A Day That Makes You Optimistic or Pessimistic

It was 12:30 PM when I realized my keys were among the missing as I left the downtown office.

My face contorted into an angle of, I don't want to have to deal with this, and I texted Danielle. That morning Danielle had locked the doors behind me as I left the house and even though I was 99 percent positive I had my keys when I left I had to perform my due diligence.

By the time I got to the uptown office Danielle had left me a text and phone call - she had locked the door behind me though she had no seen my keys.

The issue was growing a little larger as I was scheduled to pick up Sienna at 5:30 and Danielle was scheduled to work late. I gave Danielle a call and in a worse case scenario we figured I found venture out to her work place - only an hour trip round way - and get the keys.

She added, "We're going to have to change the locks too since your keys have the New York Sports Club thing where someone could go in and find your address."

I pseudo-scoffed. I call it a pseudo-scoff when you know the other person is correct, yet you still want to disbelieve the information. The pseudo-scoff is a useful weapon in situations dealing with bills, dating, and college grades. I was going with the theory that it would take a lot of effort to figure out where I lived using a NYSC vob. Okay, maybe not. Still, who would go into the NYSC with a vob and a story?

Half an hour later the New York Sports Club called me. A good Samaritan had found my keys, saw the vob, and walked the keys to the New York Sports Club.

Society wins again! No attempt at thievery - though I made a strong mental note how easy it could be (never doubt the wife). I called Danielle to let her know all was well with the keys, that our child would be picked up on time and she should enjoy her day.

It was 5:39 PM - in the midst of running Sienna's bath water - when credit card fraud services contacted me to tell me that someone had used my credit card number for an unauthorized purchase and I would need to cut up my card.

Well, at least I have my keys.

Wayne

Statements I Hate: If You Don't Include...

"If you don't include all of the people in China then Democracy is the most used type of government."

Frank Barberi said that to a group of us in social studies class in High School. I raised my hand and asked what I thought was a logical followup question, Don't we include the people of China since they exist?

In the annals of student v teacher Mr. Barberi won the conversation since he was the man controlling the grades.* I would like to say after class Mr. Barberi put his arm around my shoulder and complimented me on my critical thinking - nope, nothing like that. At least I didn't get detention for questioning authority.

I remember his statement since it is the first time it is a specific example I can recall. It drives me nuts since it appears on tv, in sports broadcasts, reports, and really any other place where people want to ignore a part of data that does not defend the point being made.

I feel like it is only a matter of time before we hear the following statement, "If you discount all the people who don't have jobs, unemployment is really okay."

I insist in all conversations we include all data. I know. Weird, right.

Wayne

* Barberi was the master of the simple observation sometimes. I got into a fight after school and he saw me a couple of hours later in the gym since I wrestled and the teachers played basketball before wrestling practice. "I heard you got in a fight," he told me. "Do I look like I got into a fight?" I replied, with nary a bruise on my body. "You might have actually won," he added. It was a great point. Sometimes the winner doesn't look any worse for wear

Sienna the Giant

Someday Sienna is going to say she hates it when her parents are right.

It is a rite of passage that starts when we are young, finally admit that it is plausible when we are toddlers, forget when we are teenagers, and remember when we reach college.

Sometimes our parents are right.

Both Grandma Trudy (Sessa side of the family) and Nono (Parillo side of the family) pointed out how the children grow up quickly. That in a blink of an eye the child will be talking back and time stops being linear and somehow manages to fold back on itself, turn into a pretzel, and the memories become hazy on "what age did that happen?"

Okay the time part is my thought and this only after 4.5 months.

Sienna is a giant. She is strong. She flips herself around. She rolls herself into a circle. She grabs Scudder and come back with a handful of fur.* She is just over 11 pounds now - large enough to face in the world in both her Baby Bjorn and stroller - which is double her birth wait.

It makes sense that Danielle and I think she is a giant. Relatively speaking her body mass has doubled. She looks around on her own and has gone from reflexively smiling at everyone to sizing everyone up.

Which brings me back to my original statement: I hate when my (our) parents are right. This kid is growing up in a flash and Danielle and are constantly amazed at how she manages to be growing so quickly, yet seemingly around forever already.

Wayne

* I swear Scudder looks at her and tries to figure out how she went from half his size to bigger than him in such a short period of time. Or he could be figuring out when she'll be able to work a can opener.

Coverage of Whitey Bulger

I am fascinated by the way the Whitey Bulger coverage has been. When (alleged) gangster John Gotti was arrested I recall there was almost a Robin Hood/it-is-okay quality to a lot of Gotti's lore - almost that he was a good guy who just happened to be a criminal. The Godfathering of the American dream.

The papers seemed far more interesting to yell RAT!*

I have yet to see anyone say RAT when it comes to the capture of Whitey Bulger.

It is almost the opposite. A mini-celebration that he was caught via essentially a marketing campaign. There is a general pleasantness that people are no longer celebrating him on the run - they are celebrating that an (alleged) murdered was caught.

Though part of me wonders if some of this will change when a lawyer eventually points out that Bulger was an inspiration for Jack Nicholson's character in The Departed. After all, if John Gotti gives us memories of Marlon Brando in the Godfather then certainly Bulger will get a little movie cache for some of this.

Wayne

* I HATE when news uses the term RAT when it comes to mob dealings.

Previews That Bum Me Out: Transformers 3

I admit that I am a sucker for movie previews. There is a little game I like to play with Danielle during the previews called Over/Under where I announce how many trailers we are about to see and then Danielle guesses the over/under.

I didn't say it was a complicated game people.

I will not be the first person to add the following: I believe that there is a correlation between Suck Level/How Much They Show during the preview, as in the more they show in the preview, the worse the movie.

Every now and again the preview gets me good. The latest involved a secret mission to the dark side of the moon, (presumably) an item gets taken off said moon, all heck breaks loose. A perfect summer blockbuster and...holy crud it's for Transformers 3?

Not going to see it. Well done though for making an interesting trailer though. Well done indeed Transformers 3.

Wayne

Quantifying Luck

Luck = opportunity + preparedness.

At least that is how the old saying go. Right now Kevin Correia of the Pittsburgh Pirates is a case study in luck. His record stands at a robust lots more wins than loses. Normally not an issue, except in the world of sabermetrics where we recognize that Wins are a result of a team effort then we are left with Correia's peripheral stats of K/9, Fip, et cetera.

