and breathe basketball. When teenage boys are not helping in the fields or at school, they are outside dribbling a basketball or in the gym. Coming from a very small town, I can actually place real, personal hometown characters in the roles When the movie was released in 1986, it was a great sleeper (produced on a minimal budget and went on to surprise everyone at the box office). It also won Oscars for Best Supporting Actor (Dennis Hopper) and Best Original Score. Yes, the music actually sets the tone throughout the entire movie. The great Gene Hackman was unfortunately overlooked.
You can rent all of these and other sports movies with BLOCKBUSTER Total Access – First month $9.99, Rent Online, Exchange In-Store
The following contains information and possible spoilers about the Mole episode that aired on July 14. Do not keep reading if you haven’t seen it – consider yourself warned!
We’re getting down to the nitty gritty – there is only one woman left for one thing, who would have thought that it would be Nicole. It was a rarity, but my 8-year-old daughter was the last one standing last night, so she was invited to watch the Mole with us. I know it’s rated TV-14, but it’s just for language, and she knows better than to repeat some things they say… it did bring it to my attention though; I would otherwise ignore it, but why can’t they just leave it out? Do they really need to say words like (fill in the blanks) a** and c*ap on tv? I don’t see why they can’t just edit them out. But anyway, she really liked the show, and she said that everyone acts suspicious. Her final guess for the most mole-y behavior is Nicole though, so I will add her to our poll at the end of this post.
Since we have a new baby in the house, I am SO tired, and it seems like the more tired I am, the worse my short-term memory is. So I don’t remember too many details about the Mole, even though it was just on last night. I was not surprised to see Alex booted, and if I had had one eye on the clock, I would have known that the first person’s quiz results they showed would be red this time. They do that at least once a season – eliminate the first person whose results were given. I figured Alex wasn’t the Mole, so it was no surprise when he was booted. It was fun to watch how scared everyone got before they dove backwards off the plank. I didn’t get much out of the brainteaser game because I would normally like to play along with something like that, but my brain is so fried lately and they didn’t give us enough time to think about the answers, so I just spent the challenge answered my daughter’s questions about the show instead. But I’d have to say, aside from the language, it’s a good family show since it kept my 8-year-old’s attention, and I think my 4-year-old would like it too.
Mole Guesses for this week:
Taylor – Nicole
Chris – staying with Paul
Taylhis – staying with Nicole
Jamiahsh – staying with Paul
Hmmm… interesting. The two people with the strongest personalities have the most guesses. I guess we think they could be exaggerating their attitudes. At least that’s how I feel with Nicole. I’ve begun to wonder, could anyone REALLY be that much of a total b*tch?
An Inventions Quiz, 15 famous inventors and their inventions.
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I should tell you my score, but I will wait until you get a chance.
I have a better thought. I will leave a clue to my score in the text of this post. In fact, if you can puzzle out the clue, you can report my score. I thought of a way to give a clue, but I think I need to do better than that. I am positive I can do better than that.
Yes, there is a clue or more in this post. I found a way to give multiple clues. In fact, the number of clues I created points to a clue. Can you figure it out?
This is another post obviously trying to get more people to comment. I’m hoping an interactive post is the answer.
I’m having too much fun. I think it is time to stop.
The title of this article just got to me. For some reason it just tickled my sense of humor.
….NASA Sticks a Fork in Mars, I hope they remembered the knife and spoon.
Anyway, I do like the work the landers and orbiters are doing on Mars. In the past few years, we’ve learned a lot about the next planet out. I’ll keep on looking for updates on what exactly this probe finds, so I can make a comment or two on that.
Superhero comic books can be fickle things. They continuously shift from one interpretation to another I believe to adapt to the times and conditions in the “real world.” One of the greatest villains in all of superhero legend is The Joker . However, it has never been stated definitively how he came to be or even what his backstory is. There have been multiple interpretations involving a vat of chemicals that he falls into that gave him his distorted image with that ever-present maniacal grin, green hair, and pasty-white face. For purposes of plot alone, the 1988 Tim Burton directed Batman
Over the years, the Joker has been the instrument in two major tragedies in The Dark Knight’s history (or three if you are going to follow Tim Burton’s interpretation). In the aforementioned The Killing Joke, he shoots Police Commissioner Gordon’s daughter, Barbara in the back rendering her paralyzed and ending her career as Batgirl. However, Barbara later returned as the heroine Oracle who uses her computer expertise to aide in the fight against crime.
Another incident involved Batman’s closest ally, Robin the Boy Wonder. After Bruce Wayne’s “youthful ward Dick Grayson” matured he became known as Nightwing and left the Batcave. A new Robin was introduced in Jason Todd. In Batman: A Death in the Family
On Friday, audiences will see a new, even darker, more sinister Joker as portrayed by the late Heath Ledger. Who knows what interpretation will be presented for the villain. For more on the history of one of the best characters in comic book legend click on the link
The Dark Knight : Enter to win a trip to Hong Kong!
Today I took a trip back in time, sort of. For just a little while, I was back 20+ years ago having a donut with my little girl. She’s no longer the 2 or 3 year old I would carry on my shoulders for 4 blocks to the donut shop, and she definitely eats more than 1/2 a donut now. But just for an instant I saw that very young father, and his daughter in the refection of the door entering the donut shop.
The shop changed in the past 20 years. There is no longer a bar with stools to sit and watch the frenzy behind the counter. The library and store that as across the street no longer exist in that location. The apartments still looked the same.
They say you can’t go back, and of course that is true. I would never want to try to live in that little apartment again. I’ve grown to comfortable living in the country away from the noise, the lights and the people. I like the silence and the darkness. Most of the time this suits who I am.
I’ve changed over the past few years, but I haven’t changed to the point where I can’t enjoy a quick trip to the donut shop with one of my girls. I hope all my girls have some special memory of things they did with their parents. I know I have some for each of them…
This weekend was for the most part very enjoyable. My shifts over the last two days just dragged by. Friday, I did not have to work and except for a trip to a nearby metropolis to renew my license plate tags, pick up a prize at the radio station,, and stop and pick up a present for a baby, I waited by the phone in anticipation to hear some good news. Finally, around 5.20 PM I get a call from the hospital saying that mother and baby are just fine.. an 8 lb 2oz baby boy. Some nerve wracking episodes but all worked out well for their fourth child and first boy.
Saturday’s shift could not have been slower because I knew that I would have a phone call telling me where to go after I got off… and sure enough. I headed over to the hospital to see the little bundle of joy complete with a green slimy diaper that I watched Daddy change. After visiting with Mom and another visitor, we went and ate Chinese. We then went to the house where we quickly moved a crib from the nursery into the parent’s room. We had to totally disassemble the device and put it back together all while Dad was talking on the phone. Correct me if I am wrong but we had the crib together in half the time that it took to take it apart. We then played a game called Snout
