9:43 PM - Hello again
Current mood: confident
Category: Blogging
Hello to anyone who's still paying attention.
Yes, I'm here. Yes, I'm still alive. And yes, it's my first entry in Dan Pfeifer's View From The Bubbler in seemingly forever.
Yes, it's been a while.
"So Dan," I'm sure you're asking, "why's it been so long? After all, the Brewers are a game out of first place and drawing more excitement than ever before. Don't you have something to say about that?"
While I'd like to give you a single reason why I've been gone for a while, there isn't one. There's just a bunch of reasons.
I'm a unique individual and I'm one that likes new challenges. I evaluate what my situation is, I get a feel for whether I like what's going on or not and I move accordingly. I always like trying something different and seeing how good I can get at it. With rare exceptions, I sometimes have a tendency to get bored with something if I get too good at it.
Now, I'm not saying I was too good at blogging. Far from it. But I was starting to get bored with it. Those blogs I wrote took a long time to write. They required a lot of research, thought and looking at other articles before writing my own. The more I blog, the more I feel like I have to spend more time blogging. Eventually, it feels like a bad cycle.
Now I'll grant you that it's nice to have people read my stuff and there's a reason why I do it: Ultimately, it gives me a chance to say I'm still watching the big events while I also keep myself on the cutting edge when it comes to reading all the current material and forming opinions on it. Still, there isn't a lot of adventure in it.
I've always enjoyed working in the media, yes. But there's also a lot of other things in life I enjoy doing, too. I enjoy doing all kinds of things surrounding sports, from running the scoreboard for a game to being a color commentator to calling games on the radio or TV. I enjoy music -- lots of it. I enjoy playing sports, not just watching them. I enjoy spending time with friends. And I enjoy being there for people in tough times.
The last few months, I've had the chance to do all those things and thensome. When the radio side for the Bonecrushers kind of fell apart, I did some legwork to make sure that the team could at least keep showing its home games on TV and I could keep doing play-by-play. It became a project that was a bit of a passion for me because it wasn't about the money or the fame. It was just about doing something I loved to do (play-by-play) and doing it for no pay, basically no viewers and pretty much no career boost because the team is very minor-league. It's my way of proving to myself I can still do it and do it well. I was able to parlay the work into doing some things for a minor-league outdoor football team, the Wisconsin Wolfpack, from various tasks at games to doing color commentary for them on Time Warner Cable Sports 32 to doing a mini-feature after every home game for the team's website.
It says a lot that pretty much none of the guys on or associated with the teams know I worked for 1250. It also says a lot, though, that almost everyone I've run across that has seen my stuff has said I've done a great job. That's what means a lot to me.
I also have been helping out the Marquette folks with some of their soccer camps and promotional appearances, like at Summerfest. I had the chance to work Camp Shutout, Stan Anderson's tremendous camp for keepers, last week. It was reason for me to download some new music and update my game presentation sound. It worked so well that most of the music I got is now also on my workout mix.
I also am still playing soccer. There was a brief time when I was up to two nights a week; our indoor team decided to take a break for the summer so I was left with Marquette's Mens' League alone after that. I'm still not very good. I never will be, considering I started at 25 while many other people my age started at four. But it's a new challenge.
I've also gotten back to playing softball again. Granted, I hadn't played since I was 10, but considering I played baseball up until 2005, I don't feel that rusty when it comes to games with a ball and a bat. Would I like to play real baseball again? Sure, but I know there's no good place for me to play anymore. My defense will never be spectacular ever again. The big thing is not having anyone to hit me grounders anymore. Dad used to do it through 2003. I was struggling defensively in the worst of all Milwaukee leagues when I gave up the game after '05. I could play first, but most teams don't look at a five-foot-six guy as a good first baseman. I don't have the arm for the left side of the infield, the glove for second base or the speed or depth perception anymore to play outfield. That means I'm kind of screwed.
When the softball team lets me play first base, I'm in good shape. I'm not so good when they make me play right, but oh well. Second base is pretty firmly entrenched so I don't think I'll get back to my natural position anytime soon. Hitting is a major adjustment between baseball and softball; I'm still not perfect but I have a triple on the year and hit a lot of ground-ball singles. It's a new challenge.
Of course I'm still dancing and occasionally DJing. It's not a new challenge, but as new dancers come in, we do what we can to keep them happy. New music is always something I'm seeking out. There was a stretch where I was even teaching again for a couple weeks. That took some thought.
I've also found myself in a number of situations lately where I've had to be there for my fellow dancers. Be it relationship trouble, a lack of a relationship or bad business dealings, I'm always an ear to help. When my good friends need me, I want to be there. It's meant some long nights on occasion -- I've had to help close some bars and restaurants on work nights because I'm listening intently and doing everything I can to either provide escapism or just say nothing at all. But I'll gladly do it and keep doing it. Because it means something to me to help.
Throw in a visit from the Texas part of the family, the fact that I still have a lot of stuff from my car that I haven't gone through from the car accident sitting in my room, the fact that I still have a lot of pictures to post from New York, some DJ sets to post from May and June and -- oh yeah -- some social time and you can see why blogging just hasn't been a priority.
Plus, here's something to throw out: Yes, the Brewers are having tremendous success right now and goodness knows I have a lot of thoughts about them. But, as is often the case when a team gets good, what am I going to say about them that you aren't already hearing? After all, when I was at 1250, we were revolutionary for having a call-in post-game show. Now? You have three to chose from, one of which is on the official flagship and another of which is televised a couple nights a week. Plus a pre-game show. Plus expanded blog coverage. Plus expanded coverage from the national media now that the Brewers have the second-best record in the National League.
The most witty thing I came up with to say about the Brewers during my blogging hiatus was a comparison between Mo Williams and Bill Hall: Both good in the clutch yet both guys that you want to see traded. In the time since that thought crossed my mind, though, Hall has gone from goat to hero after winning the team a couple games and essentially taking his starting spot back from Russell Branyan. It goes to show you that fans have short memories when you're in the thick of a pennant race. Not many folks think about Don Sutton when they remember the great names from the 1982 Brewers, but his acquisition wasn't all that different from C.C. Sabathia's. Yet Sabathia may end up being one of the most-remembered parts of this team, even though Sutton was with the Brewers through 1984 and C.C. likely won't be a Brewer after this season. Yes, some of that has to do with Sabathia's ridiculously good start with the Brewers, but some of it also has to do with the way fans see the game in 2008 versus 1982. Back then, we clung more to the guys that came up through the system and were lifelong members of the team, like Paul Molitor and Robin Yount. Now, we're used to guys shifting around and it's a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately world. That's just the way it is.
