Twelve Weeks Late On Appreciations
Eleven Months of Awesome
Nothing. Not a Single Thing.
Nine Gifts for Friends
?????????????????????
Seven Books for Reading
Six cocktails
Five gooooals / things
Four legal mic drops
Three critters and an otter
Two names for naming
And a fat guy in a jer-sey
March the Twenty-Fifth
No one's hangin' stockin's up,
No one's bakin' pie,
No one's lookin' up to see
A new star in the sky.
No one's talkin' brotherhood,
No one's givin' gifts,
And no one loves a Christmas tree
On March the twenty-fifth.
--Shel Silverstein
I don't know if it'll make any change, but I figured it's time for me to start posting.
And, commence the letdown.
I suppose it can’t be as big a letdown as a Monday night in early March, so it’s as good a time as any to close out 2013 and move forward. Seems like we haven’t really gotten in gear here in 2014, and I take the blame for it. I could blame Dave for stealing my stuff on Day 8, or Dennis for posting nothing on Day 10, or the group for ensuring we were going to drift into ’14 even without my lag . . . but nope. This was my mental block. The only bits I have of any value are a few music recommendations and some overdue thank-yous to yous guys, so here goes. My annual end-of-year “20 from 2013” CD (antiquated, not yet obsolete) is now feeling a tad stale, but there is still some good listening that a few of you may have yet to hear. Spotify list forthcoming.
Here goes:
Black Joe Lewis, “Come To My Party”
Cage The Elephant, “Come a Little Closer”
Most significant of my gratitude surrounds my wedding day over a year ago. Quite a few of you made the trek – through snow and ice (honestly, who gets married in January?) – to wish me well and drink like hell. Here’s to Three Sheets to the Wind, O’Sullivan’s bar, and all of you great friends who left me humbled and honored that day.
Arctic Monkeys, “I Want It All”
Neko Case, “Man”
Man Man, "Head On"
And to the best wedding gifts a man could ask for:
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| Squeaky/Zman. (Yes, it's signed.) Man. |
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| Teej/Baconbaking (went quickly) |
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| Dave and Buckles each (gift certificates also went quickly) |
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| And the Marls… man man. |
And others I have omitted. My sincere apologies.
Queens of the Stone Age, “I Sat By the Ocean”
Vance Joy, “Riptide”
Okkervil River, “Down Down The Deep River”
More good friend stuff . . . the 20th Annual Outer Banks Fishing Trip happened last August. I still can’t believe we have done something without fail for that long. We can’t even get through 12 days of Gheorghemas. It was spectacular, with most all of the mainstays going to great lengths to be there. Here’s to 20 more, God willing. Hell, here's to OBFT XXI, if that happens.
The Mowgli's, “San Francisco”
Non sequitur: My wife turns 40 this year, and for kicks, we’re headed to the Outside Lands Festival in Golden Gate Park in August. Join us if you have the means. Which I don’t, but that’s not stopping me.Trombone Shorty, “Shortyville”
Here’s to Rob. And this short post. This was my favorite tune of 2013. There are no words.
That about does it. This feels like Ween’s cover of “Piano Man” in Toronto ’96 (awesome but slightly NSFW at the end, which you must wait for), but less hilarious. This is house-cleaning and music. Have at it.
Rounding out the 20…
Dr. Dog, “Broken Heart”
Delta Rae, “If I Loved You [feat. Lindsey Buckingham]”
The Avett Brothers, “Another Is Waiting” (I know, I know, Rootsy)
Bear's Den, “Agape”
Dan Croll, “From Nowhere”Portugal. The Man, “Modern Jesus”
Caitlin Rose, “Waitin'”
Jason Isbell, “Relatively Easy”
Ages and Ages, “Divisionary (Do the Right Thing)”
Oh... and...
(My wife’s selection, not mine)...
Ylvis, “The Fox (What Does The Fox Say?)”
Thanks to all, and to all a Happy 2014!
Posts
43 comments:
Gmas returns! Like Jesus.
it's the most wonderful time of the year. for manly love.
Guess I'll take the tree down today.
Gheorghemas LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVES
i assume you know that the gosling's i brought you last weekend is a wedding gift.
...and thanks for the Gosling's. It was delicious.
i kid, i kid. i assumed the 'no gifts' thing was for real. i follow directions, unlike my generously inconsiderate friends.
also, i'm very lazy.
my grandfather (who i wrote about here: http://gheorghe77.blogspot.com/2013/04/baseball-poetry-of-sort.html) passed away this morning. in his own words, he'd been ready to go for some time, so i'm sad, but not upset.
what do you figure he and oderus urungus had to say to each other when they met? i'd give a lot to be a fly on st. peter's wall for that conversation.
condolences rob.
and before reading that bit of info on your loss, i was going to throw in a "he's cheap too"....but i'll do that later.