Rather than delve into those stats I am going to sit here and wonder whether a team can actually give better effort behind a certain pitcher. I've played enough baseball in my life to understand that there are some days someone you don't like is pitching and, as much as this is a game of professionals it is played by human beings who happen to be professionals, well there are opportunities to not try.

In major league baseball a hitter can give up a bat. Or not run our a hit. Or not hustle after a ball. Difficult to quantify - certainly; possible that it happens - certainly.

Wayne

Common Sense - You Quit: Why Would I Hire You?

Jim Riggleman had six months left on his contract and was upset that his option wasn't being pick up by the Nationals. My initial reaction to this information yesterday is exactly the same as my current reaction: you quit, why would I hire you?

Yep. That is my blog entry.

Wayne

An Analogy for a Trade: Don't Touch My Pabst!

Right now I am attempting to negotiate a trade in my fantasy baseball league. Since talking specifically about fantasy baseball is right beside watching someone receive a root canal or being a single person hearing about someones child I'll just give you the big details.

• I am in fourth place



• The person I am trying to trade with is in last place (11 teams NL only league)



• I can't really move that far up in pitching

Hmmm, this is boring. I'll flip on my analogy switch here and see if I can make this more interesting.

I am hanging in a bar and I have bought a bunch of cheap beer - I'll say Pabst Blue Ribbon since I love Pabst Blue Ribbon - that I've been sharing with people while I get liquored up; meanwhile my buddy came in and spent a lot of his money on the best beer in the house - a micro brewed Porter developed in the Hills of Atlantis by Siberian Monks in conjunction with the Lost Tribe of Israel.

Rare stuff indeed.

Though I am having a MUCH better time than my buddy. His beer isn't overcoming the horrible outfit he is wearing and my eclectic t-shirt and torn jeans is a hit for some reason. We are regulars at this bar, we'll be back next week actually, and my buddy is considering some new options. Maybe his Porter for some of my Pabst? He can save my Pabst for the next couple of times - though he has the option of buying his Porter again next time. For me the Porter is going to be finished here and now.

Being a nice guy I offer him SOME of my Pabst - the Porter might make some difference to me - after all I've already got people I'm sharing with who might stick around and I wouldn't mind ending the evening with a tastier treat.

My buddy though, not interested until I give him almost all of my beer!

ALMOST ALL OF MY BEER?! It know it is Pabst and didn't cost me a lot but goodness gracious. Actually my buddy isn't being THAT unreasonable. Lots of

Actually I think John Nash covered his in a Beautiful Mind. It is called Game Theory and applies to any situation. Right now my opponent and I are both overvaluing our beers and won't get anything from it. Luckily I am in the point where there is minimal improvement if I end up with his beer - he will eventually get something for his Porter - just not from me.

Why? I checked with Danielle and she told me not to trade too much of my beer away! Always listen to the wife.

Wayne

The Flying Spaghetti Monster & Other Would-Be Deities

In a world of monotheism I find it always amusing when an article talks about a Sports God, or a God of Commerce, or a God of Wisdom. We are a world that even has the Flying Spaghetti Monster who wikipedia helpfully states is "the deity of the parody of religion."

I thought I'd add a few of my own. Those I think about on a daily or semi-daily form.

• Caffeinus The God of Coffee and caffeinated beverages. It (gender neutral purposely) has a large and dedicated amount of followers. The motto: Give me your tired...


• Hypocrus For those who say one thing and do another. Popular among fear mongers, politicians and hedge funds. The motto: It is just business


• Sporticles If a God could be willed into existence this one would already exist. Maybe it already does. The motto (for winners) Yes! Thank you God! (for losers) No! Why God why?


• Parklypus People worship this God receive excellent parking karma. Motto: I DO find a spot
  
  Don't forget about Parkyplus's city dwelling twin...


• Subwaylypus. Patron Saint of Subway riders. Dedicated followers receive excellent subway karma. Who wouldn't worship this would be deity? Motto: I am on time


• Loosus Patron Saint of small change. Divine inspiration in those times of not enough time and not enough change. Motto: I have 37 cents? What do I do with that?

Really those are the top ones I can think of in my daily adventures.

Wayne

Danielle's First Birthday with Sienna

The statement marks the next chapter in your book of life. When you are born it is "your first...when you roll over" the statement continues to evolve from your teenage years, to college, to post-college, to engagement, to marriage* to "your first...since the baby was born." Danielle's favorite birthday with me was her "first birthday as a couple when I took her on an airplane ride around the city."

I celebrated Danielle's first birthday since Sienna was born by taking the day off from work. What can I say? I am still a romantic at heart when it comes to my wife. What did we do with Sienna on Danielle's first birthday?

Left Sienna in daycare for most of the day!

I dropped Sienna off then Danielle and I went into the city to start the birthday day. We picked up comic books - we knew her Buffy trade paperback was waiting- we went for a couples massage, a great lunch at the Tea Room consisting of a lamb sandwich and an eggplant sandwich, then we did a little shopping at Babies R' Us and THEN...

...we picked up Sienna from day care a couple of hours early. We then took her to a local store to buy a really cool toy that we saw someone elses child with.

We love our daughter dearly, yet a great day together is great. A day with daughter is great too. Let us continue with day here...

While Danielle played with Sienna on the floor at home I ventured out to do laundry** Danielle then put Sienna in the Baby Bjorn as we picked up our laundry and proceeded to push it around Brooklyn while we stopped off at the fish store in preparation for a pasta/shrimp/sausage dinner.

Some reading time with Sienna and then Danielle and I made dinner together. Then we did what all married couples with a child do...we went to bed a little early.

Danielle called it her best birthday ever.

Wayne

* Actual path may change depending on person reading the story

** We are practical people

Mets Dash & the Hidden Perks of the Child

"Ohmygodlookhowcutethhatis!" Most women have the unique ability to convert an entire sentence into a single thought to somehow state the thought out loud without sounding like they have a mouth full of marbles. As a male all I can do is reverse engineer the statement and fill in the missing parts like the rendering of an image. I heard: Oh, cute, and that. The rest of the sentence filled in accordingly.

A very attractive woman was looking at myself and Sienna* - or more specifically daughter facing the world while being held snuggly in place against her father's chest via a Baby Bjorn. Thankfully my father had warned me of this specific moment. Yes, in a world of fatherly advice about taxes, drinking and the awesomeness of a garage sale my father's FAVORITE memories of my brother and I as little children was carrying us around beaches while attractive women would come up and tell him how cute his children was (he would only take us one at a time).