But, whereas I felt like I was kind of filling a gap in Brewer coverage before, now ... there is no gap.
I've often somewhat jokingly lamented the loss of identity one suffers as a fan when their team gets good. When I was wearing my Brewers gear back in 1995 -- you know, the year after the strike, when bashing baseball was cool -- it was an identifying characteristic. "He's a Brewer fan," the kids would say, sometimes jokingly saying "the Brewer fan," implying I was the only one. But in the absence of the rest of the city with only 4,000 fans in County Stadium, you felt the need to make up for their absence by cheering harder. It wasn't a trend, it was what I was. Now, though, everybody and their brother is walking around wearing a T-shirt jersey with stunningly few of them saying "D'AMICO." I'm not the Brewer fan anymore. I'm just one of many, lost in the crowd. No one knows whether your first favorite player to work the double-play combo for the Brewers was Jim Gantner or Ray Durham. All I can say to some fans is, "Well, I used to cover the team," and that's about it.
The only problem is that, by not writing, I sometimes fall behind. When I don't force myself to think critically about sports, I sometimes don't think about them enough at all. And the whole Brett Favre mess, which all of you know I wasn't a fan of before it blew up, only makes me want to turn the TV off more.
It was telling to me when Lance Allan made an appearance on SportsCenter after the Sabathia trade and the beginnings of the Favre debacle. Once upon a time, Allan was the first member of the Milwaukee media to say 'Hi' to me by name before I had the chance to do so to him. I had been watching him for years on TMJ4, but when we ran into each other at a UWM game, he identified me as the Pfeif Daddy before I had a chance to introduce myself to him. When a guy that more than knows you is on SportsCenter, you know you've done something right.
I was out Friday night with Brewer Fan Jen in our first-ever real-world meeting -- yes, this Jen, this Jen, and the Jen that inspired this. I always knew Jen was attractive-looking, but she's also a smart and fun person, too. But, as I was out with her, I realized something: I need to get sharper again. It's been a little too long. Her friends enjoyed hearing a few of my old radio war stories and were asking for opinions on sports, but they were also tremendously sharp musically and pop-culture-wise. While I was able to be part of the conversation, I didn't quite feel as up to speed as I should have been. If I'm going to keep Jen, Jen's friends or anyone interested in conversing with me on my favorite subjects, I have stay sharp on them. I don't feel as sharp as I could be right now. I'm sharper about all things when I'm writing; particularly sports, but music, too, and a lot of other stuff as well. Granted, I've even been writing during my off-time. I've become a Top Contributor at Yahoo! Answers in the Singles & Dating category. I have a few message boards I post to, including one about radio. I try, when I can, to write recaps for The Bubbler's Fantasy Baseball League. I've also had things kick up at work and been doing more writing related to that. We've lost one processor in the last couple weeks and are losing another one soon; they were the two non-management figures in our department who had more experience than I did, meaning I'm now kind of the senior processor in the group at 18 months with Quad (in a company where some departments average between 10-15 years of experience among their employees). When you're writing at work, it makes you less likely to write at home.
But there's something cool about general sportswriting and life-writing. And I need to get back to doing that so I can stay sharp.
So I'm going to try and start doing it again. It's not going to be easy, but I'm going to try. Much like with doing play-by-play, I'm fairly sure a lot of folks aren't going to be paying much attention anymore. To be a good blogger, you have to establish credibility, then write consistently to maintain a following. It's been so long since I've covered the Brewers that my credibility is probably gone a little while taking two months off certainly isn't good for the consistency factor. But, also like doing play-by-play, sometimes you have to do something for yourself moreso than for anyone else. That's what blogging has always been about for me. It's a chance for me to tap into my own mind.
So I'm going to try and get back to it. I don't know how well it's going to work or if it's going to last, plus I know I should probably spend some time with my first few blogs playing catch-up, like what I talked about before with New York pictures, old swing sets I haven't posted and maybe even with a fresh song on the front page, but hey, we'll get there.
So for those of you that are on the Subscription list, or have me in your list of friends your tracking or whatever, thanks for paying attention and please enjoy as I start to try and bring this back. We'll see if there's anything I can offer that you don't get anywhere else. It's hard to say if there is or isn't.
Granted, a lot of things have changed over time. I'm more of an 88nine Radio Milwaukee guy than a pop-music maven like I was when I last blogged. I'm getting a new haircut this week. And I know a lot of folks have moved over to Facebook and abandoned MySpace to teens, bars, fan groups and Tila Tequila. This is going to sound ridiculous from someone whose detailed blog is on MySpace but I'm not all that into social networking -- I think we make our friends in real life and online friendships only go so deep. I don't even have a Facebook page and I think my Facebook fate was decided when someone told me it doesn't have a blogging feature. I have a MySpace page mostly just to blog and communicate with a select few friends, most of whom I get to see in the real world, anyway. It's odd.
So we'll see what happens. But hey -- no matter what, life goes on.
And as it does, we seek out new adventures and try different things.
In that process, some things do change. But a lot of things don't.
I wish I could lie but I'm not going to: I'm in a mood right now. I need to breathe and calm down. I'm getting caught in a Dan trap that I've been getting caught in for, oh, 16 years or so. I'm trying too hard right now. I need to learn something from the mistakes I've made repeatedly. It's difficult because there's an air of doubt about things and a pressure to succeed this time that I haven't really felt in a long time -- perhaps ever. I have an odd expectation of myself now that I shouldn't have. I need to step back. Fortunately, I have other things to think about for the next couple days.
Anyhow, I did DJ a swing set tonight, going basically off a list of favorites from previous sets due to not having much time lately. With a packed house, I got nothing but positive feedback. Nonetheless, my brain is kind of swiss cheese right now, so it's hard for me to evaluate my own DJing fairly. I will say that I got a hearty compliment from Steve Girman of Steve & Suzie fame, so I'll take that as a major victory.
Here's the set list. After this, I need to try and screw my head back on straight and get some sleep.
