The Armchair Squid

A to Z 2012: Join in the Fun!

2012-01-30T17:46:00.002-05:00

I'm doing the A to Z Blogging Challenge again this year and you should join me! The basic idea is that for each day in April, excepting all Sundays save the first, you publish a post according to that day's theme letter. A on April 1st, B on the 2nd and so forth. Learn more here or by clicking on either the badge at the top of this post or the one on my sidebar. Here is a link to my own A to Z posts from last year.

A to Z is a great way to make new friends in the blogosphere. Take a stroll through the list below of others planning to participate. I hope you'll join us!

Family Adventures: A Taste of Honey

2012-01-29T23:01:00.003-05:00

Photo via Beauty to the People

Beer tastings and wine tastings are fun but not exactly small child friendly. So when I saw there would be a honey tasting at Lake Champlain Chocolates in Burlington on Saturday afternoon, that seemed promising. My Wife was up for it but, shockingly, Our Girl was a tough sell on the idea. Here we were offering to take her to sample sweet things - at a chocolate factory, no less! She rolled her eyes at the suggestion that we might see Oompa-Loompas but we did finally manage to convince her that the excursion could be preferable to hanging out in her room all day. Off to town we went.

First, lunch. We went to The Farmhouse Tap & Grill. My Wife had been once before but it was my first time. As it turns out, the place is a very popular choice for families with kids - a bit surprising considering the prices. My cheeseburger was $14. I once paid $17 for a cheeseburger, at Stage Left in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Crazy? Yes though, to be fair, it was far and away the best burger I've ever eaten. My burger on Saturday was pretty darn good, too. Worth $14? Sure, why not?

Image via The Farmhouse Tap & Grill

The beer list is very impressive, another surprise given the number of children (though My Wife suggested that perhaps the beer was, in fact, the draw for parents). Keeping with the theme of our outing, I ordered a Kissmeyer Honey Porter but alas, they were out! Not to be deterred, our waitress suggested a very nice Russian stout as an alternative.

Image via Vermont Attractions Association

On to the tasting. The honey tasting was a joint venture between Lake Champlain Chocolates and Slow Food Vermont. There were also representatives from The Vermont Beekeepers Association. In addition to the honey itself, we got to taste pollen and, of course, some honey-based chocolate treats. Honey is amazing stuff, varying greatly from region to region according to the local flowers being pollinated. We all enjoyed the tasting, even Our Girl. I'm sure the chocolate we bought on the way out didn't hurt her outlook.

Image via Slow Food Vermont

We've had some experience with Slow Food in the past. We were members when we lived in Jersey and even went to a meeting of the state chapter in Princeton. Overall, we were disappointed in the New Jersey gathering as some of the people in positions of influence appeared to have ideas very different from those of the broader movement. We had an interesting lunch, though, as we ended up at a table of mycologists. Mycology, of course, is the study of mushrooms. That Slow Food meeting is the only reason I know that. My Wife seems inclined to give the Vermont chapter a try.

Australian Open Day 14: 5:53

2012-01-29T11:41:00.003-05:00

Curtain Call

Player: Rafael Nadal
Age: 25
Nation: Spain
Current Ranking: 2
Today's Result: loss to Novak Djokovic (1st seed, Serbia) in five sets

Photo via Scrape TV

It's only January and I expect we've already seen the match of the year. The Djokovic-Nadal rivalry needed a match like this: one to rank among the all-time greats. Djokovic proved himself a true warrior, his victory a worthy tribute to the spirit Nadal has brought to the sport as well as a demonstration of his own current mastery over the Spaniard. I don't care much for Chris Fowler but I must credit him for hitting the nail on the head with this summation:

Pat McEnroe, after one of so many breathtaking rallies: "What can you say?"

Fowler: "Thank you, to both men."

Even Rod Laver looked a little uncomfortable being asked to share in the moment with these current titans. You could tell he knew the night wasn't about him at all.

That had to be a tough loss for Nadal but he did well just to force the match to go the distance. Even with the loss, he's managed to close the gap between Djokovic and himself in the rankings. Rafa lost in the quarters last year so he'll build on his own points whereas Novak had to win today just to defend his. The admittedly enviable disadvantage to Djokovic's tremendous 2011 season is that he'll enter just about every event this year with champion points to protect. Nadal's way too good to allow the Serb to ever rest on his laurels.

What will the next chapter in Paris bring? Regardless of what happens between now and then, Rafa will have to be the favorite to win. The draw will be crucial, I think. Which of them will have to contend with Federer in the semis? For Nadal, it probably doesn't matter but surely, Djokovic would rather face Murray or, frankly, anyone but Fed.

Australian Open Day 13: Sharapova

2012-01-28T08:35:00.003-05:00

Curtain Call

Name: Maria Sharapova
Age: 24
Nation: Russia
Current Ranking: 4
Notable Conquest: Petra Kvitova (2nd seed, Czech Republic)
Today's Result: loss to Victoria Azarenka (3rd, Belarus) in straight sets

Photo via Facebook

I find it virtually impossible to root for Sharapova but on some level, it was good to see her gain a measure of revenge against Kvitova in the semifinals. Unfortunately, she didn't have enough left in the tank to put up much fight in the finals. Sharapova missed her chance to claim the #1 ranking but she'll still move up from #4. I'm always shocked to be reminded of her age. Only 24? Everything is skewed when you win Wimbledon at the age of 17.

Many bemoan the lack of a single dominant player at the top of the heap in women's tennis but I think relative parity is wonderful. For the fourth Slam in a row, we have a first time Slam champion. Five different players have won the past five Slams: Clijsters, Li, Kvitova, Stosur and Azarenka. It's been nearly a decade since men's tennis has had anything approaching that run. Who would be the most likely player to keep both streaks alive in Paris? Marion Bartoli (France) would be my choice.

Australian Open Day 12: Bracciali

2012-01-27T16:39:00.003-05:00

Curtain Call

Player: Daniele Bracciali
Age: 34
Nation: Italy
Current Doubles Ranking: 32
Mixed Doubles Partner: Roberta Vinci (Italy)
Notable Conquests: Kvete Peschke (Czech Republic)/Mike Bryan (USA) (1st seed) and Andrea Hlavackova (Czech Republic)/Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi (Pakistan) (7th)
Today's Result: loss to Elena Vesnina (Russia)/Leander Paes (India) (5th) in a third-set tiebreak

Photo via BBC SPORT

Bracciali had some decent singles success earlier in his career, peaking at #49 in the world in 2006. His shining moment came at Wimbledon that year, where he beat Ivo Karlovic (Croatia) in five sets and pushed Andy Roddick (USA) to five sets as well. He's cleverly managed to extend his career with doubles play.

Australian Open Day 11: Lindstedt

2012-01-26T06:15:00.007-05:00

Curtain Call

Player: Robert Lindstedt
Age: 34
Nation: Sweden
Current Doubles Ranking: 16
Doubles Partner: Horia Tecau (Romania)
Today's Result: loss to Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan (1st seed, USA) in three sets

AWESOME photo via MensTennisForums.com

Lindstedt's Slam resume is pretty solid. He has now made it to at least the quarterfinals at all four Slams, including the Wimbledon finals twice. No Slam titles yet, though he does have 12 doubles titles overall. He and Tecau have been playing together since April 2010 and with great success: 12 finals, 6 titles. Their semifinal run in Aussie is a huge improvement on last year's first round exit so both men will get a big rankings boost.

Australian Open Day 10: Makarova

2012-01-25T06:17:00.002-05:00

Curtain Call

Player: Ekaterina Makarova
Age: 23
Nation: Russia
Current Ranking: 56
Notable Conquests: Vera Zvonareva (7th seed, Russia), Serena Williams (12th, USA) and Kaia Kanepi (25th, Estonia)
Today's Result: loss to Maria Sharapova (4th, Russia) in straight sets

Photo via Celebrities

The lefty Muscovite had the tournament of her life, attaining her career-best Slam result and taking down three seeds en route. Color commentator Chris Evert, in particular, seemed determined to belittle her accomplishment, specifically her upset of Williams, claiming "anyone" would have beaten Serena the way she played. (She almost immediately qualified the statement, saying that maybe 20 players would have beaten her) While the statement may be true, it misses the point, I believe. Makarova did the deed and fully deserves the credit.

But Pam Shriver delivered the line of the night. As Evert was prattling on about whether Makareva looks more like Steffi Graf or Gwyneth Paltrow, she said that Makarova wishes she had half of Graf's game.

Pam's retort: "Gwyneth Paltrow wishes she had half of Makarova's game."

Right on, Pam!

Australian Open Day 9: JMDP

2012-01-24T18:47:00.003-05:00

Curtain Call

Player: Juan Martin del Potro
Age: 23
Nation: Argentina
Current Ranking: 11
Today's Result: loss to Roger Federer (3rd seed, Switzerland) in straight sets

Photo via SportsTwo

Never mind today's pasting. It's great to see del Potro back on track. His fourth round finish is an improvement on last year's second round exit - enough to bolster his ranking going forward. His bazooka forehand alone makes del Potro worth watching but he's far from a one-shot wonder. He belongs in the top tier and has shown that he's fully capable of beating anyone. He's always a two-week hot streak away from winning his second Slam. Interesting, yet trivial fact I learned today: he is the tallest player ever to win a Slam tournament.

On the Coffee Table: Cheap Shot

2012-01-23T17:51:00.005-05:00

Title: Cheap Shot: A Drew Gavin Mystery
Author: Steve Brewer

Image via Open Library

Writing a review for a mystery novel is tricky. To write too much is to give too much away. To write too little is to be dull.

I'll begin in generalities. This was my second Drew Gavin mystery. I read and reviewed End Run just over a year ago. As such, I am already familiar with the central characters and interested in their well-being. I enjoyed this book a lot but it has some interesting differences from the first, best discussed after the spoiler alert.

Not long ago, My Wife asked me which among my sports books I might recommend to her. I chose The Soul of Baseball by Joe Posnanski. I'd be interested to know, though, what she thinks of Brewer's books. As I've written before, she's read far more mystery novels than I and might very well enjoy these. They're sports-light, mystery-heavy which would suit her, I think.

Okay, now onto the nitty gritty...

*****SPOILER ALERT*****

There is no surprise twist at the end as there was with End Run. In fact, the guilty parties are, more or less, exactly who you expect them to me. So, the book is less a whodunit mystery than the first. The fun is in watching Drew piece the puzzle together to help exonerate Curtis and in wondering how on earth our hero will make it to the end of the book without getting killed. Enough questions are left unanswered until the end, both in the investigation and in Drew's relationship with Teresa, to keep the reader involved.

Overall, it's a fun read - not quite what I was expecting but fun.

Australian Open Day 8: Zheng

2012-01-23T06:37:00.000-05:00

Curtain Call

Player: Jie Zheng
Age: 28
Nation: China
Current Ranking: 38
Notable Conquests: Marion Bartoli (9th seed, France) and Roberta Vinci (23rd, Italy)
Today's Result: loss to Sara Errani (Italy) in straight sets

Photo via thedoublebagel

Zheng looked to be on the path to exciting things when she made the semifinals in Melbourne two years ago, the second Slam semi of her career. Instead her results since have been pedestrian. She's had a great start to 2012: winning a tune-up tournament in Auckland before making the fourth round at the Australian. Alas, she went down very meekly today: 6-2, 6-1. Just not enough left in the tank, I guess.

Catching Up with Old Friends

Bernard Tomic (Curtain Call, Wimbledon Day 9) - Tomic's impressive run in Melbourne ended in the fourth round with a straight-sets loss to Roger Federer (3rd, Switzerland). Federer has done the same to many other players at many other tournaments. He is a professional reality check. Tomic is the future. There's little doubt of that at this point. He had five-set wins over two seeds at the 2012 Australian: Alexandr Dolgopolov (13th, Ukraine) and Fernando Verdasco (22nd, Spain). But he still has some work to do to challenge for the top of the heap.

Tomic teamed with Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) in mixed doubles. The team made it to the second round before losing to the 7th-seeded team Andrea Hlavackova (Czech Republic)/Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi (Pakistan).

Golden Squid Report

Richard Gasquet (Golden Squid since 6/27/2011) - Gasquet had a strong tournament, matching his career-best in Melbourne by reaching the fourth round. He beat Janko Tipsarevic (9th, Serbia) rather easily in the third round, reminding everyone that he really does have Top 10 talent himself. Expectations will be higher at the next Slam, Roland Garros, where Gasquet reached the fourth round last year.

Jurgen Melzer (Golden Squid since 1/24/2011) - Melzer was very busy in Australia, per usual of late. Unfortunately, the results were down from a year ago. He lost in the first round of the singles draw to Ivo Karlovic (Croatia), the 6-10 embodiment of the dangerous floater. His ranking will take a hit as he made it to the fourth round last year. His doubles result with partner Philipp Petzschner (Germany) was also down: third round this year compared to the quarterfinals in 2011. He teamed with Iveta Benesova (Czech Republic) in mixed doubles. They lost in the second round to the 6th-seeded Indian team of Sania Mirza/Mahesh Bhupathi.

Off My Duff: Gearing Up

2012-01-22T23:07:00.003-05:00

With a slick new jersey and shin guards attached with duct tape, I'm gradually working my way up to a respectable level of broomball gear. We have a bye week coming up and I aim to go helmet shopping. Blue Liner has ordered specialty broomball shoes. To think, but a few months ago, I'd never even considered that such a thing existed. They're $90 a pair so not a casual investment. If he notices a difference, I may consider doing the same.

Photo via m.basa.org.au

We lost again this weekend. 6-1 was the final score. There are moments when we play really well and scoring goals is always encouraging. But there is, obviously, still a lot of room for improvement. I feel I've gotten incrementally better at a few things. I'm getting the hang of winning the ball off of an offensive player. I'm getting better at passing. I am careless around my own net, though. Two of the goals we allowed were deflections off of my stick (Blue Liner claims he's still one ahead of me for own goals but he may have just been trying to make me feel better). I'm still not comfortable moving around on the ice, either. Of course, the ice has been particularly slick the past two games as the skating class before us insists on having it cleared. Still, better shoes would help a lot.

Our team play has improved quite a bit, I think. We talk a lot more. We have a better sense of positions. The new shirts have helped to foster a sense of identity. But, in addition to opportunities to practice, I feel we could use a stronger sense of purpose and, occasionally, perspective. I want to win. I want to learn to play better. But more that anything, I want to enjoy the time with my colleagues, win or lose.

Australian Open Day 7: Lopez

2012-01-22T08:31:00.004-05:00

Curtain Call

Player: Feliciano Lopez
Age: 30
Nation: Spain
Current Ranking: 19
Notable Conquest: John Isner (16th seed, USA)
Today's Result: loss to Rafael Nadal (2nd, Spain) in straight sets

Photo via Male Celeb News

Lopez is 30?!! That doesn't seem possible. I suppose beauty makes everyone look younger. For once, Nadal was not the most handsome Spanish lefty on the court, but he continued his dominance over his countrymen nonetheless.

Lopez is aging well, currently enjoying the highest ranking of his career. Unusual for a Spaniard, he's at his best on a faster court. His only two ATP titles are on hard courts and his best Slam results are at Wimbledon, where he's reached the quarterfinals three times. He's reached at least the fourth round at all four Slams. Ultimately, his greatest legacy may be in doubles. He's reached the third round in doubles at all four Slams, plus quarterfinal runs at the Australian and US Opens. Most significantly, he has been absolutely vital to Spain's success in Davis Cup competition where he typically teams with fellow lefty Fernando Verdasco. They'll likely be a pair to watch at the Olympics.

Australian Open Day 6: Cirstea

2012-01-21T08:44:00.004-05:00

Curtain Call

Player: Sorana Cirstea
Age: 21
Nation: Romania
Current Ranking: 59
Notable Conquest: Samantha Stosur (6th seed, Australia)
Today's Result: loss to Sara Errani (Italy) in three sets

Photo via Mail Online

With this result, Cirstea has reached at least the third round at all four Slams. Only at Roland Garros has she made it beyond, attaining the quarterfinals in 2009. Romania has a strong presence in the women's rankings. At #59, Cirstea is only the fourth-highest ranked Romanian woman, behind Monica Niculescu (#32), Irina-Camelia Begu (#41) and Simona Halep (#50).

Catching Up with Old Friends

Angelique Kerber (Curtain Call, US Open Day 13) - In reaching the third round, Kerber matched her career-best finish in Melbourne. Then she encountered the buzz saw that is the in-form Maria Sharapova (4th, Russia). Kerber has a great opportunity to boost her ranking this year. She lost in the first round at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon last year. She'd do well to rack up some wins before she has to defend her semifinal points from the US Open.

Juan Sebastian Cabal (Curtain Call, Roland Garros Day 14) - In his first four Slams, Cabal has now managed to make it to at least the second round in the doubles draw. In Australia, he teamed with countryman Robert Farah. In the second round, they ran into a couple of doubles legends, the second-seeded team of Max Mirnyi (Belarus)/Daniel Nestor (Canada) who have won 12 Slams between them. The Colombians fell in straight sets. Cabal/Farah will be an interesting team to watch in this Olympic year. They won the gold medal in doubles at the Pan Am Games in October. Due to his great ascent over the past year, I award Cabal the Golden Squid, the first to receive the award entirely on the strength of performance in doubles.

Photo via Colombia.com

Golden Squid Report

Greta Arn (Golden Squid since 5/24/2011) - At age 32, Greta Arn keeps on rolling. She got thumped good by Serena Williams (12th, USA) but her third round finish is her career-best in Melbourne. Her Slam results were modest in 2011: three first round exits and a pass on Wimbledon. So, if she can stay healthy, she should be able to improve her ranking.