Consider it a hidden perk of a child.

A non-hidden perk of Sienna is one I have been aware of since Danielle started working for the Mets: the Mets Kids' Dash. Children age 12 and under run around the bases at Citi Field. Children that are too young to run the bases are accompanied by an adult. I like the Mets Dash so much I've tried to borrow children the last couple of years. Okay, I really like the concept of running around the bases.

Yesterday, the finest Sunday EVER as far as I was concerned, was a Mets Dash and we went to the game. Heck yeah I carried my child around the infield. I "fist bumped" with Mr. Met**. I avoided being trampled by other children as they sprinted around the bases.

I think Sienna may have even been awake for it.

It really is amazing (no pun intended) watching the kids run around the bases - pure joy, optimism, and the parents grinning like the Cheshire Cat. Danielle has worked the Mets Kids' Dash in the past and warned me how fun it turns out. It really is a great reminder of both baseball and a hidden perk of raising a child.

The moral of the story: Whether it is walking down the street or running around bases Ican'thelpfindhiddenperksofthechild.

Wayne

*The attactive woman's Europeanly handsome swarthy boyfriend seemed equally amused at her reaction.

**I don't think Mr Met recalls last season how myself and some very inebriated friends nearly tackled him in the Delta Club in an effort to get a picture.

New Orleans Legends

I thought I'd end my triple set postings of what I'd like to see in film and stories with some talks about New Orleans legends. I am not talking about ghost stories from New Orleans, or vampires, or voodoo - those elements have been done to death (no pun intended) in places like the History channel, Preacher, and the thousands of vampires series out there.

I am talking about the really weird stuff that gets whispered about in New Orleans on the Haunted History tour. Stories like a family throwing wild parties that would be so loud that it would overcome the screams of torture in the house. The story about a family whose own slaves were trapped beneath floor boards in the home and the screams were heard - only locals thought the house was haunted so the locals never freed the slaves. The story about a family where the father was a doctor and cracked the bones of a captive and reshaped the person until he looked like a human spider.

The story that the family escaped New Orleans and was never heard from again.

That is the scary stuff in stories. The stories of the ones that got away.

New Orleans has a thousand stories like that. Where pirates fight battles for the city. Where New Orleans surrenders the city without a shot and lets the British continue upriver where they are subsequently mowed down by people with more accurate shots.

It is an amazing city that has way more tales than ghosts, vampires, and voodoo.

Wayne

Other Mysteries I'd Like to See Movies About

My mind is still on Atlantis. I cannot help it. Like I said. I love a good mystery. Or a good story. Here are a list of some mysteries that I'd really like to see in some sort of movie or book form. Major credit goes to the book American Gods for covering the entire realm of Gods still walking the earth.

• Oak Island Mystery. The following are rumors about Oak Island: buried treasure, pirates, a treasure from the Knights Templar. The following is fact: it has a fake beach and underground caverns
• The Mayans. They were so far technologically advanced that people actually believe they have predicted the end time. Oh there are a couple of "end of world" type movies coming out. I would like a movie about their civilization since the VICTORS of Mayan games would be decapitated as a gift to the Gods.
• The Robber Barrons. A movie depicting the truth about the most screwed up people in American history. They screwed over EVERYONE and were amazing at it.
• The Rothschilds. If you believe rumors they are responsible for all banking the world, the Star of David was originally their symbol, and this line of this entry will be deleted automatically before posting even happens
• The Navy Origins. You know the whole "from the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli" line? It is because the first Navy mission set in motion by Thomas Jefferson. Though it wasn't really the first mission since it did not officially exist in case it failed. By the time it was over the guy who should have been the hero used his own money to win the battle, was never paid back, was drummed out of politics, and had a crap-tastic life. You're welcome.
• The Whores of Hawaii. During WWII the prostitutes of Hawaii helped fight Japanese insurgents.

Start writing people. Those are some of the stories I want to hear. Or read. Or watch.

Wayne

Why No Good Atlantis Movies?

I fully admit that I have an odd love affair with the movie the National Treasure -despite it including the punchline to a joke acting of Nic Cage - or really any movie that uses history, no matter how ill informed, plotless, or otherwise inane. If the movie Sahara - despite it including the punchline to a joke acting Matthew McConaughey - is on I stop everything I'm doing to marvel on whether I think the movie is plausible or not. Noah Wylie's The Librarian puts them all to shame though.

I have not come here to bury, praise, or pontificate on those movies - I am here since I am a curious type: why have not seen one movie about Atlantis. Maybe they are out there and I just don't know about them. All I know is I have never heard about any of them.

Atlantis is mentioned in The Illiad and seems to be a permanent fixture on the Discovery and History Channel as far as questions on its very existence. You think this would be perfect fodder for Hollywood, yet it has fallen between the lines.

Here is what it has going for it

• The Illiad gave us Troy which gave us the awful movie Troy. With that type of pedigree you think we'd see the movie about a super race of people that were wiped out by an even more super race of people.
• It involves a super advanced civilization. The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull had aliens and an advanced race you would think that - actually scratch that comparison.
• History points out that Sardinia is the most likely site of Atlantis and that the advanced society was blown out of existence when a volcano exploded and blew up half of the island. If we can't find a nice moral tale in there anyone I'll be damned.
• People are interested in it. Google Atlantis and see how much material comes up.

No matter what I hope that someday we get to see a decent move about Atlantis. Right now the closest Atlantian based entertainment we get is from the comic Aquaman. Certainly the world can do a lot better.

Wayne

Inner Monologue While Watching the Mets Tonight

The paranthesis includes the inner monologue at the time

• Sienna is down for the night I'll put on the Mets game (I wonder if the Mets can break .500)



• Hmmm, R.A. Dickey doesn't look so good (It was bound to happen)



• Mmm, dinner is tasty tonight (Mmm, dinner IS tasty tonight)



• Crud, the Mets are down by three (They seem to not want to break .500)



• Did that first basemen trip Angel Pagan (Please don't go on the DL Angel...please don't go on the DL).



• Holy crap, Hairston tied the game! (He is still alive?)



• Holy crap, the Mets are up by one (This was unexpected)



• Holy crap, the Mets are up by two (That second run was huge!)