It's Only a Paper Moon - The King Cole Trio Goes Around - Bellevue Cadillac You Make Me Feel So Young - Rosemary Clooney D' Natural Blues - Lucky Millinder and His Orchestra Destination Moon - Dinah Washington (You Dyed Your Hair) Chartruese - Louis Jordan You Don't Do Right By Me Anymore - Tex Atchinson Oh Babe! - The Love Dogs Let the Good Times Roll - B.B. King When I Take My Sugar to Tea - Nat King Cole Too Young - Sam Butera San Fernando Valley - Bing Crosby Begin the Beguine - Cole Porter Transition: Let's Dance - Benny Goodman Shim-Sham Mack the Knife - Louis Armstrong Sweet Georgia Brown - Brother Bones Perdido - Sarah Vaughan Manah Manah - The Muppets Knock Me a Kiss - Louis Jordan The Chicken and the Hawk - Big Joe Turner I Cried For You - Count Basie Everyday I Have the Blues - James Brown Fever - Elvis Presley The Way You Look Tonight - Radio King Orchestra Moondance - Van Morrison Something's Got A Hold On Me - Etta James Day and Night - Nina Simone And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine - Anita O'Day Transition: Winning - The Natural Original Movie Soundtrack Cupid Shuffle - Cupid Tilt Ya Head Back - Nelly featuring Christina Aguilera It Ain't The Meet - Swallows I Won't Dance - Jane Monheit Opus One - Bert Kaempfert Be My Guest - Fats Domino Satisfy Suzy - Robert Allen, Jr. Band Twelfth Street Rag - Derek Smith and His Smithsonians Take The 'A' Train - Sarah Vaughan Corrine Corrina - Big Joe Turner Lullaby of Birdland - Duke Ellington & Ella Fitzgerald Feelin' Good - Pussycat Dollls Turn Me On - Norah Jones Don't Get Around Much Anymore - Mel Torme Muddy Watter - Madeleine Peyroux Backseat Blues - Roomful Of Blues Shadowboxer - Fiona Apple A Sunday Kind of Love - Etta James End of Night: Aloha Oe - Elvis Presley
And, just because I'm in this kind of mood, I'm going to post the video of the moment for me: A tribute to the Die Hard movie trilogy by the band Guyz Nite. Be warned that the language is very naughty in this link, but if you're old enough to see these R-rated movies, and are as familiar with them as most Americans, I think you'll find this tune both funny and oddly catching. Enjoy.
9:23 PM - Peeking my head out to say ’Hello’ (then ducking away again)
Current mood: rushed
Category: Life
Hey folks. Thought I'd put something up here.
I'm back from New York, of course, but haven't really had a chance to recover just yet. I slept most of the night Monday after working late, had to work late and go to an evening meeting with a client Tuesday before giving the parents the full New York story and going to swing, then tonight I had to work late again because I had to go pick up the fixed-up Pfeifmobile today before going to the Brewers game. Oh, I still have all kinds of junk lying around from when I had to clean out the car to take it into the repair shop, plus I'm DJing tomorrow night and I still have to put some stuff together for it -- even though I'm fighting a cold now.
In short, yikes!
So yeah, I have a lot of catchup to play. It won't help that we're on the road again this weekend, out in Muskegon, so more busy-ness is on the horizon.
But let me say a few things. First off, the Bonecrushers thing not only is working but is working OK. The audio for the games? Check out this link:
http://mkebonecrushers.mypodcast.com You can download the broadcasts to listen to them whenever, or you can listen to them right there on that site. But check it out.
Also, I found out from Dad tonight that they had the first showing of the Bonecrushers/Miami Valley game on Time Warner Cable Sports Channel 32 around here, complete with my call laid over the video. Some diligent checking around reveals that you can catch the game three more times before the end of the week:
So if you're around the TV at any of those times and want to hear me describe what's going on in front of your eyes, tune in and check it out. And if you're not around your TV? Set your DVR.
As I like to remind everyone when things get busy for me and I have to step away from The Bubbler for a while, don't think I'm not paying attention. I'm carefully observing the closer-by-committee situation. I'm listening to the drivel that comes out of Ned's mouth. I'm keeping an eye out. I'm just not finding the time or energy to sit in front of the computer and type about it while I'm dealing with car accidents, working late, traveling all over the world doing football games, swing dancing, sleeping, getting sick, fantasy baseball and anything else you can think of, including the fact I don't think I've worked out once since I started doing Crushers games. But it's on my mind. And, as you know, when I come back, I come back strong.
So, for now, bear with me as I sort things out (when I have time). I haven't forgotten about you, fair Bubblerites. While you're waiting for new content, feel free to go back and read a few old columns. Find examples of my awful predictions and laugh at them. It's OK, I do it, too.
Oh, and we should change the profile song since I'm not in New York anymore.
This was the very first single off Queen's very first commercial album, a rockin' ditty that only gives you a taste of the sweeping sound we would come to get used to from rock's greatest all-time live act.
I wanted something by Queen this week -- you're hard-pressed to find another band in history that's matched their ability to combine drama, sounds of the centuries and flat-out hard rock without making it sound forced like Evanescence does (though Amy Lee and just a piano can make for a fantastic evening of music-listening -- it's when producers get a hold of her stuff that it gets screwed up). I wanted to go with Tie Your Mother Down, Queen's traditional concert-opener, but I thought it was a little too close to Mother's Day for that. Bohemian Rhapsody is a little overplayed but Keep Yourself Alive isn't, so we'll go with that.
I'm not sure if the video is official Queen or not, but it sure is interesting. It's like a combination of old-time silent film drama, a B-52's video and a Monty Python cartoon, all at once. Freaky.
Anyohw, I'm tired and I have a ton to accomplish tomorrow. So it's time for me to get some rest.
I'm back, in one piece. New York was interesting. Now that I feel like I know what I'm doing a little more, I'd like to go back someday. Perhaps with company.
The best parts: The Mets game, the Statue of Liberty and the dancing.
Not worth it: Staying in Morristown, the Empire State Building.
I have pictures to upload, as well as audio. But I'm tired and I need to get some rest. I'll start working on the second quarter of the game, but pictures will have to come up sometime later. I'm exhausted and I do still have to work in the morning.
I'm currently on the plane, getting set to leave Newark Liberty International Airport, pittering away on my laptop while a few last straggling passengers find their way aboard. It's all over -- in a few hours, not only back home, but back to work tomorrow and all the other things that I have to do as part of "normal life".
No, I still don't have the second, third or fourth quarters uploaded yet. That app is really putsy and I wasn't going to spend all weekend cooped up in a New Jersey hotel waiting for things to upload.
Unfortunately, this wasn't quite as great of a trip as I thought it would be. Bad weather made for a hurried Friday. The crowds made Saturday a very long day and I didn't get to do as much as I wanted to do in the time I was given. The weather was awesome today, but confusion on where I could store my bags kept me from getting to Liberty Island as quickly as I wanted to, which took away some of my dancing time. Also, my camera decided to die at a very inopportune time -- just in time for me to get no pictures on Liberty Island. That stunk.
Nonetheless, I took a couple low-grade ones with my cell phone while on the boat and I got a few dancing, too.