Australian Open Day 5: Bratchikova

2012-01-20T06:36:00.005-05:00

Curtain Call

Player: Nina Bratchikova
Age: 26
Nation: Russia
Current Ranking: 136
Notable Conquest: Flavia Pennetta (19th seed, Italy)
Today's Result: loss to Iveta Benesova (Czech Republic) in straight sets

Photo via Indian Express

At 26, Bratchikova qualified to reach her first-ever Slam main draw. She even managed to take out a seed in the first round. The ESPN commentators (I believe Taylor Dent was the color man) were, I think, suitably impressed. In the past, I've often felt that commentators are dismissive of journeyman players but for Bratchikova, they made a big deal out of the fact that this was by far the best result of her career. That is as it should be.

Catching Up with Old Friends

Romina Oprandi (Curtain Call, US Open Day 3) - All of the former Curtain Calls I'm catching up with today took down a seeded player before they left town. Oprandi beat countrywoman Francesca Schiavone (10th) in the second round. However, she lost in the third to Julia Georges (22nd, Germany). By reaching the third round, she has attained her career-best Slam result.

Christina McHale (Curtain Call, US Open Day 5) - McHale beat the 24th seeded Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic) in the first round en route to a third round finish, her best in Melbourne. She lost to Jelena Jankovic (13th, Serbia) in straight sets. She teamed with Angelique Kerber (Germany) in doubles. They lost to the top seeds in the first round: Kveta Peschke (Croatia)/Katarina Srebotnik (Slovenia).

Alejandro Falla (Curtain Call, US Open Day 4) - Falla won the biggest scalp of the three, besting Mardy Fish (8th, USA) in the second round. The Colombian left lost in the third round to Philipp Kohlschreiber (Germany) in straight sets. He teamed with countryman Santiago Giraldo in doubles. They lost in the first round to the Brazillian team, Ricardo Mello/Joao Souza.

Australian Open Day 4: Alabama Gal

2012-01-19T06:47:00.005-05:00

Curtain Call

Player: Jamie Hampton
Age: 22
Nation: USA
Current Ranking: 144
Today's Result: loss to Maria Sharapova (4th seed, Russia) in straight sets

Photo via Dow Corning Tennis Classic

The Australian has been a great Slam for Hampton. I featured her here last year, too, on Day 1. Even though she was served an egg and bacon by Sharapova today (losing 6-0, 6-1), this is her first time reaching the second round of a Slam. The Alabama native is actually higher ranked in doubles at #90 but is not participating in doubles in Melbourne.

Catching Up with Old Friends

Sloane Stephens (Curtain Call, US Open Day 6) - Stephens is not yet 19 and the future looks bright. She went down in straight sets to Svetlana Kuznetsova (18th, Russia) but made the two-time Slam champion earn it: 7-6, 7-5. Stephens also entered the women's doubles draw, partnering with Ksenia Pervak (Kazakhstan). The pair lost in the first round to Rika Fujiwara/Ayumi Morita (Japan).

Golden Squid Report

Rebecca Marino (Golden Squid since 6/24/2011) - Marino lost in the first round to Greta Arn (Hungary), another Golden Squid, in straight sets. Not only is she currently the highest ranked Canadian woman on tour. She is, in fact, the third ranked North American, behind only Serena Williams and Christina McHale, both of the United States. She teamed with Irina Falconi in doubles. They lost in the first round to the 4th seeded team of Gisela Dulko (Argentina)/Flavia Pennetta (Italy).

Tobias Kamke (Golden Squid since 1/17/2011) - Kamke deserves great praise for the match he turned in against Alexandr Dolgopolov (13th, Ukraine), pushing him to 8-6 in the fifth set. By reaching the second round, he attained his career-best in Melbourne. He played doubles with Frederik Nielsen (Denmark). The pair lost in the first round to the Spanish team of Pablo Andujar/Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.

Australian Open Day 3: Chang

2012-01-18T06:55:00.003-05:00

Curtain Call

Player: Kai-Chen Chang
Age: 21
Nation: Chinese Taipei
Current Ranking: 149
Today's Result: loss to Jelena Jankovic (13th seed, Serbia) in straight sets

Photo via TopNews

This is Chang's best-ever finish at the Australian. She has yet to get past the second round at any Slam but she's young. There's still time. Architecture is her top career alternative choice - a regular George Costanza!

Catching Up with Old Friends

Marina Erakovic (Curtain Call, Roland Garros Day 3) - It was a short tournament for Erakovic, losing in the second round of the singles draw and the first of the doubles. But it's still an improvement on last year which makes four Slams in a row. She's climbing the rankings steadily as well. As such, she has earned a place as the newest Golden Squid!

Photo via Tenhand

Photo via The Tennis Times

I caught a fair amount of her match with Christina McHale (USA). I admire her aggressive style. Her trouble appears to be with consistency. The match was really hers to lose and she seemed to lose her nerve at closing time. One hopes she'll benefit from experience.

Australian Open Day 2: Udomchoke

2012-01-17T17:35:00.005-05:00

Curtain Call

Player: Danai Udomchoke
Age: 30
Nation: Thailand
Current Ranking: 201
Today's Result: loss to Gilles Simon (12th seed, France) in five sets

Photo via The Nation

I first knew Udomchoke as Davis Cup teammate of Paradorn Srichaphan, one of my all-time favorites. Danai's never attained Paradorn's level of success but he's put together a solid, if unspectacular, career nonetheless. He's won eight Challenger-level titles, all on hard court, and also won a gold medal in singles at the 2006 Asian Games. As is customary for men in Thailand, he spent two weeks as a Buddhist monk:

Photo via Buddhist Celebrities

Catching Up with Old Friends

Juan Carlos Ferrero (Curtain Call, US Open Day 8) - Ferrero fought bravely but eventually fell to Viktor Troicki (19th, Serbia) in five sets. This was Ferrero's 11th Australian Open. His best finish was the semifinals in 2004. He missed a lot of 2011 with an injury so even at age 31, he has an opportunity to boost his ranking, currently #48 in the world.

Australian Open Day 1: Gojowczyk

2012-01-16T06:38:00.003-05:00

Curtain Call

Player: Peter Gojowczyk
Age: 22
Nation: Germany
Current Ranking: 248
Today's Result: loss to Donald Young (USA) in five sets

Photo via ATP World Tour

Gojowczyk, born in Dachau, went through qualifying to reach his first-ever Grand Slam main draw. In fact, today's match was only the second of his career at the ATP level. He qualified for the main draw in Munich two years ago, only to lose to Marcos Baghdatis (Cyprus) in the first round.

Family Adventures: Bridge Street Cafe

2012-01-15T22:24:00.003-05:00

Bridge Street Cafe in Richmond, Vermont has long been our favorite comfort food restaurant. They passed my club sandwich test a long time ago - fresh homemade bread always makes for a strong entry. They do an excellent Sunday brunch. Today, I went with French toast and a side of ham: an old standby, very satisfying on a bitterly cold day. It's a family establishment - very warm and friendly. We could hear the kitchen staff singing along with the radio. It's definitely my kind of place.

Photo via find & go seek

We had our first broomball game of the winter season on Saturday night. Mock's cousin, The Carpenter, has lent me a pair of shin guards. I was very grateful for them as the ice was ridiculously slippery. Usually, there are hockey players on the ice before us and they chop up the surface quite effectively - ideal for broomball. Last night, there was just an adult skating class on before us. Someone needs to invent an anti-zamboni for broomball ice. Perhaps we should bring ice picks next time.

We lost 3-0. Even with the loss and the subpar conditions, it was good to be back out on the ice. Plus, we have snazzy new jerseys:

Photo by Mrs. Mock

On the Coffee Table: Isaac Asimov

2012-01-15T16:36:00.004-05:00

Title: Foundation
Author: Isaac Asimov

Image via Expanding Consciousness

I first read Foundation in my early teens, then made it through the next three books in the series. I've read an awful lot of other books since then. Most significantly, I've tackled Machiavelli. The Foundation series is really more political science fiction than anything else and I appreciate the story in a completely different light through a Machiavellian filter. Good books inspire one to read other books and I now feel I should reread The Prince, plus Discourses on Livy. However, Asimov's inspiration was Edward Gibbons's The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. I'll add all of those to my to-read list, along with Dante's Inferno, which is frequently referenced in classic science fiction. If we learn anything from such works, it is that the basic nature of power never changes and, as a result, history is doomed to repeat itself. Foundation foretells the rise of theocracy and despotism not because Asimov was a prophet, but because it's all happened before.

Han Solo Photo via Paste Magazine

Nearly every science fiction writer who followed owes a debt to Mr. Asimov. George Lucas, in particular, surely used Asimov's road map in creating his own Galactic Empire. A strong central authority being challenged by restless elements on the fringes of the galaxy - sound familiar? The character of Han Solo (and, later, Firefly's Malcolm Reynolds) has roots in the merchant-adventurers of the Foundation series. The Star Wars prequel trilogy makes attempts at achieving the macro-cosmic political scope of Foundation but, at least in my opinion, far less effectively.

Mal Reynolds photo via Empire

One major difference in subsequent visions of interplanetary society is the existence of alien species. Everyone in the Foundation narrative is human, evidently descended from Earth in a long-forgotten past. Alas, Asimov had no Wookiees or Klingons.

The danger of futuristic narrative is that the technology envisioned can seem archaic after only a few decades in real time. For instance, nuclear energy, while certainly important to the world economy, has followed very different directions from what Asimov prophesied in the 1940s. Also, everyone in the book smokes like a chimney. While it's possible that tobacco may have a resurgence over the coming millenia, the habit is in welcome decline in the 21st century.

It is my plan to read and review the entire series - originally a trilogy but now containing seven books in all. The first four, as noted above, are re-reads but three will be completely new to me. I'm looking forward to them.

On the Coffee Table: The Drops of God

2012-01-14T16:38:00.005-05:00

Title: The Drops of God (Volumes 1 and 2)
Writer: Tadashi Agi
Artist: Shu Okimoto

Image via Vinography: A Wine Blog

My instincts were correct. My Wife's purchases at Big Planet Comics in DC were better than mine. The Drops of God, a Japanese manga series first published in 2005 but not translated to English until 2011, is outstanding. I am completely sold on manga and now have a suitable standard for judging other books in the genre.

Image via BARNES & NOBLE

The series follows the adventures of Shizuku, son of a legendary wine critic, and his sidekick Miyabi, a sommelier in training, as they explore the world of wine. Basically, they're on a scavenger hunt for wines described in Shinzuku's father's will. The Drops of Wine has been a very big hit throughout Asia and has led to a huge surge in wine sales on that continent. While the story is pure fiction, all of the wines discussed are genuine. The books practically constitute an oenology course, my only regret not being able to taste along with the characters.

My Wife has worked for a lot of food and beverage magazines in the past and, as a result, already had a decent knowledge of wine by the time I met her. While I learned some from her, my explorations took on a more clear direction when we lived in New Brunswick, New Jersey. There was a wine shop in town (Old Vines) that held tastings on the weekends: $5 to taste four wines, I think. The staff were very well-informed and generous with their knowledge. I learned to favor South American wines - a lot more bang for your buck than the French stuff. Rutgers offers a 1-credit class on wine for seniors only. Not surprisingly, it's one of the first classes to close every semester.

Sadly, wine is an expensive hobby and not always compatible with raising a child so we don't pursue it with the same energy now. But someday, I'd love to learn more about wine. If nothing else, I've found that it's well-worth finding out what you like in a wine and how you're likely to find a satisfying choice.

Getting back to the books, reading the pages and panels from right to left takes a little getting used to, of course, but the mental exercise is surely healthy. Manga generally use katakana - the phonetic script for foreign words, among other things - for the background onomatopoeia. My daughter's Miyazaki books offer a direct transliteration in the back. In The Drops of God, the expressions are translated within the panel. But interestingly, to me at least, the sounds are not translated directly. Rather, approximate English equivalents were found. It's kind of too bad. I think onomatopoeia in other languages is fun to learn. The greatest question a Japanese student ever asked me was: "What is the English word for the sound of a peach floating down a river?" I was very sad to tell him we don't have one. But there's one in Japanese: dumborako, dumborako, dumborako...

The artwork in the book is outstanding. In Understanding Comics, Scott McCloud wrote about how the Japanese pioneered the use of different artistic styles within a single comic. In The Drops of God, the art changes dramatically for a panel devoted entirely to wine - changing from what I think of as the standard manga style to near-impressionism.

Ultimately, the wine lesson and the artwork serve the story and we're both genuinely hooked. Volume 2 ends with the introduction of a new character, one who clearly is connected to the wine quest but it will be a neat trick figuring out how because, of course, she has amnesia. How's that for a cliffhanger?

The series is ongoing in Japan and Volume 3 in English is set for release in March. Not only are we planning to get it but we're already thinking of friends for whom the books would make suitable hostess gifts. This one's a keeper. Stay tuned.

I'm with the Band: LSU

2012-01-09T23:59:00.001-05:00

Band: Louisiana State University Tiger Marching Band
University: Louisiana State University
Founded: 1893
Current Director: Roy King
Fight Song: "Fight for LSU"

This year's BCS championship was also a showcase for two of the best bands in the Southeast Conference.

All This and Football, Too

My Picks for the Week: 0/2
My Picks for the Bowl Season: 21/35 (5th place out of 12 players)

The two people I know best in the group finished at the top. Mock won the group - in fact, he'd clinched the top spot with one game left to play. An old high school friend of mine, whom we shall call The Bomber, came in second. All of the people ahead of me picked more games correctly than I did. But, so did five who finished behind me. As such, thoughtfulness in confidence point allocation is clearly worthwhile. Once again, following the regular season more closely definitely helped.

I'm with the Band: Nebraska

2012-01-07T19:10:00.002-05:00

Band: University of Nebraska Cornhusker Marching Band
University: University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Founded: 1879
Current Director: Anthony Falcone
Fight Songs: "Hail Varsity" and "Dear Old Nebraska U"

My Huskers lost this past week but at least the band got a trip to Orlando out of the deal. The band once played at the Kennedy Center for the Kennedy Center Honors.

All This and Football, Too

My Picks for the Week: 5/10
My Picks for the Bowl Season: 21/32 (5th place out of 12 players in total points, 6th place in maximum points)

With two games left to go, it is mathematically possible for me to finish anywhere between 1st and 8th in the group. Finishing 8th would still be an improvement on last year's 9th out of 10 so I'll take it. So, following the regular season more closely definitely helps. But will it be enough to get me a top 3 finish?

Family Adventures: The Tournament of Roses Parade, 1959

2012-01-02T10:30:00.005-05:00

During our recent DC visit, we overlapped briefly with My Aunt who was visiting from Omaha. We hadn't seen her since our wedding ten years ago and she had not yet met our daughter. One of the highlights of that visit was listening to her and My Dad reminisce (largely at my request) about their high school marching band's trip to the Rose Bowl in 1959.

Image via LA Readers

The small town of Columbus, Nebraska had one of the best marching bands in the state in the late '50s. The ambitious and demanding director first applied to participate in the Tournament of Roses Parade in 1957 but was turned down. Determination brought a successful application for the '59 parade and this town of 13,000 managed to raise $18,000 for the band to go - not a small amount of money in 1959. They were one of only four non-California bands to march in the parade that year.

On Tuesday afternoon, we all watched a DVD conversion of a home-movie documentation of that Pasadena trip 53 years ago, which also included performances at Disneyland and on an aircraft carrier. As much as I enjoyed seeing all of the old cars, clothes and hairstyles, the real fun for me was watching My Dad and My Aunt as they recognized the faces, most not seen by either in many years.

Though he couldn't have known it at the time, the Rose Bowl adventure was a major turning point in My Dad's life. As was the case for many of his companions, it was his first trip to California. When he got back to Nebraska, a guidance counselor asked how he'd liked it and had he heard of a school called Stanford. My Dad applied and was accepted. Stanford led to the Peace Corps. In the Peace Corps, he met My Mom. Before the Rose Bowl trip, he fully expected to go to college in-state and the rest of his life path would likely have been very different.

Moral of the story: support the music programs at your local school. When they're holding fundraisers for band and choir trips, don't be stingy. One never knows where such experiences might lead.

On the Coffee Table: Scott McCloud

2012-01-02T06:59:00.005-05:00

Title: Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
Author: Scott McCloud

Image via Amazon.com

This was just the sort of book I needed. My comic book posts, and indeed my whole blog, has been in need of direction and Scott McCloud's examination of the art form is a great place to start. Anyone who's already into comics is probably well aware of McCloud's work. He has now produced three books, presented in comic form, outlining the tricks and trends of the trade. Understanding Comics was the first, published in 1993. The book first came to my attention when it was recommended by Daniel Pink in his very interesting book, A Whole New Mind. This year, it was one of my Christmas presents from My Wife.

Employing the comic book idiom itself, Understanding Comics shows as much as it tells - very helpful and truly essential to the points McCloud is trying to make. It's a quick read except for the fact that I had to stop a lot to absorb the material. I now have a lot to think about as I continue my explorations of the medium.

To this point, I've approached comics primarily as a reader, thus focusing on elements of plot and character in the text. I have given less thought to how the artwork serves those elements. As McCloud demonstrates, the real trick is synthesizing art and language to communicate effectively. I readily admit my own relative ignorance regarding visual art. In my youth, I received far more encouragement in the realms of music and literature, in no small part because I had more ability in those areas. I've pursued an interest in visual arts as an adult but my knowledge still lags far behind. If I'm to continue exploring comics as a reader and a blogger, I'd like to devote some time to learning more about the graphic aspects.