'oderus! big fan of your work. was wearing a replica costume just last week. scared the shit out of my caregiver!'
Off to a rip-roarin start here today at gtb! And we haven't even hit the Danny Snyder letter yet!
Dan Snyder, clueless baffoon
Is a "baffoon" half baboon, half buffoon? Or a balloon animal of a buffoon?
it could just be a mistyped word, but what fun would that be, eh?
And Rob, very sorry to hear the sad news about your grandfather. Like you, I revered my grandfather. Great men of a time gone by who are now immortalized on the virtual pages of Gheorghe the blog.
If a billionaire decides to spend a bunch of money to help eliminate poverty and illness among a group of people, I'm not going to bust his balls. Invoking God in the letter is a bit odd but it's a quote from someone else. Sure, this is only happening because people think the team name is racist, but at least something tangibly helpful will come from the foundation.
And you have my condolences rob.
I never knew either of my grandfathers so I'm always a little jealous of those who enjoyed good relationships with their grandfather(s). That said, condolences.
I sent rob a picture of a squirrel weightlifting, because I am turrible at actual expressing condolences
Rob, our condolences to your family.
I'm sure everyone has already pointed out that OAF part of the acronym to Synder's new foundation. Very fitting for him.
It's a good see all the focus on helping the tribes but it's still a strawman. People will still see the name as a slur.
i'm not going to bust snyder's balls for the charitable impulse, z, but the tone deafness and obvious pandering in the effort is perfectly snyder. he didn't care a lick about this issue until his pr folks decided he did. i am glad, though, that some kids and families who need help will get it, at least temporarily.
I'm sure his accountant had a hand in advising him as well. In a perfect world, the money actually reaches those who need it AND he's forced to change the name. Short of that, you guys are right, take the good with the plentiful bad from Danny.
And perhaps it was the spirit of Gheorghemas that moved him...
Dear Washingtong Fans,
Based on public outcry we decided to do some research about Native Americans. You would not believe that they have a history of oppression that has contributed greatly to various forms of strife today. I know! It was totally new information to us. Anyway, please look at these shiny jingling car keys that is our new foundation while I continue to ignore the real issue. I am a man of my word that my initial kneejerk public comments will be upheld and the name does not have to change. God is with me. Yours in Christ, DS.
Also cannot wait to read the idiocy that is the WaPo comments section regarding Danny's latest correspondence.
The power of Christ compels you!!
The power of Christ compels you!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDNCkcC47eQ
Fitting that it's snowing on the 12th Day of Gheorghe-mas
And, Rob--my sympathies to you & the family.
update: oderus, my grandfather, and ralph wilson all at the pearly gates together. that's a weird conversation, i bet.
The 76ers have lost 25 straight games...and yet still do not own the worst record in the NBA.
good job, good effort, Bucks
happy about gheorghemas, sad to hear about rob's grandfather, and annoyed about the apparent postponing of spring.
It's also snowing here in SE VA. Just ridiculous. But Shlara is right, it's perfect to cap off Gheorghemas!! 'Tis the season.
Zman, were you a fan of that Isbell tune/record last year? Pretty damn good. Even Patterson had enormous praise. This Paste article about the Truckers is excellent. And the new album is terrific.
And the Black Joe Lewis song in this post is very Zman.
I was unaware of Isbell's new album but he can do no wrong so I'll check it out. The Black Joe Lewis song is like the Black Keys fronted by Charles Bradley.
MJD sighting this morning as I was coming out of Physical Therapy. He was heading into gym...I gave him a "what's up man?!" He was with a short, very plump, unattractive female. When it rains it pours.
And am not sure why I capped Physical and Therapy.
Didn't TR see someone famous?
Danimal, you will be happy to know the Apple Blossom Parade is mentioned in the kids book 'Froggy plays in the Band' by Jonathan London. Which lead to a conversation with my five year old how cool of a parade it is/was.
Very nice...thanks for the head's up. Will put it on the "to rent" list. One of these years we'll have a summit there.
Is renting books like checking them out of the library?
I do give the Apple Blossom Parade and Festival my strongest recommendation. It helped to have hosts like Danimal and his merry band of misfits for 40 hours of revelry and redneckery in the apple capital of America.
I've read 5 articles on tonight's Florida-UCLA game and I'm getting antsy. Good thing the game doesn't start for another 10 hours.
So Irsay had $29k on him at the time of his arrest? Must have been heading to a meeting with Patrick Cannon.
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