I'm trying to figure out what it says about the weekend that the times when I had the most fun were when I was doing things I do all the time anyhow, like go to ballgames and swing dance. Dancing in Central Park was wonderful -- not a big crowd, but one that was worthwhile. I think any trip anywhere is worth it if you get to dance while your there. There's nothing to boost your confidence like finding a girl your age that, admittedly, you're kind of attracted to, who you get to dance with and feel a sudden connection that is just groovy. Her name this time was Jenni and she was one of the folks that helped organize last weekend's Big Apple Exchange. While she was dancing with me during the last song of the day, she said, "You're a mix of a lot of different styles."
I said, "Yeah, I'm a melting pot. A fondue, if you will."
She said, "I will."
It was neat. It made me think about something: A short while ago, a girl I know told me that she thought I was a "player," something which made me laugh because, knowing I didn't really get started with relationship-type stuff until I was 22, I would have never thought I would have been pegged with that title. Nonetheless, when I think about how there's been one girl on the dance floor -- nothing else, mind you -- that I've had a great, laugh-and-smile-and-flirt-at-first-sight connection with in pretty much every foreign land I've had the chance to dance in (we're up to eight different states, plus the District of Columbia, that I've danced in now), I guess I can see it. When you walk into a new situation, you're dressed somewhat neatly and don't have any glaring body or hygiene issues (other than maybe 15 pounds you'd like to shed, but that's not a big deal), you show the confidence to ask a girl you've never met before to dance, you dance well and you maybe even hit one or two moves with her that impress her -- plus, you're that mysterious unknown of being from a far-away land -- I guess I can see it.
It's going to be tough for me if I ever do try and settle down. I'm so used to always be looking and considering options and it's nice to know I can flirt if I want. It's fun. It's going to be tough if (or maybe it's better to say when) I can't do that anymore without getting beaten over the head.
OK, they're telling us to turn off our devices now. More when I get back.
Nonetheless, I got almost the whole New York experience in today.
The Mets pounded the Reds at Shea. The ballpark gave me flashbacks to my days at County Stadium -- perhaps for a reason -- but we'll discuss that more when I can post pictures.
I just missed the final NBC Studio tour, but that gave me time to walk around midtown Manhattan and see lots of great sites. Even though you've seen pictures of these places before, you'll see them again when I get the chance to post them.
I ate at B.B. King's blues restaurant in Times Square. Stellar setting.
I found out the hard way that the Empire State Building might be the world's largest tourist trap.
And that's about it.
I'm beat and I have an early morning, so I'm going to say farewell and move on. More soon.
5:34 AM - Travel Log: Weathering being under the weather
Current mood: frustrated
Category: Travel and Places
Dag nab it, I made myself sick.
Fortunately, though, it's a quick-moving storm.
My throat did swell up last night after the abuse it took from calling the game. That's not a good thing since I still have my tonsils in and they have a tendency to grow for no good reason. When that happens, my air intake goes down when I breathe and my body reacts by producing -- I know this is disgusting -- more phlegm (this might be the byproduct of growing up in a house with two chain smokers). I'm not sure why or how that works because all it does is make it even harder to breathe (and not the good kind, like the song by Maroon 5). My first instinct to expel the phlegm is to cough or clear my throat to get it out from underneath the swollen things -- but coughing only makes things more swollen.
I had something go down the wrong pipe as I was in The Bubbler last night and it caused me to hack up a storm. I think that might have been just as bad as doing the game for me.
The thing, too, is that you want to get sleep, so you don't want to get up and break your rhythm. But sometimes that's the best thing. I'm glad I settled myself after a couple hours, went and blew my nose to at least get one air passage going, then slept a little better. I'm up now and while the left side of my throat is still kind of swollen and I'm still stuffed up, I know I probably don't have a cold and if I take some Chloroseptic, keep my air passages clear and just stay away from using my voice a lot today, including at the Mets game, I should be fine.
Nonetheless, it just sucks to be on a trip like this and be sick-ish on the one full day I get to spend in the city. But I can't do anything about it now and it's my own darn fault. I was too stoked Thursday night and I stayed up way too late thinking about the trip. My bad.
So, that aside, what else.
Uploading the game audio is taking a long time as the tools at MyPodcast.com are a little unwieldy. Keep in mind that each quarter is about a half an hour long and is about a megabyte per minute. The good news is there's no size limit on the files I can upload. The bad news is that the online app doesn't tell you you've screwed something up on the form until it gets done reading the whole audio file -- and if you did mess something up, you have to upload the whole darn thing again. I have one quarter uploaded. I let the second sit overnight, only to wake up and find out I had misplaced a period in one section of the form that required a timing. So now that has to be uploaded again. Aargh.
In the meantime, though, I have to catch the 10:24 from Morristown to Penn Station in order to get to the Mets game on time. The Metropolitans are playing a doubleheader against the Redlegs today because they got rained out last night (stunner, I know), but while there's a temptation to go see both games, I think just one will give me the full Shea Stadium/Flushing Meadows experience while I will then also get the rest of the evening to do other New York-type things. I will be trying to get back a little early, though, if the throat isn't cooperating real well. I want to be rested and ready for Liberty Island tomorrow, as well as dancing in the park.
So that's the morning update. More tonight as I hope to have lots and lots of pictures from Shea, Times Square and wherever else I might stop.
8:54 PM - Travel Log: Bonecrushers lose in a rainy Morristown, N.J.
Current mood: sore
Category: Travel and Places
I'd greet you in the usual Bubbler manner here from New Jersey, but I think it's more fitting to do it in the vernacular now that I'm here:
"How you doin'?"
(Why do I feel creepily like Joey Tribbiani right now?)
Anyhow, it's been a harrowing day. I made two big mistakes in planning this trip:
Not getting enough sleep last night.
Picking a flight later in the morning so I could theoretically sleep in this morning.
The former didn't pay off because I've been battling a scratchy throat all day that I probably wouldn't have had if I had just gotten a decent night's rest. For those of you that don't work in radio, it's never a good idea to do a solo broadcast when you've got a scratchy throat already. Even if a decent night of rest would give you your voice back the next day under normal circumstances, all that wear on your throat when you have to talk for two hours means you're going to have a sore throat for a few days. I'll have to get some Chloroseptic on my way to Shea Stadium tomorrow.
Secondly, though, by picking an 11:35 CDT departure from Milwaukee, I was thinking a 2:50 EDT arrival would be enough time to arrive in New Jersey, take an affordable train ride and cab trip to the hotel, check in, take another cab to the game and be good to go. Unfortunately, when my flight got delayed to a 2:20 CDT departure due to weather in New Jersey, and circling the airport a few times, my arrival time got pushed back to more like 6 p.m. EDT, making for a hectic run to an expensive cab ride from the airport straight to the arena to call the game, arriving with all of 45 minutes to spare before kickoff. Ouch.