• K-Rod in for the save and he has twenty in a row (I thought he blew a save)



• Ah, they just said K-Rod blew his first save opportunity of this year and has run off twenty in a row (I knew I wasn't crazy)



• Run on first (I believe)



• Chipper Jones isn't in the game (I still believe)



• Two run homer (Motherf*cker!)



• Mets lose. On a balk. (That was rather inventive)



• At least dinner was good (It really WAS good).

Wayne

And the hockey lords did say...

Well the Hockey Lords reached down from the heavens - apparently having been told by the football, baseball, and basketball lords that Boston fans are decent enough people - and deemed the Bruins champions of the NHL Universe.

The law of unintended consequences to this event was additional bragging rights for Boston when it comes to shortest time for the Big Four* championships (seven years) and massive rioting in Vancouver.

Wait. What? Massive rioting in Vancouver?

Yep, the neighbors to the north (west) mostly known for beautiful views, cold winters and a love of sports such as curling set the neighborhood on fire after losing the games. It cannot be unexpected though since Vancouver expressed the same type of sore losing skills after a 1994 Stanley Cup loss.

I am sure it was just a few bad canucks who got out of control. Boston fans express similar sentiments in that we're all not totally disreputable, arrogant, over entitled, pink hat wearing fans. For instance, I do not wear a pink hat.

It is a shame that people will remember the city of Vancouver for this and maybe the hockey lords did see that after the Boston victories we don't light the city on fire and riot. Maybe THAT is why we were rewarded.

Wayne

* Really should be Big Three + Hockey.

Ten Things I'll Tell My Daughter: My Top 10 Video Games

Yeah. I'm loving lists right now. Everyone loves lists. Again, in no particular order I introduce Sienna to video games that Daddy love(s/d).

1. Civilization Revolution My love affair with this game follows the same path as addiction. My friend Mike introduced me to it, my mother-in-law bought me a copy, and I can't stop playing it. I've tried. Lord how I've tried. As a one and two month old Sienna used to sit on my lap and I would explain historical concepts to her using this game.


2. Street Fighter 2 I played this game way too much in High School and was good - then I started hanging out with the Asian kids in the game center at UMass and they took my game to a whole new level. I'm not being racist people, there were ten Asian kids who used to surround the Street Fighter 2 game in the center and beat the heck out of non-Asians (in the game), battle to draws until the final round at which point they would play for real and for some reason accepted me as one of their own.


3. Tetris To this day I am upset that my friend Dennis can beat me at this game. Everyone else I can take. Not Dennis though.


4. Billy Beane Baseball. Danielle was a reporter when she got a test copy of this game for review. I miss her being a reporter as I would free books and games all the time. This game let me be a GM. Sure the AI was flawed and it took me a short time to game the system. Still. I loved it. Apparently I was the only one though.


5. Rampart Someday someone will come up with a console that will allow this game to be a popular home game on the Xbox. It involved a track ball, building castles, and blowing up the enemy.


6. Madden Franchise mode was the greatest invention ever. Ever. EVER!


7. Tecmo Bowl I am convinced that without this game all other sports games would not have come to pass. You can have hours of conversations to this day about what picking each team meant as some sort of reflection of your personality.


8. Paper Boy Danielle destroys me in this game so it makes the list.


9. Ms Pac Man Danielle beat me in this game the first time we ever played. I claim it was because I was outdrinking her with a 2-to-1 ratio in New Orleans. In the subsequent rematch I had her outdrink me by a 2-to-1 ratio (also in New Orleans) and I won. That is correct. I got my future wife drunk so I could beat her in a video game.


10. Legend of Zelda Oh my God did my friends and I take this game seriously. To this day I hear the music and do a combined twitch/smile.


11. (Freebie) Contra I have already talked about this game.

There you have it. Video game dork list.

Wayne

SubwayMoves That I Don't Understand

Maybe it is a matter of the person being confused when I am being nice. Or perhaps I have a really menacing personality.

Twice this past week people with a kid came onto the subway. I offered up my seat. The person politely says "no thank you." At the very next stop someone else gets off the train and...the person with the kid sits down in the seat. One time with a noticeable noise of physical relief.

Someday someone can explain this to me.

Wayne

A Day of Solo Parenting

The weather turned against me for my random day of solo parenting with Sienna. Danielle was heading off to a wedding shower - and since my reader(s) is(are) smart you know that means I got to take Sienna out for the day. The original plan was to take her on her first subway ride, first trip to the comic book store, the Union Square farmers' market and her first trip to Chinatown to the fish monger.

Do what you know is my theory. I went as far as to see if my friend Jeff, owner of the comic book store and hell of a human being, would be there on Saturday to meet Sienna. He is among the important people in life Sienna must meet and learn about. He wasn't going to be around, therefore I'll file that under: at least I tried.

Instead the threat of rain moved in and it was audible time. Parenting, so far, has been about adjusting whatever plan you have in mind when it comes to just about everything. The last place I wanted to be was in Manhattan, carrying a stroller up wet steps and looking for shelter. Manhattan is a wonderful place, yet it strikes me as slightly unprepared for dealing with a crying, wet child. Perhaps it was that other the Babies R' Us I couldn't picture anywhere around Union Square that would be baby friendly.

Park Slope on the other hand...perfectly designed for this possibility. With Sienna's diaper bag firmly in place, rain cover at the ready, and a hat to protect my balding head I set off. It was a great walk to Prospect Park - 45 minutes of workout and I haven't exactly been working out lately.

I introduced Sienna to the lovely concept of dumplings from a moving truck. Then a duck proscuitto tasting which resulted in the purchase of some duck bacon* - though I told her it was not cheating on our butcher since he only has pre-package duck bacon and this was fresh from the farm.

Actually I am pretty sure Sienna is going to be convinced that whenever she goes out in the stroller and daddy is driving it means she is getting food since I pick her up from daycare and then go shopping. This farmer's market visit continued as I picked up some cheese, spicy turkey sausage for sauce, and sweet sausage for calzones.

On the way home from the market I introduced her to another on my favorite concepts: chinese food lunch special. It started raining so I jumped into Mr Wong's Chinese restaurant. The waitresses in there LOVED Sienna and as the rain drizzled I fed her while I picked up General Tso's chicken. More than anything it was the relaxed nature of the staff and that they did not blink that there was a child sitting on the table looking around.

And then on the way home...she fell asleep. Good child. She makes me look good sometimes.