I especially appreciated the cross-cultural examinations. Manga are the dominant literary force in Japan, or at least they were when I was there in the '90s. Looking around the average train car, far more people were reading comic books than either newspapers or regular books - adults and children alike. However, since I wasn't even into comic books in English at the time, I failed to appreciate the completely different aesthetic which has developed in Japan. My daughter, actually, is already well into Japanese manga, in translation, of course. She has several of the books adapted from Hayao Miyazaki's films and seems untroubled by having to read from right to left. Her favorite, however, is the Chi's Sweet Home series. Whenever she gets a new book in that series, she'll curl up on her bed to read it probably several times through, not to emerge from her room again for hours.

McCloud's thoughts on the balance between the literary and artistic quality of a work are also relevant to a genre I've explored quite thoroughly over the past 8+ years: children's picture books. In my experience, it's rare to find a book in which both aspects are strong. The vast majority have either beautiful artwork with uninspiring text or the other way around. To me, the children's book which best synthesizes the two is Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are. In fact, just about everything Sendak ever touched is amazing.

I definitely plan on checking out McCloud's follow up books. I highly recommend Understanding Comics to anyone with an interest in comics or the artistic process in general.

Family Adventures: Happy New Year

2012-01-01T21:34:00.004-05:00

Photo via Whats4lunch

While out on errands on Saturday, we stopped for lunch at the Asian Bistro in Williston. It's a bit further from our home than Joyce's Noodle House in Essex but apparently My Wife prefers their lo mein to Joyce's. I had no idea. It was chicken fried noodles for me - not bad but, as usual, My Wife ordered better.

Image via Amazon.com

We went to the Mocks' for an early evening New Year's gathering. We brought over a new game to share: Dixit. My Wife has had her eye on Dixit for a while now and bought it as a gift for our family. It's a sort of story telling/guessing/fool your opponents game. It's a lot of fun: easy to learn and perfectly suitable for a wide range of ages. The game is technically limited to six people and we had seven which was a little funky but two of the kids volunteered to play as a team so it worked out fine. It allows for a low-key atmosphere, too - not overly competitive and we could all be happy for the winner, Mrs. Mock in this case.

Image via ProductWiki

Pictionary was a different story. Things got a lot more emotional with that one! I hadn't played in years but it was fun. My team struggled but we made a strong effort in the end. The toughest word I had to draw (unsuccessfully) was current.

We brought over Duck Soup to share. It's long been our tradition to watch Marx Brothers movies on New Year's. Evidently, they tended to be on TV when My Wife babysat as a teenager on New Year's (I'm still learning new things about her all the time). Apparently, it's a long-standing tradition for loads of people. TCM had a New Year's Eve Marx Brothers marathon this year. Here I thought it was just her clever idea!

Duck Soup is my favorite Marx Brothers film, though I also like Horse Feathers, the first one I ever watched. The adults watched more than the kids did last night. Those kids who did wander in and out were mostly confused by it - understandable if you're not paying close attention, I suppose.

Before I sign off, I'd like to take a quick moment to express my disappointment with Fantasy Tennis Tour. Due to their apparent compatibility issues with Firefox, I wasn't able to log in and make my picks for the opening tournaments of the year. It's not worth the weekly frustration so I'm bagging the idea for the year. Oh well. I dare say I'll find other things to write about!

But let's end on a positive note. Here's my favorite scene from Duck Soup:

Happy New Year!

On the Coffee Table: Treasures from Big Planet Comics

2012-01-01T12:53:00.005-05:00

As explained in my DC in December post, My Wife and I went to Big Planet Comics during our recent trip to Washington. I've been wanting to go on a comic shopping spree for a while now and Christmas money provided a good opportunity. Following is a rundown of the treasures we found. I'm thinking that at some point, I may subscribe to a few books or start a pull list at a local shop. Thus, I'm in search of titles I expect can hold my interest long-term. And so...

New 52

I'm down to two titles of interest from DC Comics's New 52 relaunch: Green Lantern and Justice League. It is not lost on me that both series are currently being written by Geoff Johns, clearly the most compelling creative force in the DC Universe. Unfortunately, I think the fourth issues are the end of the road for me with both.

Image via RazorFine Review

Green Lantern is still my favorite of the New 52 stories and if I were to keep one foot in the DC Universe going forward, I would place it in the GL world. Sinestro's a keeper and the idea of his own people turning on him after he's bestowed temporary rings upon them is almost enough to hold me. But I foresee more brawling and I've officially had enough. I realize the ongoing battle royale is a major draw for the mainstream comics audience just as hockey fights are crucial for NHL diehards. I need more...or, rather, less.

Image via RazorFine Review

The same goes for Justice League. Now that all of the major characters have been introduced, I don't have sufficient interest in the Darkseid story to continue. Aquaman is still my favorite character (My Wife's, too, interestingly), just as he was when I was a kid. I'm glad to see that he's less of a jerk in issue #4 than he first appeared to be in #3.

Spies

Image via Civilian Reader

Day 2 of our DC adventure was espionage-themed and, on Mock's recommendation, I picked up a couple of spy titles: Cold War and Frenemy of the State. Both were fun but I preferred Cold War. I bought issue #1 of The Michael Swann Dossier, entitled "The Damocles Contract." I liked a lot of things about this book: the long, non-verbal opening; the traditional, Bondesque set-up and the closing cliff-hanger. I'm genuinely curious about the next installment. There's definite long-term potential here.

Image via League of Comic Geeks

Frenemy of the State #5, while also enjoyable, was less appealing to me. I appreciate the idea of a 21st century update on the spy concept, but it emphasizes aspects of our contemporary culture which I find annoying, namely cell phones and texting. A female lead is a nice change, though.

Science Fiction

Image via wikia

As part of my anticipated expansion into the realm of science fiction, I have sought out comic books from that genre. The pickings are surprisingly slim, especially for books which don't have movie or television origins. One series I've avoided to this point is Star Wars. I should have known better. I have been obsessed with the galaxy far, far away since I was four years old and the past 34 years have done very little to sate my curiosity.

Image via Big Shiny Robot

My devotion, though, is to the original film trilogy and I tend to be skeptical of any variations. Thus, for my original venture into Star Wars comics, I thought I'd try the two series I could find with strongest ties to the characters I know and love. I grabbed Star Wars: Agent of the Empire - Iron Eclipse #1 and Star Wars: Crimson Empire III - Empire Lost #1. The first pre-dates the original trilogy and feature Han Solo and Chewbacca in cameos. The second takes place after the trilogy and features Leia. Both were good enough to convince me that I may have been missing out on something all these years. I wonder, in fact, if the DC titles I bought suffered somewhat in comparison. As interesting as I find the Green Lantern story, it pales in comparison with my love for Star Wars.

Image via Comics And...Other Imaginary Tales

A while back, a shop clerk suggested Sweet Tooth as a book to try so I grabbed issue #28. In short, I didn't care for it at all - quite grotesque. I won't be following that series any further.

Marvel

Image via Amazon.com

As discussed before, I am a Marvel man at heart and a Wolverine fan most of all. I bought the Marvel Comics Presents: Wolverine compilation and thoroughly enjoyed it. Just as in the DC books, there's plenty of scrapping with Wolverine but it's always tied to a broader sense of character and I appreciate that.

Image via iFanboy

I thought I'd try a couple of Marvel characters I don't know as well: Thor and Iron Man. Unfortunately, neither The Mighty Thor #9 nor The Invincible Iron Man #511 did much for me. Thor isn't actually featured very much in this book. There's a lot more Loki. While Thor stories pique my curiosity about Norse mythology, they don't do much to inspire me to read comic books. Meanwhile, I see some potential in Iron Man but the idea of a business mogul superhero is less than inspiring to me.

Image via iFanboy

Fables

Definitely one of the hot titles in comics right now, I figured I'd give Fables #112 a try. I like the concept a lot but the broader story wasn't particularly compelling to me. I enjoyed the book but I don't think this is one I'll follow long-term.

Images via Five Comics a Week

My Wife

As I've written before, I often feel that My Wife tends to order better than I do in restaurants. I find myself very curious about her Big Planet buys, though I haven't read them yet: Super Spy: The Lost Dossiers and The Drops of God, Books 1 and 2, a Japanese manga series about wine.

On the Road: DC in December

2012-01-01T10:23:00.001-05:00

On Friday night, we got back from a quick trip down to DC to visit my parents. As has been our custom of late, we took the train there and back. Some dining advice for anyone taking the Vermonter all the way through: it's best to hit the café car right after New York, where they restock. Most train fare is pretty awful but it helps to have choices. The teriyaki chicken bowl is my personal favorite.

Image via tr3s

One of many great things about grandparents is their willingness to babysit. My Wife and I took advantage of this on our second day to plan a late afternoon/early evening date. My Wife really wanted to see Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy while we were in town so we used that as the inspiration for a spy-themed extravaganza.

Image via Cul de Sac

Our first excursion of the day was to Big Planet Comics, not far from my parents' apartment. Big Planet just recently moved their DC store from Georgetown to U Street. I was rather hoping for a store comparable to That's Entertainment in Worcester but Big Planet has nowhere near as much space. All of their comics were new. I didn't see second-hand boxes anywhere. Nonetheless, variety was more than adequate for both of us to find decent treasures. We even grabbed some spy-themed titles in honor of the day. My thoughts on my finds are best handled in a separate post, I think.

Photo via Drink DC

On the way to the subway station, we stopped in at Kramerbooks, one of northwest DC's top-notch independent book stores. We didn't find any spy novels but there were some other good finds: a couple of Asimov books plus George Plimpton's Paper Lion. I've been wanting to read Plimpton for a while now but his sports books are hard to find these days. Paper Lion has been released as a 45th anniversary edition - what an odd number.

Next, on to the movie. The Landmark E Street Cinema is a relatively new theater, just opened in 2004. It's a nice one. I love the new trend of being able to purchase beer at a movie theater.

Photo via Little Worlds

The film was very good, the highlight of our spy-themed day. We first ventured into John Le Carré's world via the 1979 Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy TV series on the BBC, starring Alec Guinness. My Wife has also since read the book and has been very eager to see the new film, especially since two of her favorite actors are in the cast: Colin Firth and Benedict Cumberbatch. Gary Oldman stars as George Smiley, the Guinness role. I think he was a fine choice. In fact, I can hardly imagine a better choice.

I can understand why someone might not care for the film. The pace is very slow, the tone very quiet - both of which reflect the TV series perfectly. It did help me to already be familiar with the story. Since I knew whodunit, I could focus on other aspects. The look of the film was very satisfying: dark, murky, foggy. Attention to time period detail was thorough: the right cars, the right clothes, the right hairstyles, etc. Casting all around was outstanding.

Obviously, going from a book, to a seven-part TV series to a feature film required much condensing and there were plenty of differences in this latest interpretation. The confrontation between hero George and nemesis Karla was an interesting case. In the 1979 series, Guinness faces off against Patrick Stewart in the scene. In the new film, Oldman interrogates an empty chair - only an actor of his ilk could have pulled it off so effectively.

I was inspired to read the book myself and perhaps even give the TV series another look - overall, 4 out of 5 stars.

Image via Wikipedia

If the film was the highlight of our day, the disappointment was the International Spy Museum. That's not to say that it's not a high quality museum. It is. If you want to see loads of Q-esque spy gadgets from all over the world, they're all here - including a replica of James Bond's Aston Martin. The history of espionage is well-documented from antiquity to the present. Here's the problem: museum admission is $18 for adults. In a city where one has access to the world's largest museum complex free of charge, any institution charging even a modest admission had better have something pretty special on offer. The attempts to offer an interactive experience are admirable but not sufficiently accommodating for the large crowds passing through. In the end, I felt that I'd rather just read a good book on the subject.

Photo via The Art of Being Mom

Our espionage date culminated at Zola, the museum's fine dining establishment. Theme elements are light: images from classic spy films like The Third Man grace the walls. Beer and wine selections were pretty good and the food decent. The carnitas tacos were my favorite. Service was mediocre - polite but inefficient. No one ever brought us bread for the table, for instance.

Photo via National Museum of American History

The third day of our visit was busy as well. In the morning, we took Our Girl to the National Museum of American History. I have visited the museum many times in my life but it had been a while. The museum has seemingly been in various stages of renovation for decades. Long gone is the old-fashioned ice cream shop, once my favorite part of the entire Smithsonian. It's still a great museum, of course. I think the dollhouse display is impressive but Our Girl was underwhelmed - lack of Calico Critters, perhaps? Not surprisingly, the Jim Henson display is my personal favorite.

Photo via VisitingDC.com

In the late afternoon, my parents treated us to a performance of Knuffle Bunny at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The Kennedy Center is an important place for our family. My father has sung with the Choral Arts Society of Washington for over 30 years and most of their concerts are at the Kennedy Center. Both my sister and I walked across the concert hall stage for our high school graduations. This was the first visit for both My Wife and Our Girl and we took some time to appreciate the Hall of Nations, the Hall of States, the view of the river and, of course, the gift shop. I would never turn up my nose at my parents' generosity but we all agreed that Knuffle Bunny was best suited for kids - not exactly adult-friendly. Our Girl enjoyed it, though. That's all that really mattered.

Dinner was a greater success: Mama Ayesha's, a DC institution since 1960 and long a favorite of our family's. Vermont is wonderful but among other things, it lacks a decent Middle Eastern restaurant. My Wife's Lebanese family heritage is very important to her, especially in terms of her culinary sensibilities so the opportunity to reconnect when we're in a big city is very exciting. I often feel that My Wife orders better than I do in restaurants but I did pretty well at Mama Ayesha's. The mushakal mashal (mixed grill) is outstanding. As one would hope for a Mediterranean restaurant, the wine list is very impressive.

Overall, it was a great trip. We're looking forward to our next visit.

I'm with the Band: Northwestern

2012-01-01T01:18:00.003-05:00

Band: Northwestern University Wildcat Marching Band
University: Northwestern University
Founded: 1911
Current Director: Daniel J. Farris
Fight Songs: "Go U Northwestern" and "Rise, Northwestern!"

The routine above is a nice one. I especially like the waving flag effect. "Go U Northwestern" was written by Theodore Van Etten in 1912. I can't find writing credits for "Rise, Northwestern!"

All This and Football, Too

My Picks for the Week: 11/16
My Picks for the Bowl Season: 16/23 (2nd place out of 12 players in total points, tied for 9th in maximum points)

On the Coffee Table: Reed Browning

2011-12-31T08:41:00.002-05:00

Title: Cy Young: A Baseball Life
Author: Reed Browning

Image via Open Library

As I have written before, biographies are tricky, especially when source material for the subject is limited as is the case for most turn-of-the-20th-century baseball players. I admire Professor Browning for his candor in confronting those limitations. He readily admits when the sources are scant and when he's offering his own subjective viewpoint, occasionally using the first person to address the reader directly. It defies biographical conventions but all to the good, I say. I much prefer this approach to a writer presuming to know the thoughts of a person long dead, essentially filling in the gaps with unsupported supposition or outright fiction.

I knew next to nothing about the great Cy Young before I started the book and now I am filled with admiration. Browning ends his book with a discussion of Young's place in history, presenting compelling arguments for and against including his name among the all-time greats. His 511 career wins, by far the most ever, offer the strongest case. Controlling for era is essentially impossible. Every athlete is at the mercy of two factors entirely beyond his or her power to change: his birthday and his opponents. Every sport changes over time. Rules, equipment, competitive depth and thousands of other elements are constantly fluid.

All any pitcher can do is take the mound and play the game, one pitch at a time. No pitcher of Young's era, indeed few of any era, did the job so well for so long. I think his stamina is particularly remarkable for an era when such extreme demands were placed upon pitchers: much longer outings and shorter rest intervals than are expected of today's hurlers. It's interesting to note, I think, that very similar arguments of consistency were made for Bert Blyleven's recent election to the Hall of Fame. That's not to say that Blyleven belongs anywhere near Cy Young's stratum.

The structure of the biography is interesting. Browning intersperses the chronological season-by-season accounts with broader perspective chapters on matters such as Young's family life, the specifics of his pitching arsenal, public perceptions and so on. In some ways, I would have preferred to have those discussions better integrated into the chronological reckoning but all the same information came through in the end. I'd say the book's greatest success is in its explanations of the drastic transitions the sport went through over the course of Young's 1890-1911 career: increasing the distance between pitcher and batter, counting the first two foul balls as strikes and the two-league structure among others.

The New 52: The Third Issues

2011-12-31T07:37:00.001-05:00

I'm down to three titles of interest from DC Comics's New 52. Following are my reviews for the third issue of each of those series. I got Green Lantern and Justice League online whereas I picked up a hard copy of Green Lantern New Guardians.

Green Lantern #3

Image via Hill City Comics

Bear in mind, I haven't read issue #4 yet. I don't know what comes next in the Hal Jordan disintegration saga. But I'm becoming a bigger Sinestro fan with each passing month. To me, the idea of the arch-nemesis becoming the superhero is truly inspired. I'm working under the assumption that eventually, Hal Jordan will have survived his current predicament and become the star of the series once again but I'm not sure the GL story will continue to hold my interest in that case. I may be more inclined to follow Sinestro wherever he goes next.

Admittedly, I'm a newbie and not as invested in Hal Jordan as those who've been devoted to the series for years. But I can't help agreeing with Sinestro when he says he's better than Hal, and Hal knows it. I'm pretty sure we all know it. He's smarter, wiser, more disciplined, less impulsive and every bit as strong. The floating Oompa-Loompas feel he is less altruistic but, at least for the moment, that doesn't seem to be the case. His devotion to the people of Korugar, at any rate, appears to be pure and true. I guess I am more a Sinestro fan than a Green Lantern fan. We shall see if that holds going forward.