Nonetheless, I did get the game recorded and we have four quarters of glory currently uploading to mypodcast.com right now. The Bonecrushers did lose in the end, 56-32, and the game was what you've come to expect from CIFL Football (wackiness), but hey, whatcha gonna do.
I'll post audio links when I get them. In the meantime, though, enjoy these pictures.
I flew out on a plane a lot like this one. Thinking this would be the one I was boarding, I took a picture of it. It turned out to be the first of about five planes to depart before mine. Oh well.
The Mennen Sports Arena in Morristown, N.J. Yup, really something to write home about.
(Remember, when I arrive at Penn Station tomorrow, I'll be arriving underneath Madison Square Garden.)
I figured this was the best way for me to prove I really was there.
Here are the guys warming up. From left to right -- linebacker James "Psycho" Cichon, receiver Calvin Thomas, safety Matt Helgemo and receiver Dorian Palmer.
The Psycho hones in.
Helgemo gets focused.
Receiver Marcus Johnson, defensive lineman Markell Thompson and receiver Sam D'Alie await the coin toss.
Thomas is ready to go.
Lastly, the team huddle. Enough pictures -- time for me to start broadcasting at this stage.
Alright -- the pictures are uploaded; the audio is a bit more of a struggle. But we'll get it there.
That's all from here for now, though. More tomorrow night as we recap the Shea Stadium experience, Times Square and anything else I run into in Manhattan. More then.
10:57 PM - Travel Log: Still in Milwaukee, waiting for the storm to pass
Current mood: tired
Category: Travel and Places
Greetings from ... Mitchell International.
It's 12:57 in the afternoon and this trip has not gotten off to a stellar start. Storms in the megalopolis region -- specifically between Philadelphia and New York -- have set me back by upwards of two hours. What was a 2:50 arrival time in Newark, allowing me not only time to get to the game via affordable train but also to get to my hotel first, now will be a hustle to get to the arena on time for the contest by costly cab. Fortunately, Google Maps says it's only a half an hour ride, but given how many people will be delayed and iffy weather conditions, I fear these results.
Considering the arena has already told us we're only doing the game by tape delay, I'd say things are off to a decidedly sour start.
Nonetheless, I'll get there by hook or by crook. I just wish I had put the power cord for my laptop in my carry-on bag as opposed to my main one. And my USB cable to hook up my camera so I could at least show you what kind of plane I'm going to be on. Oh well.
I also didn't get much sleep last night, thinking I would play catch-up on the plane. That's still my plan, but I got so little sleep last night that my throat is foggy and I'm struggling to keep my eyes open. The thought was that I would only be awake for a couple hours to get dressed, get on the plane and fall back asleep. Considering it's now afternoon, the plan isn't going according to ... well, plan.
Anyhow, we'll get there. In the meantime, I guess we'll hold tight for now.
So yeah -- in another three hours or so, it's off to New York City to do a tape-delayed indoor football game, get in touch with my inner Mets fan (it's better than rooting for the Reds Saturday), finally see the Statue of Liberty and change my easternmost dancing point from just west of Cleveland to somplace on the east side of Central Park.
To a degree, it's a good time to get away. Sparky's refusing to sleep as the Brewers slide. It's been an interesting last couple weeks and it's time for a nice break. It was interesting how I was in a similar transitional-type period when I went to Washington, D.C. two years ago around this time. Of course, this time around, it's a little different. It's only three days, it's business-related and it's just me this time. We'll see what happens.
Anyhow, I'm looking forward to it. Just like D.C., I kind of feel like this is a trip every American has to make. It's our nation's heart and soul when it comes to commerce and industry. It's where most of what we start begins. It's symbolism is huge. To see Lady Liberty and Ground Zero on Sunday will be an experience.
It's a good time to go. Central Park in spring has got to be spectacular. Yes, I'm staying in New Jersey, but oh well. The only hassles will be the commutes.
I've only got 45 minutes or so before my ride comes, so I have to get going. Don't expect much from The Bubbler while I'm gone -- not that you've been expecting much lately, anyhow -- but I hope to have plenty of pictures when I return, if not as I go.
All I ask is that you wish me safe travels. An online form posted some links to replays of the television coverage of September 11 the other day. Needless to say, it was something I was glad I saw again before I went to New York, though it was unsettling. Let's hope for the best.
9:59 PM - Saturday Night Music: Spike Lee’s "Spike & Co.: Do It A Capella"
Current mood: impressed
Category: Music
Apologies for being very non-sports minded in The Bubbler lately. We'll get back to it -- perhaps tomorrow.
Anyhow, with a lot of things on my mind today, my mind randomly wandered to music and a cassette tape from my childhood.
Many moons ago -- before my sister and brother-in-law were married but while they were at Marquette and still dating (they've been married for almost 17 years now) -- the future brother-in-law had a CD player, something that we wouldn't get at the Pfeifer household until deep into the 90's (yeah, we were behind the times). One of the first CDs he burned to cassette tape for us was a classic mix, although one that probably featured a lot of music you don't know, even though you should.
The 'B'-side of the tape was a very hard to get CD called Seamless from The Nylons. I've talked a little about the group before here: The Nylons are an a capella group from Canada known for their covers of 60's and 70's classics like Up on the Roof and The Lion Sleeps Tonight. Seamless was hard to get because it was never released in America, but it still featured a number of great songs, like Lion, Take Me to Your Heart (which was used in the Las Vegas montage in Rain Man), and a personal sentimental favorite, The Stars Are Ours.
The 'A' side, though, was just as good, if not better. It was the soundtrack CD from a PBS Great Performances special by Spike Lee called Spike & Co.: Do It A Capella.
The premise of the special? A chance for Spike to showcase some great artists and great music that features nothing but voices. You know if Spike Lee is involved, the results are going to be something cool, topical and powerful. This was Spike when he was at the top of his game and the music produced by the special is as good as you'd think it would be.
I went looking to see if I could find the CD tonight and was disappointed to find it out of stock in a lot of different places. The right Google search, though, produced what might perhaps be a better find.
I had never seen the actual special, only heard the soundtrack CD. Tonight, though, I not only got to hear the music that I've been familiar with in my life since I was a little kid, I got to see it performed when I stumbled upon numerous parts of the special on YouTube.
So why should I keep this to myself? Let's talk about what we've got -- beyond some great music, of course.
Part One is just an introduction. It has Spike "talking" to Miles Davis and Dizzy Gilespie, turning the trumpeters down for the voices-only special before a number of great instrumentalists, like Roberta Flack and Branford Marsalis, complain about not being able to get into the special. It's interesting to see Branford try and bribe Spike with one of his favorite things (front row tickets for the Knicks -- keep in mind, this is during the Reggie Miller era). Spike also introduces the special with Debbie Allen from Fame.