There may not have been comics, yet it was still a great day.

Wayne
* The duck bacon and cheese ended up in Danielle's breakfast omelette

Softball Game Followup

Softball Followup

Oh yeah. The game.

We made it to the semi-finals with a victory, though it was certainly NOT thanks to me. The other team forfeited! Since it was 100 degrees out at the time I understood and since the other team had already made the playoffs too there wasn't much reason to play for standings positions. After all it IS softball.

Through the complications of rules of tie breakers we finished 2nd in the division and get the home game on Tuesday. I guess we were not playing for first place after all, goes to show you what I know.

The day turned weird/fun from there. Since we had the field anyway seven of us - Jason, Matt, Mike, Marc, Eric, Laura and myself too Matt up on his suggestion that we go throw the ball around and have some BP. Pursuant to the fact that I have not played in a month (and that Danielle said it was okay) I joined in.

After three throws on the field...downpour!!!!!

As we are UMass graduates we piled into two cards and went to a bar where we ate 35 cent wings and drank beer. Great time had be all. Or at least what I can recall of it.

Real game followup on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning.

Wayne

Top Food Items I Like to Grill

Since the summer has show up I thought a completely arbitrary list of food I like to grill is in order. This list will be useful for Sienna later in life when she tries to identify why she hates grilled food. The reason is that my grill is located on a balcony outside her window and the door to said balcony is in her room. Yes when my daughter sleeps I still grill.

In no order.

1. Grilled vegetables. Danielle makes it with zucchini, eggplant, and whatever else looks the freshest at the K&Y Supermarket by our apartment


2. Skirt steak. I like it best when I throw some Magic Dust dry rub on it, couple of minutes on each side, throw it on some Mazzola bread and eat. When I want to get "fancy" I add mozzarella and caramelized onions.


3. New York Strip. A little salt, a little pepper, and some high heat. It just works.


4. Jumbo sized Shrimp wrapped in bacon. Either marinated or sprinkled with dry rub. Thrown onto skewers and than flash cooked. The trick with the bacon is to actually pre-cook it a little bit. It makes the wrap a lot easier.


5. Marinated Porkchop. Our butcher does a marinade involving garlic, paprika, and a million other spices that works perfectly and is the ONLY meat I ever buy pre-marinated.


6. Flank steak stuffed with fontina cheese and prosciutto. This involves an overnight preparation for the flank involving balsamic vinegar and shallots. We have used this to impress guests before - which is interesting since we change how we make it every time.


7. Lobster Tails & Claws. Danielle doesn't like lobster as much as I do so I don't make this often. It is an old crowd favorite for myself.


8. Hamburger. I used to make my own turkey burgers then my butcher introduced me to his short rib/chuck mix. I love my butcher. We have experimented with a bunch of cheeses for our burgers. Somehow it always comes down to cheddar or blue cheese.


9. Venison Sausage. Only when my friends John and Jenni come visit from Massachusetts. She is from Wisconsin and approves of the deliciousness of venison. John is just a smart man who listens to his wife.


10. Chicken sausage pinwheel & turkey pinwheel. We buy them together, cook them together, then cut them up and serve as an appetizer or side dish. It is crazy how nuts everyone goes for these. We actually did a gnosh dish involving pinwheels and then some venison and rabbit sausage on the side. It was a beautiful thing.

There you have it. I won't stop grilling & I can't wait to share some of this food with Sienna - that is if she doesn't hate the smell of it by the time she gets teeth.

Wayne

The Return to Softball & Raising the Stakes

Today. For the first time in over a month I play softball. In 100 degree weather.

The title mentions "raising the stakes" so I guess I should expound on what that means - at least in regard to this issue. Raising the stakes in non-poker parlance- is often associated with writing. That you need to put the character in danger and make the situation worse and worse and worse, and matter more and more and more - really engage the character emotionally to the situation.

Today. For the first time in over a month I play softball. In 100 degree weather. I haven't worked out in a month. My back has been injured. We are playing for first place. I haven't pitched in a year. I am pitching tonight. If we win I can play in the semi-finals playoff game on Tuesday. If we lose I cannot play in the semi-finals playoff game on Wednesday.

Stakes raised. Emotional attachment engaged.

See you on the field.

Wayne

Why I Wasn't at Yankee Stadium (Again) in the Corporate Seats (What?!)

Life isn't strange sometimes, it is the equivalent where you cry so hard you start laughing.*

If last year was the Year of the Stadium Visit with trips to Yankee Stadium, Citi Field, Camden, Wrigley, and even the Staten Island Yankees then this is the year of Happy Home with Sienna.

I know fatherhood would change EVERYTHING - I didn't expect it would involve the Yankees so much since other than a lot of cursing over the years my life hasn't EVER involved the Yankees.

My boss (again) sent out an email about free tickets. Only this time is was Yankees v Red Sox game and it was to sit in the Corporate Seats. Capital letters as they are really good seats.

I've already posted how I've never been to this particular game. How it has been a dream of mine. Right? To sit in the Corporate Seats is an experience where it involves FREE FOOD. As a fan a free ticket is one thing, free food is another, and free beer makes it the Holy Grail. I suppose it is also good if your team wins.

Danielle was working the game at Citi Field and Grandma the baby sitter had guests in town. The seats were also located five rows behind the Red Sox dugout, so having Sienna sit on my lap and get him by a line drive would not look good on my parenting resume.

My co-workers went. They had a good time. I am happy for them. There really isn't anything else to the story. I was at home with my laughing daughter as a game I barely gave a second thought to played in the background.

Wayne

*If this happens with Playoff or World Series tickets then you can expect this blog post to have a lot of cursing.

Ten Things That Weren't Cool 20 Years Ago That Are Now

At some point I am going to have to explain cool/uncool/geek/dork/nerd to Sienna. Luckily I have some insight into this subject.

Twenty years I was what was considered a dork or geek. I played chess during lunch breaks and in the morning in the band room during High School, played Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, and oh so much more. What kept me from getting any beatings was that I was also a varsity wrestler. Popular? Good lord, no. Enemies? Not really. Man was I uncool though - at least objectively speaking. Amazingly enough almost everything my friends and I were into in High School are now...well...you'll see.

1. Liking comic books. Oh man were you considered a geek if you collected and read comic books in High School. Now it is a multi-billion dollar industry. Though if you point out how a movie is nothing like the comic book then...you are a geek again. I was reminded of this when the Rocketeer was on the other night and I remembered waaaaaay too much of that move than should be allowed.
   