Justice League #3

Image via Batman-News.com

The brawling. I've really had enough of the brawling. If the big fight scenes are to be the focus of this series, it may also have trouble holding my interest long-term. In a team book, there should be personalities and relationships to explore. I still enjoy the banter between the heroes, though the jabs at Batman for lacking superpowers already feel overdone. However, Green Lantern calling dibs on Wonder Woman was genuinely funny. I'm delighted that Aquaman has been introduced. He was my favorite as a kid. But I'm disappointed that, at least at first appearance, he's a bit of an arrogant jerk. I'm not ready to give up on this series just yet but I'm worried.

While I was less impressed with the story, the artwork for this book is outstanding. There are a lot of nice Wonder Woman images. I like the one of her with a sword in one hand and an ice cream cone in the other.

Image via Maybe Tomorrow

But I'd say my favorite frame was the one of reclaimed-from-the-brink-of-death Cyborg blending back into the scene at the ocean.

Image via World of Black Heroes

Green Lantern New Guardians #3

Image via ComicXHub

My growing distaste for the brawling continues. I need more from these stories. The development, in this issue, of the Orange Lantern Corps was interesting. At this point, despite the fact that I gave up on Red Lanterns after two issues, an examination of each individual corps would be more interesting to me than the New Guardians storyline. Of the three #3 issues I've read, this is the only one that didn't pass my curiosity test for issue #4. However, as with JL #3, a lot of the artwork is highly satisfying. I really like this one:

Image via Quelque chose de bizarre

Summing Up

And then there were two. I promise, I haven't been systematically eliminating titles. I'd have been delighted to be enthralled by all 52 books from the get go. But in my quest for series that I can settle into and enjoy for the foreseeable future, the DC stories aren't doing enough for me. I'm even a bit worried about the two titles I have left. More on those very soon...

My Football Fantasy: 9th Place

2011-12-27T15:31:00.004-05:00

College League: won, 104.91-71.24 (finished in 9th place out of 12 teams)
Vermont League: won, 88.12-73.66 (finished 9th out of 12)
My Player of the Week: Jairus Byrd (Safety, Bills)

Photo via NextGenSports

The Bills are currently my team defense in the college league and they had a big game: 14 points allowed, 3 sacks, 4 interceptions and 2 touchdowns. Byrd was responsible for 1 interception and 1 touchdown. His father, Gill Byrd, was a star defensive back for the San Diego Chargers.

The season is over in both leagues and I finished in exactly the same spot. Waseda Alum won the College League whereas my blogging friend Marc won the Vermont League. I need to devote time in the off-season to devising a new strategy. My minimum goal for next season: the playoffs in both leagues.

My Player of the Year

Player: Matthew Stafford
Position: Quarterback
Team: Detroit Lions

Photo via isportsweb

Stafford was my player of the week four times. He was a steal, auto-drafted in the sixth round of the VL draft and has been the 5th most productive player in fantasy football this season. This is his third year in the NFL, not an unusual time for a breakout year. More importantly, he has led the Lions to the playoffs for the first time in the 21st century.

Family Adventures: A Christmas Constitutional

2011-12-25T19:39:00.004-05:00

After lunch today, we went out for a walk, just up to the top of our road and back. We got a light coating of fresh snow for Christmas, just enough to make the pine trees look as if they've been dusted with powdered sugar. I managed to get a few nice pictures:

One of our holiday traditions is for Our Girl to pick a charity for our family donation. This was our sixth year doing it and she's chosen a different worthy cause each time. This year, we gave to our local public library. If you'd care to do the same, find one near you at www.publiclibraries.com.

Happy holidays!

Peace on Earth.

I'm with the Band: Southern Miss

2011-12-24T23:50:00.002-05:00

Band: The Pride of Mississippi Marching Band
University: The University of Southern Mississippi
Founded: 1920
Director: Dr. Mohamad Schumann

In the Bowl Game As Free Vacation Sweepstakes, the Hawaii Bowl is the big prize. Bowl games have been played in Hawaii since 1936, 23 years before statehood.

All This and Football, Too

My Picks for the Week: 3/4
My Picks for the Bowl Season: 5/7 (2nd place out of 12 players in total points; 9th out of 12 in maximum points)

On the Coffee Table: Kurt Vonnegut

2011-12-24T07:34:00.007-05:00

Title: Galápagos
Author: Kurt Vonnegut

Image via Shifting Baselines

When I first started The Armchair Squid a couple years back as a sports blog, I'd pondered possibilities for new directions down the line. Science fiction seemed a strong candidate - another interest I pursued as a child despite the rest of my family's indifference. I expected, however, that film or television would be the likely blogging gateway to the sci-fi world. Instead, it was books.

In anticipation of this possible transition, I've tackled a few sci-fi classics over the past year - Frankenstein, The Island of Doctor Moreau, From the Earth to the Moon, I, Robot and The Martian Chronicles - but have not posted reviews. With the 12 Books in 12 Months challenge behind me, I felt the time had come for The Squid to branch out. I decided to begin with an old friend.

I first read Vonnegut in high school when Cat's Cradle was assigned to my 11th grade English class. To say I was impressed is putting it mildly. Apart from his great humor, Vonnegut's bold irreverence for the novel form was very refreshing to a 16-year-old kid who was just beginning to catch on that school could be fun and intellectual exploration gratifying. I later read other books on my own: Slaughterhouse Five, Breakfast of Champions and Palm Sunday, a collection of essays. The latter contains many wonderful musings on the writing craft which I still bear in mind whenever I read fiction.

All of that said, Galápagos is a fun read but not Vonnegut's strongest effort. The basic story, a random assemblage escaping from the mainland to ultimately offer humanity a new beginning, would have been plenty interesting enough without Vonnegut's typical temporal wanderings. Maybe I'm too old to be impressed by all of that anymore. For me, a great read is when you forget you're reading a book at all and suddenly realize you've plowed through 100 pages in one sitting. Vonnegut seemingly never wants you to forget that you're reading. While marking those characters soon-to-die with asterisks provides modest levity to an otherwise dark tale, I found the practice jarring. My Wife hates Vonnegut, as she explains in her Slaughterhouse Five post. I now feel that I can understand why.

Of course, Vonnegut has very tough competition at our house right now: J.R.R. Tolkien. I recently finished reading The Hobbit to Our Girl and we're now several chapters into The Fellowship of the Ring. In film or print, all I really want is a good story told well and very few can match Tolkien on that measure. Not many can claim to have created such a rich and textured world as Middle Earth. If the literary profession were a boxing circuit, I doubt Vonnegut would even survive the first round against Tolkein. To his credit, though, Vonnegut would be the first to concede his opponent's superiority.

I anticipate many re-reads in my science fiction explorations: Douglas Adams, certainly, and probably full immersion in Asimov's oeuvre at some point. I think Cat's Cradle and Slaughterhouse Five are also both worth another look, if only to remind myself of why I loved Vonnegut in the first place. And yes, I still do, even though Galápagos didn't do it for me. I leave for now with the author's interview with Jon Stewart:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Kurt Vonnegut

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show Full Episodes

Political Humor & Satire Blog

The Daily Show on Facebook

And here is his list:

LIBERAL CRAP I NEVER WANT TO HEAR AGAIN

Give us this day our daily bread. Oh sure.

Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Nobody better trespass against me. I'll tell you that.

Blessed are the meek.

Blessed are the merciful. You mean we can't use torture?

Blessed are the peacemakers. Jane Fonda?

Love your enemies - Arabs?

Ye cannot serve God and Mammon. The hell I can't! Look at the Reverend Pat Robertson. And he is as happy as a pig in s**t.

My Football Fantasy: Stafford, Part 4

2011-12-20T07:55:00.002-05:00

College League: lost, 80.61-78.00 (relegated to 9th place game)
Vermont League: lost, 160.56-94.84 (relegated to 9th place game)
My Player of the Week: Matthew Stafford (Quarterback, Lions) with 391 yards passing and 4 touchdowns plus 5 yards rushing and a lost fumble

Photo via PeopleQuiz

A close game in one league and a blowout in the other but the ultimate result is the same. I will play for 9th place in both leagues. So, while I'm still assured of improving upon last year's 11th place CL finish, I now cannot improve on my 9th place VL result. My only strategic difference between the two leagues this year was unplanned: I had to auto-draft in the Vermont League. When that team was doing so well in the beginning of the season, I thought perhaps I'd unlocked some deep, dark fantasy football secret. In the end, it afforded me no advantage at all. It's just as well. I would have really been humbled to find that a computer picks better than I do.

It was another monster week for Stafford, most certainly one of the NFL's breakout stars this year. The Lions are in a strong position to make the playoffs, too. At least all of my Michiganer friends are happy.

Off My Duff: Broomball Playoffs

2011-12-18T21:54:00.004-05:00

It turned out to be a pretty quiet weekend at our house. Our Girl woke up on Saturday morning vomiting. So any plans for adventures out on the town were postponed. We made good use of the quiet time, as described here.

Image via Municipal Ice Complex

We had our broomball playoffs on Friday evening. Unfortunately, our postseason only lasted one game. Even more unfortunately for me, I spent most of the game watching from the bench. Still nursing my wounds from the previous week, I didn't appreciate how limited my movements would be until I got out on the ice. Quickly realizing that I wasn't doing anyone any favors out there, I benched myself. Mock, good, loyal friend that he is, let me take a quick turn in goal just so I'd have a chance to play. It was fun for a bit, but I let a goal in, ending that experiment.

The team played great, achieving a 2-2 draw in regulation, doubling our goal total for the year. We lost on penalty shots, though Mock bravely made 5 saves in the shootout before a lucky one got through. I'm hoping the strong effort was despite my absence, not helped by it.

Regardless, I'm definitely in for the spring season, evidently beginning in January. There's talk of team jerseys. Hopefully, I'll be fully healed by then. I think a modest investment in protective gear is in order. I shall continue to advocate for practices and chalk talks when/if we can find the time. I have some ideas about how we might streamline our positional play.

Image via Merchant Circle

The highlight of the evening for me was our post-game gathering at The O.N.E. Pepper Grill in Burlington. One of the most common questions people ask me when my Japan experience comes up is if there's anything I miss about the culture. Even 13 years later, there are a few things. I miss the astonishing politeness, particularly in customer service. I miss the public transit system a lot. But perhaps what I miss most of all is the bars. Japanese bars are built for conversation: round or square tables, unobtrusive music and drinking rituals which encourage interaction. Few American establishments compare favorably in my experience. But The O.N.E. Pepper Grill was really nice. I could actually hear everyone in our group, even those furthest from me. I was impressed - one to remember.

Bedtime Stories: The Hobbit

2011-12-18T18:55:00.005-05:00

Title: The Hobbit
Author: J.R.R. Tolkien

Image via Orange Marmelade

Being sick stinks but when you're eight years old, there are potential perks. Mostly holed up in bed the past two days with a stomach bug, Our Girl did have the benefit of great pampering. Among other indulgences, we have spent much of the weekend reading to her. Yesterday, My Wife read her a major chunk of Anne of Green Gables. Today, I read the last eight chapters of The Hobbit to her, thus completing one of my goals for the blogging year.

This was my second time reading The Hobbit in its entirety. I first picked it up as a child, probably in late elementary school or maybe junior high. I was already a big fantasy fan at that point, having read C.S. Lewis and Lloyd Alexander in addition to playing loads of Dungeons & Dragons. In fact, I was already familiar with the story thanks to the 1977 animated film. But reading The Hobbit was a turning point in my personal history with books. For the first time, I saw past the story and appreciated the artful prose. I was drawn irretrievably into Tolkien's amazing world with a single sentence: "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit."

With the Peter Jackson film set to debut next December, I felt the time had come to introduce the story to our daughter. With most films, I have no problem with waiting for the DVD release but I know The Hobbit is one I'll want to see on a big screen, ideally at the Uptown in DC if it's there when we are. Even with the likely PG-13 rating, I'll definitely want Our Girl to come with us.

I wasn't sure what to expect. I was a little worried that she wouldn't like it, that she was too young or that she'd get bored midway through and we'd abandon it forever. As it turned out, I needn't have worried at all. She loved it, even reenacting parts of the story with her LEGO and Playmobil figures. After we finished the book today, I set out a new array of books for her to select our next read aloud. Many were stories I adored as a child: The Book of Three, The Headless Cupid, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, etc. She didn't even hesitate: The Fellowship of the Ring. Right back to Middle Earth we go!

Our copy of the book is Douglas A. Anderson's annotation. Included are many illustrations - Tolkien's own plus various interpretations from around the world. I think it would have been a fine read-aloud without the pictures but they definitely added to the experience for both of us.

On the Coffee Table: Tom Stanton

2011-12-18T15:49:00.001-05:00

Title: The Final Season: Fathers, Sons, and One Last Season in a Classic American Ballpark
Author: Tom Stanton

Image via Macmillan

In 1999, Tom Stanton set out to attend every single home game of the Detroit Tigers' final season at their longtime home, Tiger Stadium. It is, I must confess, just the sort of book I'd love to write. He writes of the building and its many quirks. He tells of the people who inhabit the park - not just players and coaches but grounds crew, vendors and lifelong fans such as himself. He weaves the story of his family through his tribute to the team they've followed through four generations. It's a blogging project, published before such a thing probably existed.

I haven't been to a lot of major league games in my life. In fact, I'm pretty sure the number is three, all in different stadiums: one at the old Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, the much newer Camden Yards and Minneapolis's Metrodome. However, I have been to quite a lot of minor league games and generally prefer them. It's a far more transient world for players and coaches but the parks themselves feel very dependable.

Burlington's Centennial Field, first opened in 1906, is older than any major league park and it looks it. That said, it's a very pleasant place to watch a ball game. Nonetheless, the majors have declared that improvements must be made if Vermont is to continue to host Class A ball. The stadium has already lost college baseball. The University of Vermont discontinued its baseball program after the 2009 season. The field is still university property so a joint investment between the city and the school may be needed to renovate. If it doesn't happen, devotional tributes such as Stanton's may be necessary before long.

Meanwhile, the 2012 season is a go. Here's the schedule. Stanton's book has me chomping at the bit. Alas, June is a long way off.

I'm with the Band: Temple

2011-12-18T08:55:00.003-05:00

Band: Diamond Marching Band
University: Temple University
Founded: 1925
Current Director: Matthew Brunner

A bowl game is the reward for a well-played season for a college football team. It's frequently a highlight for the marching band, too - essentially a free vacation to a sunny clime. There's still work to be done, of course, in preparing for the halftime show but there's down time to enjoy as well.

Of the six teams who played on Saturday, Temple had to travel the farthest. I know I'd rather be in Albuquerque in December than Philadelphia, especially on someone else's dollar. I can find nothing as to why the Temple University bands are called the Diamond Bands but they were named so by Dr. John H. Jenny in 1946.

All This and Football, Too

My Picks for the Week: 2/3 (1st in total points out of 12 players, 8th in potential points)

Our bowl group is back in business this year. With 12 participants, we're up 2 from last season. Now I get to find out if the work I put into following the regular season was worthwhile. Obviously, I'd love to finish in at least the top 3. But I'd settle for improving on last year's 9th place finish out of 10. I fell one point shy of perfection yesterday, courtesy of Ohio's last-minute touchdown. I'm delighted to be in first place but in the long run, keeping an eye on the potential points is more meaningful. Most of my league-mates risked relatively few points yesterday.

My Football Fantasy: Better Late Than Never

2011-12-13T17:42:00.003-05:00

College League: won, 105.87-64.38 (advanced to consolation semifinals)
Vermont League: bye
My Player of the Week: Mark Sanchez (Quarterback, Jets) with 13 completions for 181 yards and two touchdowns; 3 sacks; 2 rushing attempts for 4 yards and 2 touchdowns and 1 lost fumble

Photo via Fanpop

Sure, now my team starts performing like the well-oiled machine I'd envisioned at the beginning of the season. I should not scoff. My win guarantees that I will improve on last year's 11th place finish in the CL. This is my third week in a row with a Jet as Player of the Week!

Family Adventures: A Very Busy Saturday

2011-12-12T17:57:00.012-05:00

Image via The Coca-Cola Company

Saturday was chock full of fun. We headed out late morning and didn't make it back until after Our Girl's bedtime. If there was a theme, it was Santa Claus. At eight years old, Our Girl still seems inclined to believe but I'm getting the feeling we may not have much longer. For instance, she has something she wants to put in our stockings this year so I think she's catching on that much of the magic of Christmas morning occurs with parental assistance.

First, we stopped by the Jericho Center Country Store to visit with the Jolly Old Elf himself. The store has been in business for a couple of centuries now, since 1807. They take holidays seriously. In addition to Santa, they have a great haunted house at Halloween.

Then on to the Fine Scottish Bistro (aka McDonald's) for lunch. Yes, I know all of the horror stories. I've read Fast Food Nation and seen Super Size Me. The Playwright spent much of Thanksgiving weekend regaling us with tales of all the unmentionables that go into McNuggets. I know that choosing McDonald's for a family meal is downright irresponsible. But it's fast, cheap, convenient and an easy sell for the kid. She and My Wife both got Mighty Kid Happy Meals so she managed to score both a Hello Kitty toy and a Bakugon.

Our nearest Mickey D's is now open 24 hours, both lobby and window. Long gone are the days when I had both hankering and freedom to pursue a 20-piece box of nuggets at 3 o'clock in the morning. The last 24-hour McDonald's I went to was in Roppongi in Tokyo some 13 years ago when I had the lifestyle to appreciate it.