Part Two introduces us to the first band of the special -- on that should be familiar to anyone that was a pre-teen at any point during the early 90's. The group is Rockapella and yes, they were able to parlay this appearance in to more work on PBS as the house band on Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego? Rockapella has also appeared, with a variety of different lineups, in commercials for Coca-Cola and Folgers coffee since their stint with Greg and the Chief.
The song Rockapella performs is a fun version of Zombie Jamboree, one which might be eligible for a good Charleston if you're a swing dancer. Admittedly, Rockapella kind of comes off as the lamest of the bands in this often soulful special -- nonetheless, it's easy to see how they landed a job on a kids' game show (that link is pretty cool, by the way). To their credit, they did do a mean version of Long, Cool Woman in a Black Dress on a Whoopi Goldberg HBO special a few years later.
Part Three cranks up the soul as we meet True Image. I Need You is a fun number that doesn't mess around, getting to the harmony and the the sound right away. You can tell Debbie & Spike dig it and if you don't, I think you need to check your pulse.
Part Four gives us The Mint Juleps, a girl group with an awesome sound that they were able to use to become the house band for the short-lived Paula Poundstone Show (well before Paula had, um, some issues). You can see why Spike took interest in these groups after hearing the Juleps and True Image -- there's a real depth to these songs and a rhythm that carries a little extra power when you realize there's no instruments involved. The sound of the Juleps combines an earthy attitude and floating harmonies at the same time. This is music.
After a visit with a disguised Samuel L. Jackson, who surprisingly doesn't refer to Ezekiel or mother-@$*!ing snakes on a mother-@$*!ing plane, Spike takes a more traditional a capella turn in the fifth part by taking us to see The Persuasions, a group that formed in the pre-Beatles 60's and never left behind the spirit of doo-wop groups that dominated the charts in that era. This is doo-wop at it's finest, complete with a key change and four guys who can sway with the best of 'em.
As we head to a concert setting for the sixth part, we meet (fittingly) Take 6, a group that's more influential than you think. Have you heard of them? Maybe, but if you haven't, you should know they've won 10 Grammys, have worked with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Don Henley and Queen Latifah, and are in part responsible for the career of Brian McKnight, whose older brother is part of the group.
This is more in the vocal jazz vein than anything else. It also features an interview in which we find out we have another group that started out singing in a bathroom. I guess singing in the shower does get you someplace sometimes.
Well, here's Rockapella again. As much a performance troupe as they are a band, here we see them engaging in a barbershop quartet-type gag. Nope, they would never fit in on Carmen Sandiego, right?
Under The Boardwalk is kind of an a capella standard. This is one of the better versions you'll hear. You have to wonder what happened to True Image. The seamlessness of the transitions between Rockapella and True Image is amazing. The pre-song interview also makes mention of Paul Simon -- we'll hear his name again.
Here are the Mint Juleps again, covering some Jackie Wilson and adding soul to a song that already had plenty of it to begin with. I'm not usually a cover-song guy, but man, these hit the nail on the head. There's a reason the audience claps along to every single song in the special.
Remember that Paul Simon reference before? It becomes obvious here when you see Ladysmith Black Mambazo for the first time. The group is best known for being discovered by Simon and used on every song of his epic Graceland album, chronicling his experiences in South Africa prior to the end of Apartheid.
Listening to this tape as a kid, I couldn't help but think up other words for this song, which is actually entitled Phansi Em Godini but sounds a lot like I'm a Lot Too Late, which made me think it might have been written for a kid who straggles to get to class. When you consider that, listen to this twice, first to appreciate the music and dancing, then to make up your own words.
For whatever reason, whoever took the time to post these videos (thank you!) pulled Part 11. I think there might be a good reason, though -- the soundtrack CD featured a version of The Lion Sleeps Tonight that sounded a lot like the one at the beginning of Eddie Murphy's Coming To America and there may have been a copyright concern (though it's worth mentioning that Joe Lewis is the greatest boxer that ever lived). It has Ladysmith Black Mambazo performing with the Juleps and a sound that is touchingly, quietly powerful. I was able to find another video with the cover art from the soundtrack album ... check this out.
True Image returns in the next part to discuss being a warm-up act for The Cosby Show before going with a very beatbox-heavy song. It almost seems as if this type of music was too musical and intelligent for people -- that's the only reason I can come up with for it dying out along at the end of the new jack swing era.
The Mint Juleps again. Hearing them in this special almost makes you want to go out and find a CD of their music alone.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo returns for a pair of songs, notably their last song, God Bless Africa. Interestingly, the group refers to the song as their "anthem song." It's worth noting that the actual anthem of South Africa at the time was Die Stem (English: The Call of South Africa). However, with the fall of Apartheid, Nelson Mandela declared both and The Call and God Bless to be anthems of the country and the current anthem is a combination of the two. When considering the circumstances at the time of the filming, the performance is quite moving.
Here's Rockapella again, this time showing a little attitude (finally) with a strong performance of Pretty Woman complete with a solid and surprising key change for the coda. It's good to see them get to roots and not screw around for at least one song. It's nice, too, to hear them make reference to another group in the show -- The Persuasions.
The last part dovetails to those Persuasions and one hell of a version of Up on the Roof, yet another a capella classic. The Nylons perform this song with a slow, sentimental sound. The Persuasions? Yeah, not so much. Is there doo-wop here? Yes. Motown? Yes. Soul? Yes. Even a "guitar solo"? Yup. What more do you want?
So that does it. I hope you enjoyed a quick trip down a capella lane. You won't find many beer-swilling, baseball-loving, soccer-playing, cheesehead-wearing, swing-dancing vocal jazz fans out there, but I guess I'm one of them. Here's hoping I'm kind of turning you into one, too.
8:43 AM - New Profile Song: "All About Soul" by Billy Joel
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Music
As we look to revive a little of the faith this morning, we bring Billy Joel into the picture. This is in part to set up something kind of predictable for later this week, but let's face it -- with the kind of catalog Joel has put together over his career, there's always something from his collection that can apply to any given situation. This works.