2. Vampires. A sexy vampire killing people? Man what sort of weird fantasy were you into? Oh, it is called Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Naturally. Or un-naturally.
   



3. Ghosts. If you even said you liked or believed in ghosts then you got a really strange look. Now you can watch Ghost Hunters, Haunted History, or a ton of other ghost movies on tv. I look forward to a show about Atlantis in the new 20 years.
   



4. Statistics. Typical Boston conversation circa 1986. "Wade Boggs is terrible!" "Why? He gets on base all the time?" "He doesn't hit home runs like Jim Rice. He isn't a good enough hitter." "He gets on base 4 out of 10 times. Isn't the point to get on base?" "NO IT'S TO HIT HOME RUNS!" I blame this on Boston not sending kids to school during the 1970s integration crisis. It wasn't much better in 1991 either.
   



5. Non-sports Video Games. Another past time that was for losers or dorks. Say the following to a lot people over 35: up, down, up, down, left, right, left, right, a, b, a, b, select start. If they smile they are your friend, if they frown they are the enemy.
   



6. Flannel. Unless you were into grunge. Then it was okay. This comes back once every twenty years.
   



7. Men Being Sensitive. This one comes in and out of vogue. Back in the day it was SNAG - sensitive new age guy. Or as I would say, "Likely to be upset after Bambi's mom gets shot."
   



8. Saving Money. Using credit cards and accumulating debt seemed to be cool for a while. Heck, you could always pay it later. Couldn't afford it? That is okay there is nothing like an 18% interest! Yes, it sort of looks ridiculous when one writes in out. I saved money so I could go to movies with my friends and buy comic books.
   



9. Video cameras. The only people who used video cameras were in the AV Club. Now everyone has a video camera.
   



10. Diaries/Journal. If you told someone you had a diary 20 years ago they would have laughed at you and wondered why you would admit to such personal information. With blogs, facebook, twitter, whatever-social-network-device-du-jour it is now more common for people to give you a look if you are NOT giving out some sort of personal information.
    



11. (Freebie) Dial up computing. I used to dial in to bulletin board systems on a 1200 baud modem and play Dungeons & Dragons. Even better I was a Dungeon Master for the online version. That is when I wasn't playing Space Wars. I even had a 300 baud connection to an 800 number for the Wall Street Journal for stock quotes. I wish I had taken better advantage of THAT.

As I look at an old copy of a travel journal, I see it talks about missing playing Street Fighter 2 and reading comic books with my buddies during the summer of 1991 as I get ready for college. I've given my copy of Bambi to a friends younger sister in exchange for the use of video camera and with money I saved at my job I bought a copy of a ShadowRun - a role playing game that involves vampires and ghosts. I haven't bought my first Bill James book - though I'll learn about him soon in a newsgroup about baseball - and it'll be nearly a year before a horrified girlfriend buys me my first flannel shirt - though that is only after I . I guess that makes me 20% cool and only 80% uncool.

Now excuse me while I figure out what I am doing uncool today so I can be ahead of the curve...

Wayne

Ten Things I'll Tell My Daughter: Tips for Living a Happier Life

Ten little tips for living a happier life.

Some of these are from books, some from friends, some from enemies, and some I have just figured out on my own.

In no particular order.

1. Make a loan like you never expect the money back. It takes the pressure off yourself and will save a friendship or two at some point.
   


2. If you accept a loan, make a schedule and pay it back accordingly. It takes the pressure off yourself and will save a friendship or two at some point.
   


3. Pick up the bill if you have the means and the other person doesn't. I'm not talking about a weekend in France or something (unless it is your Mom & me, then you pay) I'm talking about if you're at dinner or drinks, or a baseball game. I learned this from someone I did not like very much at the time named Mike, who was a Graduate Assistant. I was with the UMass Hoop Band in Atlanta for the Sweet Sixteen and Mike was with us, we hit the hotel bar, and learned why you should never drink at the hotel bar. We all blew through our weekend per diem and were figuring out where the nearest ATM was Mike took out his credit card to cover the bill. We offered to pay him back and he hit us with these words of wisdom, "Sometimes you'll have the money, sometimes you won't. If you have the money and end up picking up the bill - just do it and don't bitch about it. Because someone will do it for you too."
   


4. Learn to drink your coffee black. Your Great Uncle Bill got me with this one. I was at his house and he offered me a cup of coffee, I asked from milk and sugar. "
   
   Always going to have milk around? Or sugar? Or even a leaf to flavor it?" He managed to spit out the questions rapid fire while simulatenously making it the longest question ever.
   
   Before I could figure out the reply, he gave me his version of the punchline, "Learn to drink coffee black. You never know what you will have but you'll always be able to drink what you've got."
   


5. If you like the price stop negotiating. Yes you might be able to get a dollar or two more -- you might also lose a pretty good deal. I've done both.
   


6. All major purchases should be made during off-season sales, or when you do not need it. Why? You will always get a better price. Even minor purchases should be made during off season times. You know some of those stuffed animals you liked so much as a child? Garage sales, once through the washing machine, hand to child. You're welcome.
   


7. Buy your own drinks at a bar. Well, unless you are at a corporate event and the company is paying for it. Yes, as a woman will be able to get guys to buy you drink and I'll have Danielle do a guest posting on why pay for your own drinks. Conversely, offer to buy a guy a drink. We like this.
   


8. Never argue when you are hungry. Nothing good will come of this other than instead of being hungry you're going to be hungry AND angry.
   


9. Travel as much as you can. Whether it is out of the country, or a weekend trip by car, get out and see as much of the world as you can. You never know what you might learn. Or find at a garage sale.
   


10. Never wear a pink hat to a baseball game. I cannot mention this enough.
    


11. (Freebie!) Do something stupid. You're going to do it anyway so I might as well encourage it. This is different than dumb. Dumb is drunk driving. Stupid is doing tequila shots and dancing on the bar.

Now go live your life, child.

Wayne

Ten Things I'll Tell My Daughter About Baseball Stadiums

As baseball stadiums are seemingly replaced faster than, well, whatever in your life that has frequent replacing for no reason whatsoever I'm not sure I can tell Sienna too much about what stadiums to visit. However there are a few bits of tid (see what I did there?) I can share with her to make her stadium viewing pleasurable that much more pleasurable.