Next, a movie at Essex Cinemas. Film is more or less the household hobby, though it's mostly home viewing. We haven't gone to the theater very much as a family. Essex is the closest cinema to us and the last film we saw there was the original Happy Feet, released in 2006. That was, in fact, the first time we ever took our daughter to a movie theater and it completely freaked her out. She did not deal very well with the dark combined with loud noises. We did better with Ratatouille the following year. But then I took her to the IMAX theater at the Natural History Museum at the Smithsonian and the 3-D Deep Sea did not go over well at all.

Our Girl is older now and with so many great family films out at the moment, it seemed worth trying again. We showed her the trailers for Arthur Christmas, The Muppets and Hugo and let her choose. This won her over:

We're big Wallace & Gromit fans at our house. As such, we all had high hopes for the latest Aardman Animations production. This was the first picture of her own choosing that Our Girl ever posted on her bedroom wall:

Photo via Video Games Blogger

Essex Cinemas has done quite a lot in the past few years to draw couch-bound ciniphiles like us back to the movie theater. They now have several 3-D screens, including their T-Rex Theatre, opened in 2010. We might have to check that one out at some point, as well as their Club Take 2 for the 21 and over crowd.

This was actually my first time seeing a mainstream movie in 3-D. Our Girl wasn't freaked out at all, either. I asked My Wife afterward if she thought it was worth seeing on a big screen or in 3-D and she said no to both. It's still far cheaper to wait until we can watch at home so such considerations are important.

Image via Hollywood.com

I thoroughly enjoyed the film, a CGI affair as opposed to Aardman's usual claymation. I gave it 4 out of 5 stars on Netflix. I'll admit there were times when the story dragged a bit but I had genuinely watery eyes by the end. So, for the record, that's no tears for The Time Traveler's Wife but plenty of them for Arthur Christmas. What can I say? I'm a sucker for "Spirit of Christmas" stuff.

After a few errands, it was on to the Mocks for dinner and board games. Mrs. Mock made yummy beef yakitori for dinner. Afterwards, we introduced them to a game we've been playing for a few years now: Carcassonne, a medieval-themed map building game. My Wife prefers board games that are easy to learn and can be played in under an hour. I favor ones in which no one is eliminated - everyone gets to play through to the end. Carcassonne meets all of the above requirements.

Image via Collections Wow

It's good to share games with friends for many reasons. The Mocks invented some new Carcassonne jargon. Mock referred to a card played without a follower attached to it as an "orphaned" tile. Mrs. Mock determined that one of her monks was a Hare Krishna. Mock won - beginners luck...

Next, we set up a more child-oriented, cooperative mystery game (title?) in anticipation of the kids joining us. Wouldn't you know it, they begged off, leaving us to solve the mystery on our own! What gives?

Finally, homeward. It was a great day but I was exhausted, in bed by 9:30 - quite early for me.

On the broomball front, we lost again, 3-0, but we played hard. I took three spills in the span of about 5 minutes. The first time, I banged up my shin. The second time, I was wounded in pride only. The third time, I landed hard on my backside and was genuinely worried for a moment that perhaps I'd broken my tailbone. I didn't. Three days later, I'm healing just fine. I actually managed to play some afterward, though I sat for the entire third period. There's talk of playoffs this coming weekend but I've heard no official word yet.

I'm with the Band: Army

2011-12-10T05:58:00.003-05:00

Band: West Point Marching Band
University: United States Military Academy
Founded: 1817
Current Band Leader: Lt. Col. Jim Keene

Every marching band at every parade or halftime show in America is a direct descendant of the military brass bands of the 19th century. The United States military has been a great musical patron from our nation's beginnings. Each branch of the service has several ensembles which perform to high professional standards. The academies are an important part of the military musical tradition. The West Point Marching Band is a combination of members from three other musical groups: the Hellcats, Jazz Knights and Concert Band.

The West Point Marching Band is no ordinary college marching band. While they do play at football games and other sporting events, the ensemble consists entirely of professional musicians, all of them active duty soldiers. Cadets are not eligible. This is a fully functioning military band. Beyond the fun stuff, they serve at funerals, Acceptance Day (featured in the clip) and other solemn occasions. While army life isn't easy for anyone, it's a sensible gig for a musician: salary, benefits, stability, etc. Your average freelance musician in New York can rarely depend on any of those.

My Football Fantasy: Back to the Drawing Board

2011-12-06T16:00:00.001-05:00

College League: lost, 90.30-78.28 (5-8 overall, 11th place out of 12 teams)
Vermont League: lost, 120.96-103.72 (6-7 overall, 7th out of 12)
My Player of the Week: Shonn Greene (Running Back, Jets) with 22 rushing attempts for 88 yards and 3 touchdowns plus 3 receptions for 26 yards

Photo via Turn On The Jets

I am out of the playoffs in both leagues. So, while my baseball system may still afford me improvements in both leagues (I finished 11th in the CL last year, 9th in the VL), it's not good enough. So, I may need to spend time in the off-season devising a more effective fantasy football strategy. I realize this discussion is less interesting without my revealing the specifics of how I run baseball but suffice to say that the greater impact of injuries in football as well as the different position dynamics make it difficult to adapt my system exactly. In short, knowing when to dump a player is more obvious in baseball than it is with football - at least to me.

My failure in the Vermont League is especially puzzling. I had the second-highest scoring team in the league overall and I still didn't make the top six in win-loss. I even had a good week this week, but Mock's was better and that's all that mattered in the end. Lesson learned: even with a strong performance for the season, weekly matchups really do matter. With his victory, Mock grabs the fifth seed in the playoffs and I hope he wins the league. He drew his cousin and my friend Marc in the first round.

I have Shonn Greene in both leagues. I drafted him in the Vermont League and acquired him in a trade with Special Dinner in the College League. At the beginning of the season, he was touted as a potential sleeper but his performance has been mediocre. His 3 touchdowns made him the top running back in fantasy football this past week. Unfortunately, I didn't start him in the VL but it still wouldn't have been enough to catch Mock.

Family Adventures: General Tsao's Chicken

2011-12-05T17:53:00.007-05:00

We got a tree this weekend!

We went to Joyce's Noodle House in Essex Junction for lunch on Sunday. Just as I have a standard order in a diner (club sandwich if they have it, a burger if they don't), I also have one for Chinese restaurants: General Tsao's chicken (Joyce's spelling). I thought back to when it first became my go-to dish. For as much time as I have spent in Asia and such cosmopolitan cities as DC and New York, one might be surprised that I trace my Chinese culinary sensibilities to a small town in Iowa.

As discussed previously, I went to college in Iowa, in a town so small that it didn't even have a McDonald's at the time. (It does now) Every comedian who came to perform on campus would have a joke about the fact that we didn't have a McDonald's. Restaurant options in general were limited. But the summer before my senior year, a Chinese place opened. Dining hall food was actually reasonably decent as institutional fare goes but by senior year, everything tasted the same. Fiscally disciplined during my first three years, I allowed myself an occasional splurge for take out in my final year.

There wasn't anything overwhelming about their General Tso's chicken (their spelling). In fact, as far as I could tell, it was exactly the same recipe as their sesame chicken but with hot red peppers added. Those peppers made all the difference. I couldn't get enough. I have a very pleasant memory of enjoying my GTC in a lawn chair I'd dragged outside so I could watch the sunset while I ate. Sunsets on the prairie are well worthy of extra appreciation.

However, the very best Chinese food I had in Iowa was not in our town but in nearby and only slightly larger Newton. China King is well worth the detour if you're driving across the Midwest on I-80. Online reviews are highly amusing as few seem capable of believing that such high-quality Asian food exists in so unlikely a place. They had a sizzling rice soup I've never seen anywhere else and it was absolutely divine.

Oh, Newton had a McDonald's, too.

Following up on an earlier post, Our Girl seems to have settled on a new default toy store: Learning Express, also in Essex Junction. It has always been our best bet for Hello Kitty gear but otherwise, I have found them to be pricey compared to local indies. However, twice this past weekend, it was the store she requested: once for a birthday gift for a friend and once for herself.

In broomball news, we had our first game in a month on Friday night. We fought hard but still lost 3-0. One of our number got into a bit of a tussle on the ice - not quite what I had in mind when I signed on for this, I have to admit. We only have one more regular season game to go.

I'm with the Band: UCLA

2011-12-04T08:13:00.005-05:00

Band: UCLA Bruin Marching Band
University: UCLA
Founded: 1921
Current Director: Gordon Henderson

Given the school's location, it's no surprise that the band's screen credits, both on- and off-camera, are extensive. The UCLA Bruin Marching Band has appeared in such films as Hello Dolly and That Thing You Do and such TV shows as The Simpsons. They are also featured at the end of Dan Fogelberg's #1 single, "The Leader of the Band."

All This and Football, Too

My Picks for the Week: 11/14 (1st place out of 3 players)
My Picks for the Season, Final Total: 179/274 (tied for 2nd out of 3)

In the end, the three of us were separated by just a single point. If I'd been more conservative with my Week 1 picks, I could have won this thing. Live and learn.

There was, of course, another purpose in my following the college football season more closely this year. I want to make a serious run at my bowl picks group this time and the regular season was intended as practice. The last two years, I haven't done well: 6th out of 6 players the first year, 9th out of 10 the second. I'm confident I can make a significant improvement. I got much better at picking games as the season went on. I had at least a share of first place in each of the last four weeks.

My Football Fantasy: Sanchez

2011-11-29T18:27:00.004-05:00

College League: lost, 90.05-75.87 (5-7 overall, 11th place out of 12 teams)
Vermont League: lost, 89.92-84.94 (6-6, 5th out of 12)
My Player of the Week: Mark Sanchez (Quarterback, Jets) with 17 completions for 180 passing yards, 4 touchdowns, 1 interception and 2 rushing attempts for 5 yards

Photo via HeadBlitz

There's one week to go in the regular season for both leagues. I'm pretty sure I'm mathematically out of the playoffs in the college league. No worries. I'll still have the opportunity to improve on last year's 11th place finish in the consolation playoffs.

I had an outside chance at a win in the Vermont league heading into Monday night. I needed really strong games from both Jimmy Graham (TE, Saints) and the Giants defense. Unfortunately, it was virtually impossible to have both - a frequent fantasy football conundrum. Graham held up his end of the deal, hauling in 2 touchdowns. But the Giants allowed 49 points - not good.

I face Mock for the last matchup. We currently hold 5th and 6th places with identical 6-6 records. If I've got the math right, whichever one of us wins is in the playoffs. There's an outside chance the loser could make it, too, but we need some help from Marc. If he beats his opponent, whichever one of us loses should have more points than the guy in 7th place. That's not too much to ask, is it?

There's been much fretting over Sanchez in New York but he had a great game this week. Even with his occasional struggles, there's some poetic justice in the fact that he's a more successful NFL quarterback than the guys he used to back up at USC. Apparently, he's a huge musical theatre fan and was a presenter at the 2010 Tonys.

My Tennis Fantasy: Can He Do It Again?

2011-11-29T17:43:00.000-05:00

My Final Overall Standing: 15th
My MVP for the Week: Novak Djokovic (Serbia) with $260,000, finishing 1-2 in the round robin stage of the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals
My MVP for the Year: Novak Djokovic

Photo via Bettor.com

Without a doubt, 2011 has been Novak's year. Here is Jon Wertheim's nomination of Djokovic for SI's Sportsman of the Year. (I'm betting it will be either Coach K or Aaron Rodgers). The question remains, though: can he keep this up?

My guess is no. Djokovic is obviously plenty good but I think Nadal and Federer will reassert their authority in 2012. If each player is at his best, I think they're both still better than Djokovic is. Yes, Novak's got all of the shots in the book but the Federer/Nadal reign has been about mental prowess as much as physical. I think they both win Slams next year and - ready for it? - Djokovic doesn't win any.

One final bold prediction for 2012: I've said for a long time that I think this next year will be Federer's last and I'm standing by it. But I think he'll leave us with a few final gems to remember him by. I genuinely hope I'm wrong about this one. If anyone deserves to walk away from his sport on his own terms, it's Fed. Even if he plays until he's 40, he'll be sorely missed once he's gone.

As for Fantasy Tennis Tour, I've definitely enjoyed the year but I have been very frustrated by their inclination to change the rules on us mid-season. It happened several times. I've been even more frustrated by their slow-loading website, at least on Safari. I know it's just a beta site this year but I hope they'll shape up for Year 2. And yes, I'm definitely planning to play again. I'm sad not to have cracked the top 10 - a worthy goal for 2012!

The New 52: The Second Issues

2011-11-28T16:35:00.002-05:00

That's Entertainment in Worcester, Massachusetts had a Black Friday sale featuring, among other bargains, a buy-two-get-one-free deal for New 52 titles. The time had arrived for checking out the second issues of my favorite #1s. I also picked up a recent Wolverine book for comparison. My thoughts on each...

Green Lantern #2

Image via COMIC BOOK FAN AND LOVER

My ultimate question for each title was essentially the same as it had been for the first issues: am I sufficiently curious about what happens in the next issue? For GL #2, the answer is a definite yes. I absolutely love the dynamic between Sinestro and Hal Jordan. Can a former arch-villain actually be a better superhero than the supposed good guy? The broader question posed by Sinestro, why superheroes haven't used their powers to fix Earth's larger problems, is a poignant one. Mock recently gave me a Squadron Supreme series from the mid-'80s which confronts that matter directly.

Green Lantern Corps #2

Image via Team Hellions

I was less impressed by this one. The initial draw for me was the dynamic between the various Corps members and issue #2 didn't do enough to encourage further interest. The current storyline - a barren world rebuilding by stealing natural resources from other planets - is a good one. But I need something more than brawling action to hold my interest long-term. Verdict: did not pass.

Green Lantern New Guardians #2

Image via Kaskus

I am powerfully curious about the various Lantern Corps beyond the Green. I'm very interested to see what will happen with the unification via Kyle Rayner. I like the floating Oompa-Loompas (aka Guardians) a lot but Rayner's new threads with all of the various insignias are very impressive. It will be easy to pull for him in the inevitable conflict. Verdict: passed.

Red Lanterns #2

Image via Kaskus

This book is really strong. The story is good. Just as with the first book, the art work is outstanding. I'm still very impressed by Atrocitus and his avenging-the-worthy philosophy is very appealing (more on that later). And yet, I have to say that my interest in following the story further is lacking. Next up is Atrocitus's selection of a lieutenant from his entourage, an intriguing narrative direction. But I don't see that the Red Lantern Corps's development is any more compelling than that of the Green Lantern Corps. What is most interesting to me is the interaction between the various colors, thus my curiosity in the Sinestro and New Guardians story lines. Verdict: did not pass, but it was close.

Teen Titans #2

Image via originalcomics.ru

By the end of the issue, my interest in the characters had run out. Red Robin's crush on Wonder Girl offers potential but not enough for me to keep following this particular band of heroes. The introduction of characters should be exciting. In this case, it is disappointingly tedious. Verdict: did not pass.

Justice League #2

Image via Comic Reviews from the Life-Impaired

In contrast to the Teen Titans, the superheroes in the Justice League feel like old friends to me. Such is the power of television on the childhood mind. Even though I didn't read many comic books in my youth, the Super Friends had a TV cartoon in the '70s and early '80s when I was firmly entrenched in their target demographic. The Teen Titans didn't get their show until I was an adult. As such, the introduction of The Flash in this issue and the promise of Wonder Woman in the next are both very exciting. JL #2 also ends with an excellent cliffhanger in the Cyborg story. Verdict: passed.

That said, why is it that superheroes must fight one another when they first meet? Does this speak to subconscious insecurities despite possessing super powers (or not, in Batman's case)? I can't help rooting against Superman in these tussles. To me, pulling for Superman seems a bit like pulling for the Yankees - too predictable to offer real satisfaction.

Wolverine #16

Image via Jazma Online Forum

As I noted in my wrap-up post for the New 52 #1s, I am a Marvel man at heart. I have a great fondness for Wolverine in particular and I thought I would check in with his story to see if I still prefer it to the current DC saga. Just as I suspected, it was no contest.

There are so many things I like about Wolverine. I love that the line between Logan and Wolverine is very blurry indeed. I love his back story. I love his connections to Japan. I love his conflicted, tormented persona and his vigilante sense of justice - basically everything I like about Atrocitus but with stronger development behind him. I find his super powers very appealing, too, especially given the fact that the Adamantium fused to his bones was essentially imposed upon him - enhancing his strength but also his resentment.

At present, Wolverine is the central character of the Marvel universe and this book clearly demonstrates that. Marvel loves the group shots and the picture of the combined forces of the Avengers and the X-Men is a keeper. I don't know the Marvel characters as well as I know the DC ones - again the power of television. DC had a much stronger TV presence than Marvel did during my childhood. While it can be brutal sifting through Marvel's cast of thousands, everything I've read so far suggests that the heroes of that universe are more complex individuals than their DC counterparts. They're worth the effort.

Summary

Three of the six New 52 #2s I read passed my curiosity test. Three did not. I would rank all six books as follows:

1. Green Lantern
2. Green Lantern New Guardians
3. Justice League
4. Red Lanterns
5. Green Lantern Corps
6. Teen Titans

But I would still put Wolverine above them all.

On the Road: Worcester

2011-11-27T21:29:00.011-05:00

We've just returned from our not-quite-annual-but-frequent Thanksgiving trip to Worcester, Massachusetts. Worcester is home to English Prof and The Playwright, two of My Wife's closest friends from her Chicago days. We all live pretty far from our family home bases so we've gotten in the wonderful habit of spending Turkey Day together. Our plans don't work out quite every year, but more often than not they do. My Wife and English Prof are both culinary masters so they spend a lot of time in the kitchen creating minor miracles. In addition to the benefits of good food and good company, we all get to wallow in the joys of The Playwright's voluminous DVD collection.