NEW PROFILE SONG:
All About Soul Billy Joel River of Dreams (1993)
I consider River of Dreams to kind of be the album of my life. In the turbulent times that were 1994 for me, River was the soundtrack. Granted, I was an angsty, nervous, budding young 12-year-old when I got the cassette tape -- the first cassette I owned was Genesis' We Can't Dance, also good in its own right -- so the powerful but moody sounds of Joel fit where I was. Nonetheless, pretty much every song on the album spoke to me in some way, save maybe Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel). The anger I had with the world in general seemed to be something I shared with Joel in No Man's Land. The anger I had with certain individuals came out in Great Wall of China. In Blonde Over Blue, I heard the relief of a tormented soul when those who cared were around. A Minor Variation spoke of having the ability to kind of shrug off and laugh at strife. Shades of Grey told of those who didn't have the best interest at heart , recognizing who those people were and why and seeing that there was only so much you could do about it -- it was fitting that my elementary school principal quoted the song at our "Recognition Night," really one of the more pivotal nights in my life. The River of Dreams was about the journey. Two Thousand Years was about the wait, the dream and the hope for what can be good. And Famous Last Words was about disappointment, broken dreams and the biggest of hopes being dashed -- but still being able to stand on the hill and say you did your best and recognize that it really was about the journey.
All About Soul, though, was the song on the album that spoke of standing up, having people near you in tough times and being strong. Those who in their own large or small ways make your life better. It's also about self and being strong on your own, too.
It's funny. One of my favorite pieces of advice to people lately has been, "Stay strong." Sometimes I need to remind myself about that, though.
Last week, I spoke of "having a path." I felt like the path was starting to become clearer before my eyes and I kind of felt the obligation to go down it. It was what my role was going to be.
The only problem is that, in seeing the path, I got caught in a few old Dan traps -- ones that date back to when I was singing along with The River of Dreams after it had just been busted out of its cassette box for the first time. I was anticipating way too much. I was seeing how things were falling but I wasn't taking everything into account. I wasn't seeing the big picture. And I did something I should never, ever do -- I started mentally closing off other directions to take, or other "paths" if you will. It came back to bite me this week.
Long story short, the path wasn't as clear as I thought it was. Oops.
It's a foible of mine that when I see things starting to line up in a certain way, I not only being preparing for the "inevitable" but I also begin expecting it. Life doesn't work that way, though.
This week, I got kind of blindsided by a blast from the not-so-distant past. I had a chance to kind of right a wrong. I had essentially written the situation off as a loss already, but on the advice of others that I had talked to about it previously, I decided I had to try and fix it with the opportunity. I guess I did -- but not really. It didn't work the way it was supposed to. It wasn't the shiny, happy moment I thought it would be.
There are times when you walk away from a situtation where you achieved your intended goal with a real feeling of accomplishment. You know, like you really did something. Four years ago, under similar circumstances, I remember feeling almost the same way about the exact same thing around this time.
Now, though, as someone a little older and wiser than I was in 1994 or 2004, I don't have that same sense of accomplishment. I recognize it was forced, which isn't a good thing. Some things have to happen naturally and that's not what happened here. Sure, the intended goal was accomplished. But it felt awkward. That's not good.
That was literally off the ... well, not-so-beaten path. It was a positive, but not a great one. Kind of like seeing a space between the trees in the forest where a second path could go, but knowing it wouldn't be an easy path to travel, in part because you don't have the right shoes (I know, this metaphor is really getting extended, not to mention that none of you know what I'm talking about, so it shouldn't make sense anyway).
But then things got confusing. Now I'm seeing that, for as far as I thought I had traveled, I guess I haven't really gone that far at all. Have I learned a lot? Yeah, and like I've said already, sometimes it is a journey. But I also am kind of getting weary of running around in wild, vicious circles and eventually landing right in the same place where I started.
In life, you're supposed to grow and change and get someplace. I look at things I do and I sometimes think everything I've done since my days at Brookfield Central has been a step backwards. On a certain level, I've been so far and journeyed so much. On another level, though, I'm no further along now than I was then.
There were a lot of songs I debated putting up this week. I thought about reposting I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For -- perhaps the album version as opposed to what I used earlier this year -- since that seems to be becoming my life's theme song. I had another Billy Joel song in mind, too, since it seems to be one of my favorite songs when I'm angry, but I realized that I was only angry because I was confused and I needed to think before I let my emotions get the best of me. With that in mind, I though about going to Genesis, or a cover of Genesis by Disturbed, but the original video used these very freaky looking puppets that always seemed creepily surreal to me, while the newer video's imagery of major cities getting destroyed is a bit too strong for the situation (and I didn't think an alternate version would fit -- it's a good cover, though, and we might use it some other time).
Instead, when I sat down this morning to pick out a new profile song for this week, I reminded myself of what I've been reminding a lot of other people lately.
"Stay strong."
Faith is a funny thing. It's not just a religious concept -- having faith in God doing or not doing something is kind of leaving it in His hands. There's a different kind of faith I sort of subscribe to that isn't all that different but is nonetheless important. It's faith in yourself.
At the end of the day, you have to know that if you do things right, have the right intentions and have everyone else's best interests in mind, as well as your own, you'll be fine. The "path" may change, but your good intentions can't.
It's easy to get nervous when the situation around you becomes unfavorable, or when your want to follow through on your good intentions is so strong that you become an overbearing burden. But even if you lose, you still walk away with a small victory if you truly have good intentions. And I do. I needed to remind myself of that, so I went with All About Soul. It's about who's standing now and who's standing tomorrow. This life isn't fair. You gotta get tough, but that ain't enough. And yes, it's about keeping the faith alive.
So with that ... onward into another week.
(By the way, we have a different Billy Joel song in mind for later this week -- but it's so obvious that you shouldn't even have to guess what it is.)
7:07 AM - Checking in from just outside of Lansing, Mich.
Current mood: distractable
Category: Travel and Places
In what I believe is the first-ever Bubbler post from outside the great state of Wisconsin, I check in with you from the city of Charlotte, Mich., about five or ten miles outside of Lansing. Yes, The Bubbler is on the road, thanks to the wonders of wireless Internet at the Super 8 I'm staying at, as well as the Milwaukee Bonecrushers, who are being so kind as to let me do the play-by-play for their games for the remainder of this season.
I know I haven't been contributing much to the Bubbler lately, but adding another ball to the ones I was already juggling -- work, swing, exercise, The Bubbler, fantasy baseball, sleep -- kind of forces some time away from other things. Oh well.
Anyhow, I'm going to be making my way back to Milwaukee in just a little while. A few notes, though:
First off, I know what happened last night in Chicago. Yes, the Brewers got bombarded by the Cubs. I do want to remind everyone, though, that in 1992, the Brewers laid a 22-2 smackdown on the Blue Jays at SkyDome in Toronto. Kevin Seitzer went 5-for-7 and Scott Fletcher went 6-for-7. This just in: The Jays still won the Series. Don't read too much into one game.
Nonetheless, it's a positive to finally see someone suggest that Derrick Turnbow, who gave up six runs at the end of last night's massacre, should maybe be out-and-out released. He asked if Turnbow could be salvaged. I think most of us that watch Brewers games and don't get paid to do it (at least not anymore) have been able to answer that question for a while.