1. No pink hats. Ever. Even if it is free. I will repeat this in my blog entries.
   


2. Try the local cuisine and alcohols. In Chicago it is drink the Old Style. In Baltimore go the harbor and eat a bunch of crabs then go to the stadium and visit Boog Powell's.
   


3. A free ticket is a good ticket. Always. Cancel your plans and go to the game - always worth it. The only exceptions: wedding, taking care of your baby daughter, or late Sunday night games.


4. Sit as close as you can or as far away as you can. You either want a really good view or to hang out with the diehard fans. The closer you get to the field the less likely you are to find a diehard fan.


5. Visit the following stadiums at least once: Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Citi Field, Yankee Stadium, and Camden Yards. The coincidence that those are the fields I have visited are merely that. Coincidence.


6. Okay, number five is not a coincidence.


7. Ushers and food delivery people accept bribes. This is important if you want to move up in a section or want food or alcohol delivered and don't have in seat service.


8. Go with your friends. Always a chance to get some fresh air.


9. Go to at least one opening day, one home run derby, and one playoff game.
   


10. All of these rules may be ignored if it is cold out. Baseball is not meant to be in the cold unless it is the playoffs or World Series. In that case bundle up like you are going to a football game.

And that is what Sienna needs to know about baseball stadiums right now. Okay, number 10 is a stretch as far as stadiums. Same with number 9. Hey, I ain't perfect.

Just go to the games.

Wayne

A Randomly (Needed) Great Day in Brooklyn

"He is married to someone in the Village People."

I found out that someone I helped hire last year is married to someone in the Village People. When that is only the SECOND strangest experience you have in a week, chances are you are going to need a weekend day to relax.

Danielle and I promised each other that we'd have one day exclusively to ourselves to spend with Sienna every weekend. Or at least really really try. The result is we had the type of day that is similar to so many other days we'll have in our lives. The type of day where, at the end of the day, you are just smiling at everyone and in a really good mood. The type of day that you forget about two days later - not because of any particular event, only because the day was consistently fun.

What did we do? We had no plan other than to do minimal chores.

Slept late (as late as one does with a child), Danielle read the newspaper (a real live newspaper!), I made coffee and then played Civilization, we fed Sienna when she woke up, we put Sienna in her stroller and took her around Brooklyn, we fed Sienna, we went to brunch (sitting Sienna on the table, which is my favorite new game), we fed Sienna some more, then we went around to stoop sales and a huge flea market. We came home. Danielle and Sienna took a nap while I finished my Civilization game. Then we all went back out, picked up some groceries, came home, fed Sienna again (I may have missed Sienna eating at some point), made dinner, fed Sienna and put her to bed.

It was really just a great day of all of us together. The kind of day I am happy I have blogged about since someday Sienna will see this and know sometimes the simple pleasures are the best pleasures.

Wayne

Disappearing Webseries & Looking Back On It

My webseries I'm Sorry Melissa just disappeared from koldcast.tv. Bastiches. In koldcast's defense there had not been an episode since 2008 and...hold on there hasn't been episode since 2008? Really. 2008? That was three freakin' years ago.

No wonder they took it down. I would have taken it down too. Though I DID give them 30 episodes. The series also appeared in some of the finest hotel rooms in the United States and also on Sprint.

The webseries was really a lark - in my life my larks have worked out far better than my carefully planned non-larks- where, at the time, I just had not shot anything in a while. So I wrote and filmed and played around with some concepts I had.

I was experimenting with sequential filming and audience participation where I would not tell anyone what was happening next and would let the audience decide what would happen. I wanted to create a series that incorporated real stories, yet looked like a reality show. I wanted it to be cost effective.

It was a cross between a social experiment before social experiments were cool, audience interaction before audience interaction was cool, and inexpensive filmmaking when...well inexpensive filmmaking was always the in thing.

I got to hang out with my best friend Mark, my always entertaining friend Snow, listen to Ben the cameraman talk about the world and work with the super talented Annie Figenshu. I can't even explain Carly, Ramesh, or Erin - you really have to watch the series to see what those crazy kids pulled off. I won't tell what parts of the series were autobiographical and what parts were not. That isn't really the point.

Interestingly enough the show got into a the New York Television Festival in '07 in the reality category. I consider it job well done, as who really set out to do a webseries that ends up as a 23 minute pilot. Hearing the laughs during the festival was gratifying.

Yes, the series continued online, back in its native format of "web series." Interestingly enough it was never supposed to be a straight up comedy and I think that was confusing for some people in a world where lighting someone on fire or showing a groin kick gets the most hits.

I just wanted to tell stories and try different stuff online. There is no moral to this particular story. Other than if I wanted it to continue I could have kept filming. The show did prove to be a kicking off point for recording the Jets Hope as I continue to be fascinated about why people do that they do. I do the sports podcast now asking a varient of the "why" question - and most of the time the answer is "why not?" which is what I really appreciate on some level.

Why did I film what I filmed? Why not.

Wayne

Things I'll Tell My Daughter: What Mommy & Daddy Watched on TV

It is important to explain to Sienna what Mommy & Daddy were watching in 2011. Okay, not really. I just wanted to review the shows in our DVR and I like lists. Unfortunately she will use this list against us in the year 2018 takes place.

ME: Sienna, how can you watch this? It's terrible.

SIENNA: You used to watch HIMYM and it was even worse. Remember that thing - what was it called? A blig you posted on! Oh no it was a BLOG. Whatdoesthatevenmean, Dad?!

Sienna then uses her subcutaneous chip to take over the holo-tv and shows me this entry.

1. Big Bang Theory. A+. Another show that is defying the tradition of sitcoms of peaking, failing when it attempts character growth, and then returning to the tried and true formula. BBT has added two really strong female characters the last two years, an antagonist the form of another female character, and made it that everyone is generally likable. It is like Chuck Lorre figured out that throwing more female characters into a show about how guys reacted to females in the first place might give more humor. That he made the female characters likable is why it works. The rest of the world should take note.
   


2. Friday Night Lights. In its final season this continues to be an A+ show. Or I should say returned to being an A+ show after an A+ first season, an abomination of a second season and a third season that I'd generously call a C. Some PHd student should write a dissertation on how this show managed to make a comeback after overturning most of the cast and becoming 8 million degrees of awesomess. Naturally it is being canceled after this season.
   