First, the food. Turkey before:

Turkey after:

The pies, English Prof's specialty:

Pecan:

Apple:

Butternut Squash:

Prepping MORE pies for Friday night:

In total, five pies were produced, plus extra squash filling for the road. We were visited by a mysterious green ghost at dinner. A new Thanksgiving tradition, perhaps?

The Worcester area contains two of our favorite retail establishments: That's Entertainment, a comics shop and general collectibles mecca (more on that visit in a separate post), and Trader Joe's in Shrewsbury. We don't have a Trader Joe's in Vermont so it's always an important stop on our Massachusetts trips. We were also introduced to Annie's Book Swap, a used book store in Marlboro. If you're a romance novel fan, Annie has an astonishing collection. There's a decent children's selection, too.

We had some good out-of-the-house meals, too. On Saturday, we went to Fugakyu in Sudbury, a very nice sushi place. I'm a big maki fan and their menu is impressive. Even with endless variety at my disposal, I tend to keep it simple: just tuna, cucumber and Alaska rolls for me. On the way out of town, we stopped at Chipotle Mexican Grill in Shrewsbury for lunch today. I'd been a couple times before to locations in other cities and hadn't been overly impressed but I really enjoyed my steak burrito today. Perhaps it was just a matter of ordering well.

Finally, some photos from EP's and TP's apartment and the neighborhood:

I'm with the Band: Arizona State

2011-11-27T19:05:00.004-05:00

Band: Arizona State University Sun Devil Marching Band
University: Arizona State University
Founded: 1915
Current Director: Mr. James G. Hudson
Fight Songs: "Maroon & Gold" and "Go, Go Sun Devils"

We head to Tempe for our first trip west of the Rockies. "Maroon & Gold" is Arizona State's official fight song. It was composed by Felix E. McKernan in 1948. "Go, Go Sun Devils," also commonly played at games, was composed by Albert Davis.

All This and Football, Too

My Picks for the Week: 19/21 (1st place out of 3 players)
My Picks for the Season: 168/260 (3rd out of 3)

My monster week puts me in a very strong position going into Week 14, the finale of the pick 'em season on Yahoo! I'm only two points out of first. With only three of us, I suppose I'm guaranteed a trophy but it would still be great to win, especially since I've been dragging behind all season.

12 Books in 12 Months: A Tear-Jerker

2011-11-26T11:55:00.005-05:00

Book: The Time Traveler's Wife
Author: Audrey Niffenegger

Image via Heroes and Villains

No, the book didn't make me cry. I wondered briefly if that meant I had really fulfilled the requirement. Then I decided that a quest to find a book that would, in fact, bring tears to my eyes would most certainly be unhealthy. There is no doubt that the intention of this story is to make the reader cry so I'd say that's close enough.

I'm still working out how I feel about this book. As previously written, I am skeptical of time travel narratives in general. I do appreciate the fact that this one sets up the rules early: despite his temporal escapades, Henry can change nothing. At the end of the day, he is just another of life's wanders, even if his path meanders in unusual directions.

Here's the question I'm chewing on: how much does time travel actually add to the story? Imagine the same tale told without it. The Henry & Clare romance is a compelling narrative - yet somehow, it's not quite enough to stand on its own. Their everyday dealings with loss are easy to relate to: deaths of loved ones, confrontations with one's own mortality, miscarriages, etc. The time travel permits an extra-dimensional perspective but the science fiction fan in me is less impressed. Apart from the narrative convenience which time travel provides, there seems little point to it. Does Henry's abnormality serve a higher purpose in the end? Not really. It's a quirk, a novelty, a frequent inconvenience with occasionally tragic consequences. Is there any meaningful resolution as to the science behind it? No.

That said, there were moments in the book I really enjoyed. I thought the description of Clare drawing Alba while the latter slept was lovely. In fact, I would have liked knowing more about Clare's art. I doubt many readers know much about the paper making process so clearer explanations would have been handy. In truth, I found Clare a more interesting character when she was apart from Henry - less so the other way around.

As a romance novel, I would say the book hits its mark cleanly, even if I didn't cry. As a science fiction tale, it falls well short.

**********

And so, I have completed the 12 Books in 12 Months challenge. I managed it in just under five months. I'm glad to have knocked out the first several during the summer as the going has definitely been slower once school started.

I would certainly like to do this again but I'm going to wait a while so I can read other things, too. Please send category ideas my way if you should have any.

**********

I hope that you, too, will join the 12 Books in 12 Months challenge. Details are here. My own list and books read by others shall be maintained on the pages list on my sidebar. Other blogs currently participating:

My Wife - Wikes! Hikes on the Long Trail
Mrs. Mock - Exclamation Point (!)

Two friends of My Wife are also participating: TonTon via Facebook and The Hermitess via Goodreads.

If you'd care to join the challenge, please let me know by commenting below or e-mailing me at armchairsquid@gmail.com. Also, please tell me how and where I can follow your posts. Don't be shy about suggesting other categories, either. It is my intention to compile a new list of 12 once this one is completed. My only parameter is that no one should have to buy anything in order to complete the challenge - nothing beyond a library card required.

My Football Fantasy: Stafford, Part 3

2011-11-22T08:23:00.002-05:00

College League: lost, 82.54-69.83 (5-6 overall, 11th place out of 12 teams)
Vermont League: lost, 98.00-87.00 (6-5 overall, 3rd out of 12)
My Player of the Week: Matthew Stafford (Quarterback, Lions) with 335 yards passing, 5 touchdowns, 2 interceptions and 2 yards rushing

Photo via ProFootballFocus.com

It was my second week in a row losing in both leagues. The standings are still very close in the college league. Even in 11th place, I'm still only one game behind the guy in third. The problem is that mine is the lowest scoring team in the leagues. So, even if I can manage wins in my next two games, I may be on the outside looking in for the playoffs. My position in the Vermont league is stronger. The first and second place teams clinched playoff spots this week. Mine is one of four teams at 6-5 but mine is the second-highest scoring team in the league. It is possible I could clinch this week but only if I win and two others lose.

Stafford was the double-edged sword for me this week. He's mine in the Vermont League but he belongs to my opponent, Michigan native Special Dinner in the college league. 5 touchdowns will make up for 2 interceptions anytime.

Family Adventures: Belden Dam

2011-11-20T21:32:00.006-05:00

It was a Novemberish weekend - very grey and occasionally rainy. But oddly enough, it still isn't especially cold with temperatures in the 50s today. Saturday was quiet but we headed south today to meet some friends. First, we went letterboxing at Belten Dam in New Haven, Vermont. We didn't find the first box but we did get the second. I got some nice pictures along the way.

Afterwards, we went to Two Brothers Tavern in Middlebury. My standard order for my first time at a restaurant is a club sandwich if they have one or a burger if they don't. I figure if they can get one of those right, the rest of the menu is likely to be pretty good, too. I went with the tavern burger today and it was a good choice. Nice beer list, too - 17 on tap alone. I had the Wolaver IPA, a local brew. Service was good as well.

I'm with the Band: Notre Dame

2011-11-20T07:57:00.004-05:00

Band: Band of the Fighting Irish
University: University of Notre Dame
Founded: 1842
Current Director: Dr. Ken Dye
Fight Song: "Notre Dame Victory March"

For me, this one's all about the fight song. "Notre Dame Victory March" was also my high school's fight song. I did four years of marching band in high school. The first year, I was just an instrument holder - essentially there to fill the space in the formations - as I had not yet learned to play the trombone. It was my sister's clever trick for getting me to follow her footsteps into the band program. It's not easy to "pretend" to play the trombone. The slide's a dead giveaway. I had to keep a close eye on the guy next to me to be sure I was in approximately the right position.

Knowing now how seriously marching band is taken at many high schools, our program was very low-key - just one hour of rehearsal a week, very modest formations, rarely moving and playing at the same time. I doubt any of us, director included, would point to marching band as the highlight of our high school musical experience. And yet, I'm glad to have done it. Marching bands are scarce in Vermont. Our local high school doesn't have one. The high school in the town where I teach doesn't have one. I completely understand why but I'm a little disappointed that my daughter may have to wait until college to have that experience, if at all.

The Band of the Fighting Irish is the oldest college band in the country. The "Victory March" was written by the Shea brothers, Rev. Michael J. and John F. It has been called the best of all college fight songs and in my humble opinion, it's not even a close call. Everyone else is battling for a distant second. I suppose I am biased.

The Glee Club:

The Dropkick Murphys:

I could not, in good conscience, write about Notre Dame without a tribute to Samwise Gamgee... I mean, Rudy:

All This and Football, Too

My Picks for the Week: 10/19 (tied for 1st place out of 3 players)
My Picks for the Season: 149/239 (3rd out of 3)

My Football Fantasy: Gostkowski

2011-11-15T17:11:00.004-05:00

College League: lost, 88.88-61.84 (5-5 overall, 10th place out of 12 teams)
Vermont League: lost, 94.30-71.86 (6-4, 3rd out of 12)
My Player of the Week: Stephen Gostkowski (Kicker, Patriots) with 1 field goal (20-29 yards), 1 field goal (30-39 yards), 1 field goal (50+ yards), 4 PATs and 1 solo tackle

Photo via DUELING COUCHES

Gostkowski is my kicker in both leagues and he was my high scorer in both this week. It's probably not a good sign when your kicker is your high scorer. Gostkowski was Mississippi All-State in three sports in high school: football, soccer and baseball. He went to Memphis on a baseball scholarship and walked on for football.

It's a big week. The trade deadline in both leagues is Friday. It's also the last bye week. While I'm in 10th place in the college league, I'm only one game out of 1st - crazy.

Family Adventures: The Family Table

2011-11-13T21:40:00.006-05:00

It was a pleasantly quiet weekend at our house. November is very grey in Vermont, historically the fewest days of sunshine of any month - a time of year when it's important to find excuses to get out of the house and not let the gloom invade. Our Girl and I played some backyard soccer this morning and we finally managed to draw some chickadees to our feeders. My Wife had the brilliant idea of using recorded bird calls to draw their interest. I sat out on our front porch with The Backyard Birdsong Guide: Eastern and Central North America by Donald Kroodsma playing the chickadee songs until the real birds finally came to call.

We went out to lunch today to The Family Table in Jeffersonville, essentially a comfort food joint. We'd never been and knew nothing about it but it seemed worth a try. After all, we are a family and we enjoy eating at a table. The food was decent and the service friendly, if a bit slow. I had an Angus burger that hit the spot. The hand-cut fries were the highlight for me. It was a little too pricey to justify regular visits.

On the way home, we stopped at Boyden Valley Winery. There are a surprising number of wineries in Vermont and Boyden is our favorite - not least for the fact that we know the family through Our Girl's old preschool. We particularly like their glogg, a mulled spice wine. We generally have a few bottles on hand for the holidays. I like their fruit and dessert wines, too.

My Tennis Fantasy: Federer

2011-11-13T13:18:00.005-05:00

Current Overall Standing: 11th
My MVP for the Week: Roger Federer (Switzerland) with $612,765, defeating Jo-Wilfred Tsonga (France) for the title at the BNP Paribas Masters

Photo via TopNews

Even at age 30, it's not too late for Roger The Great to achieve a career-first. He had never won the Paris Masters tournament before this week. There are now only two Masters events he's never won: Monte Carlo and Rome. He's had a great two-week stretch. He didn't lose so much as a set in Paris.

I'm with the Band: Maryland

2011-11-13T07:25:00.004-05:00

Band: Mighty Sound of Maryland
University: University of Maryland
Founded: 1908
Current Director: Dr. L. Richmond Sparks
Fight Song: "The Victory Song"

Maryland is my home state and as such, quite a lot of my high school classmates went on to the University of Maryland for college. One of my closest friends joined the marching band. We shall call him The Bus Driver. You'll learn why.

The Bus Driver was our star trumpeter in the high school band. Given the over-abundance of trumpets at Maryland, he switched to mellophone. It was one of the best decisions he ever made. He met the woman who would become his wife in the mellophone section. Some years later, they played together at our wedding.

Mellophone photo via Ironton High School Million Dollar Marching Band

In an enormous state university, a group like a marching band can be very important for a student finding his or her niche. For my pal, it also turned out to be an important network for good campus jobs. At Maryland, marching band members had the inside track for shuttle bus driver jobs. Back at my own college, I would tell tales of my friend The Bus Driver. Some of my friends came to believe that was his full-time job, not realizing it was a work-study gig - my buddy, Ralph Kramden!

One quick musical note: "The Victory Song" was composed by Thornton W. Allen. "Copacabana," on the other hand, was written by Jack Feldman, Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman.

All This and Football, Too

My Picks for the Week: 12/20 (tied for 1st out of 3 players)
My Picks for the Season: 139/220 (3rd out of 3)

12 Books in 12 Months: A Book You Really Don't Want to Read but Everyone Keeps Raving About It

2011-11-12T13:43:00.004-05:00

Title: Memoirs of a Geisha
Author: Arthur Golden

Image via live through books...

The two years I spent teaching English in Japan encompass the life-defining experience of my young adulthood. Elements of that experience are so vital to my sense of self that I have difficulty discussing them with people, even with those I trust completely. Thinking back to my life before Japan is to recall a time before I was fully awake to my surroundings. As such, I am very protective of what I selfishly consider my Japan.

Memoirs of a Geisha was published in 1997, a year which I spent almost entirely in Japan. While I poured through many novels about the Land of the Rising Sun, I've avoided this one for a long time. It's a book that comes up frequently when I mention my time in Japan - not too surprising considering that it's the most widely-read book about the country since Shogun. But I can't help bristling as I know that for too many Westerners, their concept of Japan - and perhaps of Asia in general - is limited to samurai, ninja and geisha. My own Japan, the ultra-modern Yokohama and Tokyo of the late '90s, is so far removed from that romanticized past that I can't imagine anyone appreciating why it's so important to me. The film Lost in Translation is much closer to my own memories.

It's silly of me, really. Why should my Japan be like Arthur Golden's any more than my concept of New York could be like J.D. Salinger's or my concept of New Jersey could be like Bruce Springsteen's? But while I've lived in those places as well, I don't feel the same way about them - not even close. Thus, I don't feel as threatened by the differences.

I have to admit that I got swept up in the story anyway, which is not to say that the book is without troubling elements. I don't know Mr. Golden personally so I won't make any assumptions about his sexual attitudes. But I met a lot of men with the Japanese woman fetish. (It didn't happen for me. I dated while I was there but almost exclusively Western women.) Apart from the physical attributes, I know that the appeal for a lot of men is the prevailing ideal of demure, subservient Asian women. Geisha are the ultimate embodiment of that ideal. To his credit, Golden does not overly glamorize the geisha world. Sayuri had a rough life and her lot was probably better than most. But very little of her story is self-determined. While that may, indeed, be an accurate reflection of the life of not just geisha but of most Japanese women, she makes for an uninspiring protagonist.

Despite all of that, I enjoyed the book. Only one more to go!

*******************************

I hope that you, too, will join the 12 Books in 12 Months challenge. Details are here. My own list and books read by others shall be maintained on the pages list on my sidebar. Other blogs currently participating:

My Wife - Wikes! Hikes on the Long Trail
Mrs. Mock - Exclamation Point (!)

Two friends of My Wife are also participating: TonTon via Facebook and The Hermitess via Goodreads.

If you'd care to join the challenge, please let me know by commenting below or e-mailing me at armchairsquid@gmail.com. Also, please tell me how and where I can follow your posts. Don't be shy about suggesting other categories, either. It is my intention to compile a new list of 12 once this one is completed. My only parameter is that no one should have to buy anything in order to complete the challenge - nothing beyond a library card required.

My Football Fantasy: VJax

2011-11-08T18:24:00.002-05:00

College League: won, 76.56-69.08 (5-4 overall, 6th place out of 12 teams)
Vermont League: won, 126.92-73.00 (6-3, 2nd out of 12)
My Player of the Week: Vincent Jackson (Wide Receiver, Chargers) with 141 yards receiving with 3 touchdowns

Photo via Gains Media

A straight-A student in high school, Jackson turned down Columbia to go to the University of Northern Colorado, a Division II school, on just a partial scholarship for football and basketball. In the NFL, he has established himself as the Chargers' #1 receiving threat. Always a good fantasy asset, he's only made one Pro Bowl, in 2009.

Family Adventures: Birds

2011-11-06T23:17:00.015-05:00

Every fall, once we're fairly certain the bears are down for the winter, we put up our bird feeders. We learned the hard way about the bears. One day, I looked out the front window and saw a fuzzy face looking back at me. Sure enough: a mother black bear and three cubs, feasting away on sunflower seeds from our hopper feeder. So, from April to October, no feeders at our house.

My Wife suggested a new tradition this year: put up the feeders together as a family in the morning, then pie for breakfast. The ritual had a bit of a monastic feel, all of us outside in our bathrobes. We're starting with a simple set up this year with two tube feeders - one with black oil sunflower seeds (left), one with thistle (right) - and one suet feeder.

We also have a peanut feeder we may add at some point. We need a new hopper feeder, too. The turkeys destroyed the one we had last year. The pie was from Poorhouse Pies, our local pie shed.

We love backyard birding for many reasons. Winter hobbies are essential around here. It's very important to have something to look forward to as days get shorter and colder. I also enjoy being reminded that the woods surrounding our home are teeming with life and that we can make a modest contribution to sustaining it. Thus you can understand our disappointment when no birds showed up - not a single customer all day! We're sure to get plenty over the course of the winter but we couldn't help wondering if something has decimated our local chickadee population. (We suspect a neighborhood cat!) Have we done something to offend?