... please.No more. I am so done with all things Favre. I have this great fear, you see -- that Wisconsinites will become a lot like the Dale Earnhardt fans that get made fun of on late-night TV shows because they still have the '3' sticker on their car windows this many years later. It is for this reason that I'm praying that Aaron Rodgers is Steve Young and not Marty Domres ... you know, the guy that took over for Johnny Unitas (you were probably thinking Earl Morrall, who grew up in nearby Muskegon, Mich. -- not so).
Check out the comment on the middle of the page by none other than Dan Plesac -- yes, that Dan Plesac, whom the Brewers apparently let out of the Miller Park "Tower of Long-Lost Closers" (you did know that's why they built the tower at Miller Park, right?) to work for Comcast Chicago. If the Brewers' starters tend to fall in line with what Sheets does, which seems a little ridiculous but oddly true, maybe that's why the team has struggled so since we all know how reliably healthy Sheets is. Maybe Danny's onto something ... and maybe it's time to consider trading Benji, after he has a healthy stretch, of course.
Scott Skiles is going with Joe Wolf and Jim Boyland, among others, on his coaching staff for the Bucks, giving the staff a very local flavor. Will it win over fans? Yes. Will it win over the players? Probably better than you might think.
As much as I dislike Madison (15 miles of land surrounded by reality), I think it's odd to hear the Badger State Games are leaving the capitol city to head to the Fox Valley. Granted, it's not like that region doesn't have great venues. But there's something about having your state's top athletes compete in the state capitol that makes it seem more official. Think about the WIAA championships that take place in Madison. I suppose the Fox Cities will also be easier for many of the athletes from the northern part of the state to get to, but still. It just doesn't quite seem right.
The Bonecrushers did fall to the Saginaw Sting last night, 51-28. By the way, it's worth noting that the Bonecrushers' home games will be replayed on Time Warner Cable Sports Channel 32, complete with my call as the audio, so if you get the chance, check out the Bonecrushers on TV if you see indoor football while you're flipping by.
Next week, the Crushers will be in New Jersey on Friday night. Not only will I be there, I'm making it a New York weekend. There's dancing in Central Park on Sunday. I'm missing BABBLE (the Big Apple Blues, Balboa and Lindy Exchange) by a weekend, but I'm sure that the city that never sleeps takes some time to dance while their suffering from insomnia. Among the other things on my schedule for New York: Liberty Island, Times Square, Yankee Stadium, maybe a Mets game if I'm feeling up to it on Saturday, paying homage to the fallen heroes at Ground Zero, and much more. I'm looking forward to it.
I spied a Waffle House on my way to Saginaw yesterday. I have never eaten at one. Sometimes, one must do something just to say one did it. I must try the Waffle House.
OK, it's time for me to get moving. See y'all back in Wisconsin (that y'all should work well at the Waffle House, I think).
11:01 AM - New Profile Song: "Life Is a Highway" by Tom Cochrane
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Music
The debate this weekend was which song or video related to cars I wanted to pick, given that mine was kind of the focus of things for a stretch there. Did I want to go with a song like One Week by the Barenaked Ladies? The second verse has the band engaging in a car chase in the video, not to mention the album was named Stunt. Or did I want to go with a song by The Cars, like You Might Think or Magic? Or even Alive by P.O.D., the video for which starts out with a car getting hit by a bus?
Nah. You've heard One Week waaaaay too many times, we'll save The Cars for another day and Alive isn't exactly the type of song we put on this profile.
So instead, we'll go with some recent classic rock.
Cochrane's biggest solo smash brought the Canadian lead singer from Red Rider into the forefront of pop music in 1991. Red Rider was a popular Canadian rock band in the 80's whose music just never seemed to make the leap across the border for some reason. After a successful decade with the band, Cochrane struck out on his own to do Mad Mad World, creating this catchy and successful rocker. The CBC has called it the 13th-greatest Canadian song of all-time.
Of course, most folks in 2008 might remember a different version of the song better ... [sigh]. Alas, yes, a great pop/rock song from the early 90's was bastardized by Disney a few years ago for the movie Cars as pop/country/fluff band Rascal Flatts took the edge off the song and turned it into a wishy-washy animated movie soundtrack tune. If you can't tell, I've never been a Disney movie fan and this is a case in point.
Anyhow, while Rascal Flatts will never appear on this profile, we will give a nod to Cochrane for creating a great song.
I tend to take the space after I introduce a new profile song every week to spew some of my weekly philosophy and thoughts about life.
I had kind of a realization in the last couple days: I'm starting to think I understand my path.
I'm not going to say it's an ideal one. I'm also not thinking it's the one I had planned. But, at the same time, it's alright. I'm OK with it. And the big thing for me is knowing I'll at least serve a purpose.
I often think that recognizing your role is an important thing in life. I'm starting to see what my role is.
The funny thing is, I'm not in the role yet. In theory, I may not land in that role. But I see it coming and I'm starting to get ready for it. It was a realization I started to have Thursday night and had reinforced yesterday. It has an effect on me. It's not normal for me. But it's part of growing up, I suppose, and it's a bit of a surprise. I'm happy to take the role. I know a lot of others would consider it a prize. I understand the challenges it will entail. But yeah. It 's there. I know it's on the way. The signs are all there.
The key is to have a plan -- both for those and for those around me. Part of the understanding is that the plan may not necessarily be followed by everyone. As a matter of fact, I know there are a few people that will want to screw with the plan. But I have one and it's a good plan.
Part of the plan even recognizes that what's best for everyone isn't necessarily what's best for me. As a matter of fact, it's quite important to recognize that as we prepare for the possibility of the plan coming into place. It's what's best for everyone that's important, though. As people grow and develop as individuals, as lives change and as we learn to adjust to our situations, it's important to note that what's seemingly the easiest route, and the best for us, isn't always the route we should take. In the end, you're best off if you're well-rounded -- if you gain experience, if you're worldly, if you can walk away saying you tried something before you move onto something else.
One of the funny things about humans, too, is how time plays a factor. Think about the traits of time: It does heal all wounds, but it takes time for people to adjust. You have to take time into account when you're making de
confident
vexed
rushed
tired
relaxed
exhausted
frustrated
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contemplative
distractable
First off, I know what happened last night in Chicago. Yes, the Brewers got bombarded by the Cubs. I do want to remind everyone, though, that in 1992, 
Scott Skiles is going with Joe Wolf and Jim Boyland, among others, on his coaching staff for the Bucks, giving the staff a very local flavor. Will it win over fans? Yes. Will it win over the players? Probably better than you might think. 
The Bonecrushers did fall to the Saginaw Sting last night, 51-28. By the way, it's worth noting that the Bonecrushers' home games