3. Grey's Anatomy. A. After two really down season this show suddenly became awesome again. Its secret: it stopped focusing on Meredith. She is a victim of bad writing, so I only half blame her. This show could just do scenes with Sara Ramirez and Sandra Oh and I'd be eternally satisfied.
   


4. The Office. B. Very interested to see what happens now that the main character is gone. Another standby favorite that makes me smile at least three times an episode.
   


5. 30 Rock. B. I like this show. Though I can't really tell you anything that happened this season. Oh yes I can. Matt Damon was on as a pilot. Alec Baldwin also had a baby and somehow the show did not jump the shark.
   


6. Shameless. A-. Every now and then a show comes out of nowhere and catches you by surprise. Anything could happen on this show and I would completely believe it. From teenage sex addicts, to car thieves, to an opening credits that makes you go, Wait, what was that?
   


7. WWE - RAW. C. Hit or miss - though easily fast forwardable. Danielle has her favorites (John Cena and Randy Orton) and I have my favorites (anyone trying to take out Cena or Orton).
   


8. Jersey Shore. A+ (anything without Ron & Sammie) F (anything with Ron & Sammie). I will split the difference and give a C- due to too much of F and not enough of A+. A guilty pleasure. Heck I won't even call it guilty. You have to celebrate what happens and hope your daughter never ends up on this show or any other MTV reality show. Seriously - would I rather have Sienna become a stripper or being on an MTV show? I have asked other parents at work this very question and nobody answers it other than to turn a really weird color.
   


9. Glee. D. After a terrible season finale which was preceded by some really bad and horrible episodes I have to question why we bother with this show. It pretty much killed the goodwill it gained from having John Stamos on a bunch of episodes and Brit Brit OWNING every single scene she is in.
   


10. How I Met Your Mother. D. We watch this show out of habit. A habit that is likely to end as there are still two more seasons to go of the show before we meet the mother. I used to be able to relate to the people on this show. I can also tell Ted why he hasn't met his mother: he is a needy, whiny, creepy, baby.

There you have it. What Danielle and I were watching the year Sienna was born.

Wayne

I'm Not Jumping On The BandWagon...I Plan on Driving It

The puck slid across the crease - an invisible hand pushing it beyond the reach of a defender, darting past the goalie, toward the stick of Boston player rushing toward the net...

I let out a noise that is a cross between a barbaric yalp and a dog having its tail stepped on. The common noise that I've let out of a thousand times at a thousand different events. The common noise that starts as a guttural cry of joy and ends up stuck in the throat when fate - it is always fate - intervenes.

My three month old daughter Sienna opened her eyes from where she was enjoying her nap - the natural birthright of any child with Bostonian blood anywhere in her veins being on her father or mother's lap* during a playoff game. Especially a game seven with a trip to the Stanley Cup finals at stake. "Really close, Sweetie," I told her in an attempt to turn disappointment into a teaching moment. Her tiny face turned beet red instantaneously as she let out a guttural cry of her own, only this one didn't stop in her throat, instead it reverberated throughout our apartment and was accompanied by tiny tiny tears.

The Bruins had made my daughter Sienna cry.

Danielle, upon coming home from work, rightfully pointed out that I had scared our child with my louder-than-I- think-it-is yelp, my protests that it was the Bruins not withstanding. She noted that I have watched approximately a handful of hockey games at best and that I was doing nothing more than jumping on the Bruins bandwagon. My wife is a smart woman. My wife just did not grow up with hockey.**

This was BEFORE the Bruins even won the game. My yearly playoff passage since moving to New York a decade ago is as follows: I quietly hope for the best of "my beloved Bruins" or "my beloved Celtics." Otherwise I keep it to myself. Hockey is way closer to my heart though - my father jokes that kids in our town learned how to walk and instead of sneakers would get skates. Actually, he isn't joking.

I can recount the utter heartbreak and disappointment that began approximately in the mid-70s when my mother introduced me to hockey and has continued onward until right about, oh now. Only it would take about 15,000 words, a box of tissues, and therapy***. Hockey has proven to be a lot more painful than Red Sox baseball. I know, 86 years of futility and the Red Sox finally win the World Series, let me sum up the counterpoint: the Red Sox had lower expectations so when they did well it was a pleasant surprise. Not with hockey.

Hockey will kill you slowly. Your team is most likely to make the playoffs and it gives you eternal hope. The Bruins gave you more than hope they would sometimes make the cup finals and then end up being surprisingly non-competitive. This leads to incredible anguish: would you rather your team fail or succeed and then fail. My friend Mark is a huge Jets fans and back in '06 he asked me whether I'd rather have my team make the Superbowl (we were talking Patriots v Jets at the time) and lose or not make it at all. From my Bruins experience I told him I'd rather not make it. I'd rather the team suck.

Each year I tuned in come playoff time. Promising that I wouldn't care. Yeah, right. Last year really took the cake though. Up 3 - 0 to the Flyers and how-did-they-lose-that-series? It was the closest I have ever come to throwing a remote at the TV.

You would think I learn. I don't. Naturally I find myself flipping to the games once the playoffs begin - if I watched the regular season I'd probably get an ulcer. I have no idea if this makes the the worst fan ever. The base word of fanatic comes from "fan" and the days where I could rattle off the B's roster - would you like it by number, line, position, year - are long past. I experienced the entire "are you really a fan" debate throughout the filming of the Jets Hope documentary where we would talk to someone who only goes to one game a year with his buddies, doesn't know the names of the players anymore, yet still waits out the day when his team would win.

It is okay to be that fan. It is okay to use terms like "my team" when you haven't bought a jersey in years, or don't buy the NESN package anymore, or limit yourself to mumbling that you won't fall for the team AGAIN. You are that fan. Embrace being that fan. Especially when you have hope.

Excuse me while I put on my driver's cap and start up the bandwagon. Sienna is riding shotgun though - she needs a good view of what her future looks like.
Wayne

*Most Bostonians I know don't understand why women watching or knowing about sports is even considered a big deal.
** Danielle has gamely tried to watch hockey with me on TV. Even on our 40 inch HD TV the puck is too small to follow and when I say things like, "He's going to pass the puck to the winger on the far right" and the winger is against the boards and you can't really see him...it is understandable that she does not enjoy it as much as a I do. Actually it bores her. It bores her less live though.
***When the Bruins had a lead in game seven I keep mumbling "count 'em first" whenever there was an on the fly line change. Yes, 1979 still lingers...