While we're waiting for our feathered guests to arrive, some bird humor:

We lost in broomball, 4-0. We played hard, though, especially in a 0-0 first period. We're off for the rest of the month, then two more regular season games. There's talk of renting ice time for practice.

In happier news, the high school in the town where I teach won the girls' state soccer title on Saturday, their third in four years. Orange Man is their proud, first-year coach. Seemingly half the town was at the game - good times.

Follow Up: Orioles Hire a GM

The avian orioles are long gone from Vermont at this point, off to some tropical paradise for the winter. We've thought of putting up an oriole feeder but when we found our hummingbird feeder on the ground with a long black hair on it, we knew a local bear had a sweet tooth.

Photo via Casa Panama

The baseball Orioles have just hired a new general manager: Dan Duquette, former GM of both the Red Sox and Expos. He has the sort of credentials the Birds were supposedly seeking: significant experience in scouting and player development. He's a bit too old guard for my tastes but if the search process taught us anything, it's that the Orioles aren't the first choice employer for many baseball people. Ownership is still the overarching problem. Peter Angelos is a difficult man with a definite ceiling as to how much he's willing to spend on this team. Buck Showalter, while a talented manager, is a highly opinionated man himself. Now the team has added a GM with reputed interpersonal shortcomings. If the GM hiring adventure is any indication, it will be rough going for Baltimore in the free agent market as well. Even millionaires care about working conditions.

Photo via BostonHerald.com

But I'll take a new beginning where I can get it. As my daughter always says, you get what you get and you don't throw a fit. Perhaps in his time away from the Majors, Duquette has uncovered the mysteries of the universe. Here's hoping.

My Tennis Fantasy: Nishikori

2011-11-06T13:22:00.003-05:00

Current Overall Standing: 12th
My MVP for the Week: Kei Nishikori (Japan) with $182,467, losing to Roger Federer (Switzerland) in the finals of Swiss Indoor Basel

Photo via ATP Tennis World

Nishikori is the big story of the week, having beaten Djokovic in the semifinals. Get used to seeing his name. I have long considered him to be the best under-the-radar player on tour. He has a disturbing tendency towards injuries but seems to be pulling things together, having already accomplished one career goal: becoming the highest-ranked Japanese male singles player ever. Now with supercoach Brad Gilbert on board, I think we can expect a lot from this young player over the next few years. He turns 22 next month.

I'm with the Band: Indiana

2011-11-06T07:35:00.004-05:00

Band: Indiana University Marching Hundred
University: Indiana University
Founded: 1896
Current Director: David C. Woodley

IU is My Wife's alma mater. She has boycotted my I'm with the Band posts to this point because I've been writing about so many schools she was raised to hate rather than the ones she actually likes. Naturally, I have responded to her act of civil disobedience by declining to start with the Inidana schools until I was good and ready! Ours is a healthy marriage. Really, I promise. It is.

America's highest tier of music colleges consists of three schools: Julliard, Eastman and Indiana. The performance majors at IU are destined for the great symphonies and opera companies of the world. Very few of them would ever stoop so low as to participate in such a blue-collar operation as a marching band. Even music education majors only account for about 10% of the band. This is actually quite typical of big-time college marching bands. Most marchers have other, undoubtedly more sensible majors. They march because they love it. Bless them. The world is a better place for them.

Indiana is also well-known for its world class language programs. My Wife was a dual major: French and Arabic.

All This and Football, Too

My Picks for the Week: 13/20 (3rd place out of 3 players)
My Picks for the Season: 127/200 (3rd out of 3)

My Football Fantasy: Fletcher

2011-11-01T22:39:00.004-04:00

College League: won, 65.81-53.18 (4-4 overall, 9th place out of 12 teams)
Vermont League: won, 103.68-80.34 (5-3, 3rd out of 12)
My Player of the Week: London Fletcher (Linebacker, Redskins) with 12 solo tackles, 8 assisted tackles, 0.5 sack, 1 interception and 1 pass defended

Photo via DC Pro Sports Report

The Redskins are in a pretty ugly state at the moment but Fletcher had a monster game on Sunday, yet another example of an IDP thriving when his offensive teammates can't seem to stay on the field. The Cleveland native came into the league undrafted in 1998 and hasn't missed a game since. Meanwhile, parity still reigns in the college league. Mine is one of seven teams with a 4-4 record.

Family Adventures: Halloween Weekend

2011-10-30T22:43:00.006-04:00

There was nothing to do except to give the weekend over to Halloween. We had three parties in total: two kid-only affairs and one for all of us. Our Girl had one party through her after-school program and one at her dance school. We were all invited for a shindig at Blue Liner's house. Our Girl is a black spider this year. We went along as two bugs caught in her web.

Photo via George Takei's Facebook page

A friend shared this photo and it's only right I should pass it onward. Our Girl and I just finished "Riddles in the Dark" this weekend, the Hobbit chapter in which Bilbo finds the ring. I'll do a full review once we finish the book but what an outstanding chapter! If Gollum isn't the greatest character in fantasy literature, he's in very exclusive company.

Mock predicted an epic broomball game this weekend and it was... for the other team. We got hammered, 8-0. After the blood bath, four of us headed to a local watering hole and had a bit of a chalk talk with napkins, salt shakers and so forth. We have three games left. Surely, we can manage at least one win.

My Tennis Fantasy: Cilic

2011-10-30T11:58:00.003-04:00

Current Overall Standing: 12th
My MVP for the Week: Marin Cilic (Croatia) with $113,600, defeating Janko Tipsarevic (Serbia) to win the title at the St. Petersburg Open

Photo via Celebrities

Whatever happened to Cilic? At the 2010 Australian Open, the 6'6" Croat looked to be tennis's next superstar. Since then, he's been relatively quiet. This is his first title since February 2010, though he has made four other finals in the interim. He's only 23 so there's plenty of time for him to make more noise.

I'm with the Band: Iowa

2011-10-30T09:11:00.003-04:00

Band: Hawkeye Marching Band
University: University of Iowa
Founded: 1881
Current Director: Kevin Kastens
Fight Songs: "On Iowa," "Iowa Fight Song" and "Roll Along Iowa"

The lyrics to "On Iowa" were written by W.R. Law. The lyrics to "Iowa Fight Song" were written by none other than Meredith Wilson, author of The Music Man. The lyrics to "Roll Along Iowa" were written by John Woodman.

Next week, I'll get started with the programs to which I have a more personal connection.

All This and Football, Too

My Picks for the Week: 14/20 (1st place out of 3 players)
My Picks for the Season: 114/180 (3rd out of 3)

Let's Talk Baseball: It's All Over but the Crying

2011-10-29T08:48:00.003-04:00

Photo via Sound Check Music Blog

On NPR yesterday morning, they referred to the Cardinals as a baseball Rasputin, the team that just wouldn't die. For all of the heartache that has been felt by fans in Boston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, New York, Milwaukee and so on, it's gotta be pretty rough to be a Rangers loyalist right now.

With the Cardinals' victory, the run of six different teams winning the past six World Series is over. The number is now reduced to five: Red Sox, Phillies, Yankees, Giants and Cardinals. As you may recall from last year, in my ideal universe, St. Louis would now be preparing for a baseball Champions League with the best from Japan, Cuba, South Korea, Taiwan and whomever else could claim to have a viable national baseball league.

My Football Fantasy: Torrence

2011-10-25T17:47:00.004-04:00

College League: won, 58.42-53.74 (3-4 overall, 11th place out of 12 teams)
Vermont League: lost, 137.44-85.22 (4-3, 4th out of 12)
My Player of the Week: Leigh Torrence (Cornerback, Saints)

Photo via LeighTorrence.com

The Saints are my team defense in the college league (7 points allowed, 1 sack, 1 interception, 2 fumble recoveries and 1 touchdown). Torrence himself was responsible for the interception and the touchdown. He was Academic All-Pac 10 at Stanford.

This week was a lesson in ignoring Yahoo!'s projected points. According to those obviously meaningless numbers, I should have had blowout victories in both leagues. Clearly, that didn't happen. Despite the results, my league standing in both stayed the same.

Family Adventures: Montpelier

2011-10-23T22:02:00.003-04:00

Montpelier is, of course, our state capitol. It is the smallest state capitol in the country by population and the only one without a McDonald's. Ever since we first moved to Vermont, Montpelier has been one of our favorite day trip spots. Among other charms, it has a couple of great independent bookstores and the best Thai restaurant in the state: The Royal Thai Orchid. It seemed the perfect place to spend a gray, rainy autumn Saturday.

Much to our disappointment, the Thai restaurant was closed and will be until November 17th (lesson learned: should have called ahead). But seriously, if you're in the area and hankering for Thai cuisine, you can do no better in the Green Mountain state. We've looked. If the crispy duck special is on the menu, order it!

It was but a minor setback. Naturally, there are other options in town. We settled on The Skinny Pancake: a fine choice, as luck would have it. The company also has a location in Burlington plus a cart on Church Street, Burlington. The restaurant bills itself as "a unique creperie and coffee shop committed to nourishing localvore values in Vermont." It was tempting to sit around eating crepes all afternoon but they were a little too pricy for that. We each ordered savory classics. I had the Deja Vu which was pleasantly breakfasty. My Wife had the Lumber Jack which had a wonderful barbecue sauce on the side. I got a great whiff of it as soon as our server put the plate down on the table.

Then on to the bookstores, first Bear Pond Books for new books. My ladies sought and found a sewing book for kids, a new, sudden interest of Our Girl's. Then Rivendell Books, the second-hand shop. I got to point out the Tolkien connection for Our Girl, which was fun.

We lost in broomball on Friday but we played well and fought hard, a well-earned 2-1 result. We had few subs so I was exhausted by the end but we played real positions for the first time in my tenure, I on defense for most of the game with my partner in crime, whom we shall call Blue Liner. My mind has been working on schemes for our next game. In watching the other team, one of our number discovered the secret to harder shots on goal, too: hitting the ball with the edge of the blade. We need to work on that one, I think.

My Tennis Fantasy: Tipsarevic, Part 3

2011-10-23T22:01:00.003-04:00

Current Overall Standing: 12th
My MVP for the Week: Janko Tipsarevic (Serbia) with $181,750, defeating Viktor Troicki (Serbia) at the Kremlin Cup

Photo via Live Tennis Guide

Sunday's Moscow final was the first-ever ATP final between two Serbs and Djokovic wasn't even one of them. Tipsarevic is on a tear this fall, picking up his second title in four weeks, albeit with two first round exits in between.

I am not too happy with Fantasy Tennis Tour at the moment. Their site is very slow-loading, at least on Firefox - and I'm not switching to Internet Explorer just to appease them. I hope they'll have this sorted out by the beginning of next season. It's almost like they don't want me to crack the top 10 for the year.

I'm with the Band: Kansas

2011-10-23T08:22:00.003-04:00

Band: University of Kansas Marching Band
University: University of Kansas
Founded: 1887
Current Director: Paul Popiel

The band is known unofficially as the Marching Jayhawks at a school understandably better known for basketball than football (won't be the last of those in this series). The clip below is pretty impressive. The musical arrangements are admittedly stilted but the marching formations are quite dazzling.

All This and Football, Too

My Picks for the Week: 11/20 (3rd place out of 3 players)
My Picks for the Season: 100/160 (3rd out of 3)

12 Books in 12 Months: Your Mom/Dad/Sister/Brother's Favorite Book

2011-10-18T21:36:00.009-04:00

Title: Anne of Green Gables
Author: L. M. Montgomery

Image via Suite101.com

Anne Shirley is my kind of people. To be sure, her wit, eloquence, creativity and joie de vivre are enough to charm nearly any reader of L. M. Montgomery's classic. But when Anne told off Mrs Lynde for calling her homely, I was sold! I was entirely prepared for the girl to internalize her pain when she let the town busy body have it. Then again, how could one not love a chapter entitled "Mrs Rachel Lynde Is Properly Horrified"?

Anne of Green Gables is my sister's favorite book. I had never read it before. Now I look back, thinking of all the women I've known for whom this story was important and seeing something of Anne in each of them. Indeed, it would seem the precocious red head has been a part of my life all along. I love her as I love the many disciples who have shaped my life from birth.

I already know one book of Anne will not be enough for me. I know something of the broader story. We watched the Anne of Avonlea TV mini-series as a family once upon a time, on my sister's initiative, of course. I know, for instance, that the Gilbert Blythe saga is just getting started.

My sister wisely married her own Gilbert Blythe and they're busy raising a lovely family of their own, their son just a month younger than Our Girl. Sadly, they live far away in California so we don't get to see them very often. We do have plans for a vacation together next summer, though: a pilgrimage to Prince Edward Island. In preparation, My Wife is reading Anne to Our Girl - the first time for both of them.

*******************************

I hope that you, too, will join the 12 Books in 12 Months challenge. Details are here. My own list and books read by others shall be maintained on the pages list on my sidebar. Other blogs currently participating:

My Wife - Wikes! Hikes on the Long Trail
Mrs. Mock - Exclamation Point (!)

Two friends of My Wife are also participating: TonTon via Facebook and The Hermitess via Goodreads.

If you'd care to join the challenge, please let me know by commenting below or e-mailing me at armchairsquid@gmail.com. Also, please tell me how and where I can follow your posts. Don't be shy about suggesting other categories, either. It is my intention to compile a new list of 12 once this one is completed. My only parameter is that no one should have to buy anything in order to complete the challenge - nothing beyond a library card required.

My Football Fantasy: Stafford Again

2011-10-18T17:21:00.003-04:00

College League: lost, 82.31-52.83 (2-4 overall, 11th place out of 12 teams)
Vermont League: won, 95.42-91.36 (4-2 overall, 4th out of 12)
My Player of the Week: Matthew Stafford (Quarterback, Lions) with 293 yards passing and 2 touchdowns plus 9 yards rushing

Photo via Daily Joust

I came back to win on Monday night in the Vermont league, and yet I slipped one place in the standings. I got hammered in the college league, yet my overall standing remains the same. Parity reigns in the college league. I'm only one game out of the playoffs and only two out of first place. We have five teams at 3-3 and four of them will play each other this week.

Detroit lost for the first time this season but Stafford still did me proud. Conventional wisdom says that quarterbacks tend to come into their own in their third or fourth pro season. That certainly seems to be the case for the Lions' man under center.

Let's Talk Baseball: Jumping on the Rangers' Bandwagon

2011-10-17T17:06:00.008-04:00

The Brewers are out of the playoffs which means my bold proposal survives another year. The Rangers are my team for the Series. I can't help but root for a team which has never won before. Besides, they would be the seventh team in seven years to win the title, definitely an argument for relative parity, despite the sport's gaping economic disparities. In the interest of devoting time to the opposing view, I offer this AP story via SI.com. Apparently, not everyone is happy with the European football relegation system, either. The American and Asian team owners, not surprisingly, are the ones making a stink.

My Wife keeps asking when the playoffs are over - I think she's had enough. She wouldn't even look up at the screen to appreciate John Axford's mustache! Now it's down to hibernate for the winter.

Photo via Wahl Home Products

Follow Up: Yankee Bullies

Mock applied the bully tag to the Yankees in commenting on a recent post. I'm afraid I must agree. However, I haven't always felt that way about the Bronx Bombers. I had a reluctant admiration for the teams of the late '90s, especially the '98 team. In interviews, the players were always respectful of teammates and opponents alike. The hitters were patient. They'd appear to struggle against a pitcher all game and then, the third or fourth time through the order, they'd rip him to shreds. One got the feeling the opposition could put an ambidextrous Bob Gibson/Sandy Koufax hybrid on the mound and the '98 Yanks would have found a way to beat him. They were really good. They knew it. Everybody else knew it. There was no reason to be obnoxious about it. When they signed A-Rod - an apparent checkmate move at the time - all of that changed. Talent isn't everything. Team chemistry really does matter.

Follow Up: The GM Carousel

So, MacPhail is gone as O's GM. That was expected. It will be very interesting to see who they pick to replace him. I chuckle at reports that they're looking for someone who's strong with scouting and player development. Umm, yeah. And commitment to Catholicism is high on the list of priorities for the next Pope, too. What else, exactly, would they be looking for a GM to do?!!

In all seriousness, the Birds' approach to both the draft and the farm system is in desperate need of overhaul. As you may have gathered from previous posts, I'm deeply in love with sabermetrics so a Billy Beane disciple such as J.P. Ricciardi holds great appeal for me. I am increasingly convinced, however, that the Tampa Bay Rays are the model to follow so someone associated with that organization might be a good choice. Regardless, hiring someone with traditional thinking is not the way to go. Heck, MacPhail himself won two World Series as GM for the Twins but a lot has changed in baseball since 1991, to say the least. It's long past time for fresh ideas.

While we're on the subject, what a monster move for the Cubs in hiring Theo Epstein! His only problem will be that unreasonable expectations in Chicago will be higher than ever. Mock commented in my last Orioles post about the mystery of some teams never doing much to improve. That was the Cubs for decades. The team was highly marketable as lovable losers so why invest in winning? Such was the thinking of Cubs owners for a very long time. Thomas S. Ricketts, team owner since 2009, has sent a very clear message by hiring Epstein: he wants to win. Hallelujah!

Family Adventures: The Dismembered Green Panda

2011-10-16T21:49:00.006-04:00

We are in search of a new standby toy store. Our default store to this point has recently moved to a new, smaller space and I was highly disappointed in our quest for a birthday present for one of Our Girl's friends. I won't name the store, partly because I still hope they'll turn things around and partly because I can't afford the bad karma. Our Girl has always been a huge fan of stuffed animals and this store had the most dependable variety. Want a grey cat? They'd have five to choose from and be sure to have just the right one. No longer.

So, when she came to me on Saturday morning distraught over a wounded Iwako eraser toy and eager for a replacement, it seemed an appropriate time to take a closer look at another of our local shops.

We already knew Sewing Corner & Gifts (66 Vt. Rte. 15, Jericho, VT) was the best place for Iwako erasers. They specialize in Melissa & Doug toys, a very dependable brand. They're good for little trinkets, too. For a small shop, their stuffed animal assortment is impressive. And yes, they can handle your tailoring needs as well.

The wounded warrior:

The replacement (though we've encouraged her to keep the old one - a disability doesn't mean your life is over):

All of her new treasures, including, of course, the grey kitty she's been seeking:

After getting our weekly pick up from the CSA, we stopped by the Underhill Country Store (1 Pleasant Valley Rd., Underhill Center, VT) for deli sandwiches. I typically get their Moab sandwich (turkey, bacon, avocado, etc.) but this time I got the Captain Phillips hero (roast beef, swiss, loads of red onions, etc.).

All in all, a very productive outing.

We had a broomball game on Friday, another loss: 2-0. Even though we are in great need of refinement, I felt we all played pretty hard this time. I was happier with my own play but I could do better if I know more about where I'm supposed to be when. There's talk of getting out the floor hockey sticks in our school gym sometime soon. Practice would be good, or at least a good chalk talk.

My Tennis Fantasy: Ferrer, Part 2

2011-10-16T08:50:00.003-04:00

Current Overall Standing: 13th
My MVP for the Week: David Ferrer (Spain) with $302,000, losing to Andy Murray (UK) in the finals of the Shanghai Rolex Masters

Photo via Sky Sports

A fantastic result for Ferrer in the same week that he qualified for the year-end tournament in London - his third time in the final showcase.

I'm with the Band: Michigan State

2011-10-16T08:14:00.002-04:00

Band: Spartan Marching Band
University: Michigan State University
Founded: 1870
Current Director: John T. Madden
Fight Song: "MSU Fight Song"

The Spartan Marching Band is an all brass and sax band - no flutes or clarinets. The group started in 1870 with 10 members and has since grown to 300. The "MSU Fight Song" was created in 1915 by Francis Irving Lankey and Arthur Sayles by setting new lyrics to the hymn, "Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus."

All This and Football, Too

My Picks for the Week: 12/20 (3rd place out of 3 players)
My Picks for the Season: 89/140 (3rd out of 3)

Family Adventures: Chicken Pie Dinner

2011-10-11T19:30:00.002-04:00

As promised, the link to My Wife's post regarding our lovely dinner on Saturday night:

On Church Suppers

My Football Fantasy: Peterson

2011-10-11T17:30:00.004-04:00

College League: lost, 88.11-87.43 (2-3 overall, 11th place out of 12 teams)
Vermont League: won, 109.26-80.30 (3-2 overall, 3rd out of 12)
My Player of the Week: Adrian Peterson (Running Back, Vikings) with 122 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns

Photo via Sportsrantz.com

Losing by less than a point in the college league was brutal. Going into MNF, I had Jay Cutler (QB) and Roppongi Moose had Matt Forte (RB), both of the Chicago Bears. I thought I had a shot on the final desperation drive with Cutler throwing on every snap. But dagnabbit, if he didn't keep throwing to Forte! Grr...

If I were to build an NFL franchise around a single player, I'd pick Adrian Peterson. Big things have been expected from Peterson since he first attained national prominence in high school. And yet, his success at each new level has always been shocking. Everyone knew he'd be a great tailback at Oklahoma but no one expected him to finish second in the Heisman voting as a freshman. Everyone knew he'd be a great pro but no one expected him to break the single-game rushing record as a rookie. In my opinion, Jim Brown and Barry Sanders are in a class by themselves as the all-time greats. But if Peterson keeps it up, he's sure to join them. Through the miracle of auto draft, I was able to grab him in the first round of the Vermont league draft.

Family Adventures: Mocks and a Letterbox

2011-10-09T22:31:00.003-04:00

We had a fairly busy weekend. We spent late afternoon/early evening with the Mocks on Saturday. They came over to our place for board games before we all headed out for a chicken pie church dinner. My Wife has blogging rights on dinner but I'll post a link. We've gotten together for games a few times now. Our favorites are "Ticket to Ride" and "Hey! That's My Fish!" I'm a game enthusiast for life and I'm always excited to find friends who like to join in the fun.

We went letterboxing on Sunday, another quest in Mills Riverside Park. The weather is absolutely glorious right now: stunning fall colors with Indian Summer temperatures. We encountered fellow letterboxers for the first time, or at least former letterboxers. We got to the bench and sat as instructed. A couple came along and he said, "Oh, I know why you guys are here. We'll leave you alone so you can figure it out."

"It is here, though, right?"

"Yes, or at least it was a few years ago."

We did find the box - two stamps this time! The box was in excellent shape, though we did bring extra ziplocs this time, just in case.

My Tennis Fantasy: Berdych, Part 4

2011-10-09T08:38:00.002-04:00

Current Overall Standing: 13th
My MVP for the Week: Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) with $500,000, defeating Marin Cilic (Croatia) for the title at the China Open

Photo via Fanpop

We haven't discussed Berdych in a while. After a strong spring, he had a lackluster summer Slam season. This is his sixth career title, but his first in two years.

I'm with the Band: Oklahoma

2011-10-09T07:32:00.000-04:00

Band: The Pride of Oklahoma Marching Band
University: The University of Oklahoma
Founded: 1878
Current Director: Prof. Brian Britt
Fight Song: "Boomer Sooner"

The Pride of Oklahoma is an interesting case in that the band predates the university, which was founded in 1890. For reasons I shall explain, I'm not even remotely an Oklahoma fan. But this is awesome:

Back when I was doing my 30 Songs in 30 Days, "Boomer Sooner" was a strong candidate for my least favorite song. In college football, I am a devoted Nebraska fan. To love the Huskers is to hate the Sooners. Once upon a time, Nebraska-Oklahoma was the greatest rivalry in the college game. The winner of their annual late season matchup went to the Orange Bowl as Big 8 champs nearly every year for decades. Those days are long past. When Texas joined the conference, the Texas-Oklahoma rivalry intensified at the expense of Nebraska-Oklahoma. And, in truth, it's been many years since the Sooners and Huskers were national contenders at the same time. Nebraska put the nail in the coffin when they bolted for the Big Ten. Still, Oklahoma will always be my choice for least favorite program. "Boomer Sooner" means Oklahoma touchdowns - never a pleasing development. The song itself is a plagiarized hybrid of Yale's "Boola Boola" and North Carolina's "I'm a Tar Heel Born."

Mock asked in regards to my Florida A&M post whether or not college band director is the sort of job I'd actually want. In music education, one learns pretty quickly that teaching choirs and teaching bands are two very different matters. Sure, it's all music and they're all musicians but, at least traditionally, band programs are more regimented, left-brain operations than are choral programs. As such, they tend to draw very different people to the profession. For a variety of reasons, I've become more involved in the instrumental program at our school this year and I find I rather enjoy the more task-oriented approach at this stage of my life. But I also like that someone else is ultimately the guy in charge. So, I think the answer to the question is no. I'd rather be doing what I do now: general music with a dash of chorus here, a pinch of band there, musical theater as garnish. Variety is good.

All This and Football, Too

My Picks for the Week: 15/20 (1st place out of 3 players)
My Picks for the Season: 77/120 (3rd out of 3)

It was a good week. I was alone in 1st for the week so I got to make up some ground against the other 2 guys. I'm still 6 behind the lead for the season with 8 weeks to go.

Let's Talk Baseball: The Demise of the Payroll Teams

2011-10-08T07:36:00.005-04:00

This is nothing short of huge. There are three big money teams in baseball and all three are already done for the year. The Red Sox didn't even make the playoffs. The Yankees and Phillies both lost in the first round. It is always reassuring to know that money isn't everything.

Photo via PleaseDontStare.com

Meanwhile, I was 3-for-4 with my rooting interests for the division series. Believe me, that hardly ever happens! Only the Cardinals spoiled perfection. The NLCS holds greater interest for me going forward. It's pretty simple, really. If the Brew Crew win, I'll root for them in the World Series. If the Cards win, I'll root against them.

Mock commented on my last playoff post that he only had a team to root against and we all know he means the Yankees. In truth, I feel the same. If I had to choose whether I love the Orioles or hate the Yankees more, it would be a tough call. It's hard following a sport only to root against someone, though. I went into the 2003 US Open with an anyone-but-Roddick mentality. I just couldn't bring myself to like the guy - still can't. Every round he won was like a jab in the stomach. But the Yankees lost. Well done, Tigers!

My Football Fantasy: Graham

2011-10-04T06:26:00.003-04:00

College League: lost, 90.62-68.75 (2-2 overall, 7th place out of 12 teams)
Vermont League: lost, 119.94-89.30 (2-2 overall, 5th out of 12)
My Player of the Week: Jimmy Graham (Tight End, Saints) with 132 yards and 1 touchdown

Photo via OnlineSportsHandicapping.com

Graham was a four-year basketball player at Miami (FL). He graduated with a double-major, stuck around for one year of grad school and squeezed in a year of football eligibility. It was more than enough for the NFL to take notice. He was drafted in the third round by the Saints in 2010.

Family Adventures: Brooms and Hobbits

2011-10-03T17:53:00.005-04:00

It's been a long time since I was last a member of an athletic team, not since college intramural basketball, I think. That was nearly 17 years ago. I haven't done the team sport thing as an adult much at all, and much to my own regret. While my athletic talents are modest at best, I enjoy playing anyway.

Photo (not us) via Madison on the Cheap

In my experience, it's relatively easy to get adolescent-to-young-adults on the same page in an athletic contest whereas it gets more complicated as we get older. On our broomball team, for instance, I'd say there's quite a range not only in talent and experience but also in competitive inclination. Some are eager to win in that way many children (okay, boys) are taught to seek some ill-defined sense of superiority. Others are just in it to have a good time. To my mind, both attitudes are just fine as long as you're willing to embrace them. If you want to win, learn to play, invest, be purposeful. If you don't really care about winning and just want to enjoy the affair as a social activity, make the most of that aspect. The trouble is when you have people of both inclinations on the same team or, perhaps even more complicating, when individuals are torn between the two desires.

Personally, I'm prepared to go in either direction. How's that for a cop out? It's the tweener state that drives me nuts. Forced to choose, I guess I'd rather invest in winning. More to the point, I think I'd genuinely enjoy learning to play well, win or lose. I did a little bit of research on the ol' Web and found this. I think it's as good a place as any to start.

Oh, we lost again: 5ish-1. We have a bye this coming weekend.

Image via WhatCulture!

On the home front, Our Girl and I got started on The Hobbit this past week. So far, we're averaging about four pages a night so we should be able to knock it out in a few months. We've done longer chapter books before - the first three Narnia books, for instance. She seems to be enjoying it so far.

The New 52: Final Thoughts...for Now

2011-10-02T18:05:00.006-04:00

Image via What Is Techno Again?

I don't know what overall sales have been like but if I am a microcosm of the comic-buying public, The New 52 was definitely a success. I bought 12 comic books this month, by far my lifetime high. All of them were DC titles, too, so score one for brand marketing. It was never my intention to read all 52 books so mine was far from an exhaustive study but I'm delighted to have found a few titles to inspire further exploration.

Of the 12 books I read, 6 passed my curiosity test (Am I genuinely interested in issue #2?) and 6 did not. Of the 6 that passed, I would rank them as follows:

1. Green Lantern
2. Green Lantern Corps
3. Green Lantern: New Guardians
4. Red Lanterns
5. Teen Titans
6. Justice League

Obviously, the Green Lantern storyline was the big winner for me. This is particularly remarkable in light of the fact that I wasn't expecting to like it at all. If I were to start subscribing to DC comic books tomorrow (not my plan), the GL titles would be my top choices. The Green Lantern world is definitely the hot spot of the DC universe right now.

The 6 that didn't pass were still quality books and a couple of them came close to meeting my standard. I would rank them as follows:

1. Static Shock
2. Batman
3. Justice League International
4. Action Comics
5. Stormwatch
6. Justice League Dark

Static Shock is one I might even check in with a few months down the line. I really like the character. The story fell just short of my hopes.

I feel that DC's strength, and the main advantage it holds over Marvel, is its artwork. From that perspective, my favorite book was actually Stormwatch. Miguel Sepulveda is definitely a name I'll watch for in the future.

The New 52 did not succeed in contradicting a suspicion I've held for a while now: given the choice, I'm a Marvel man at heart. While DC generally has stronger artwork, I feel that Marvel is far superior in the more important category of character development. Comic books are a character-driven industry and to my mind, Marvel's best are far more interesting than anything DC has to offer. Someday, I'll devote a post to Wolverine and why I consider him to be by far the most fascinating character I have encountered in comics. Even with my new found interest in the Green Lantern world, none of the individuals I have seen within that storyline comes even close.

That is not to say that DC characters don't have the potential for greater development. Static, Batman and Atrocitus are all fantastic. Even so, I'll take Marvel's best over DC's best anytime. Do you think Marvel will be inspired to do a mass re-launch of their own at some point?

If you've been reading the New 52 and would like to share your thoughts with DC Comics, follow the link here. Thanks to Mock for sharing it with me.

My Tennis Fantasy: Tipsarevic, Part 2

2011-10-02T17:20:00.003-04:00

Current Overall Standing: 14th
My MVP for the Week: Janko Tipsarevic (Serbia) with $153,500, defeating Marcos Baghdatis (Cyprus) for the title at the Malaysian Open, Kuala Lumpur 2011

Photo via TopNews

Tipsarevic won his first ATP title in his fifth final. This was the first week of a three-week Asian swing for the men's tour. Tokyo and Beijing this coming week, with the Shanghai Masters tournament to follow.

The New 52: Red Lanterns

2011-10-02T12:25:00.005-04:00

Title: Red Lanterns
Issue: #1
Release: September 2011
Writer: Peter Milligan
Artists: Ed Benes and Rob Hunter

Image via Digital Spy

I liked Red Lanterns #1 a lot more the second time through, definitely a sign of quality. In light of my enjoyment of the three Green Lantern titles I've read thus far, it seemed only right to go back and try this September 14th release. The first time through it, I was put off by what I still consider gratuitous violence and gore. I also wasn't particularly excited by the idea of a storyline built around the emotion of rage. I don't identify very well with anger in general. I'm sure I could spend many hours on a therapist's couch working that one out but I don't think the pages of a comic book are the place to do it.

But in my second reading, I was able to see past the blood and appreciate the nuances of the story. The book went from failing my curiosity test on the first read to passing it on the second. In fact, I'm hoping DC will initiate series for each of the other colors in the Emotional Spectrum as well. I don't see anything in their upcoming releases as yet but I'll keep my eye out for them.

Part of the appeal for me is, admittedly, the color scheme. My college's school colors are scarlet and black and I developed a great fondness for that combo in my time there. It would almost have been worth playing a varsity sport just for the letter jacket. There are other reasons I like it, of course, but they are best addressed after the...

*****SPOILER ALERT*****

I like the fact that the lead character, Atrocitus, is not an Earthling. He's clearly got some issues to work out, too - always a bonus for us, the readers. As I said in my first post, there should be at least one poster-worthy image in a comic book beyond the cover and Atrocitus's entrance is awesome:

Image via Zona Negativa

Within context, the "What are you doing to my cat?" line is truly inspired.

In fact, it would seem that Earth doesn't have a Red Lantern at all yet. It's a good bet that John and Ray are the likely candidates. But which one? At least for the moment, Ray is the one who identifies more readily with rage. However, we the readers are encouraged to be more sympathetic toward John. This is just the sort of question that makes for great storytelling in a serial format.

I love the cat:

Image via da dsbigplan

However, as a longtime cat owner, I might argue that rage is not the best emotional choice for a feline. Avarice might be more appropriate (Orange Lantern Corps). Laziness would be most accurate - perhaps a new Beige Lantern Corps?

Finally, it seems only appropriate that Atrocitus should be worried about the viability of the Corps he himself has created. Rage is certainly a volatile, diffuse and often fleeting emotion. The Red Lantern Corps should reflect that.

The New 52: Static Shock

2011-10-02T09:06:00.002-04:00

Title: Static Shock
Issue: #1
Release: September 2011
Writer: Scott McDaniel and John Rozum
Artists: Jonathan Glapion and LeBeau Underwood

Image via Artrick Playground

Given that this was the last week of the New 52 #1 releases, it seemed appropriate to go back and check out a couple of the titles from previous weeks. The success of Teen Titans #1 encouraged me to try others in the adolescent hero vein. Static Shock #1 was released on September 7th.

I like Static a lot. In fact, I'd say Static is my favorite individual character so far in the DC universe. He talks to himself, cracking stupid jokes. He hovers over the streets of New York doing good deeds and calls his mom on the way home. He's essentially Spider-Man!

And yet, the book didn't pass my curiosity test. I'll explain more about why in the spoilers section but this is a perfect example of what I wrote about in my Green Lantern: New Guardians post. My affection for the character is less important to me than hitting the story at the right moment. I might check in to see what Static's up to a few months down the road but I have no immediate yearning for issue #2.

*****SPOILER ALERT*****

I was cruising along with the story up until the very last frame. Then my brain went clunk. Dismemberment? Really? That's where you're going with this? In issue #1?!!!

Where do you go from there? His power over electricity allows for immediate healing? He gets some cool prosthetic? I'm not even sure why it bothers me so much. Maybe it's just too much, too soon. I wish the book had ended one frame earlier as Virule lines up Static in his sights, or as the shot is fired, or you know he's been hit but don't know exactly what happened. Something that allows for some suspense, not the end result. It just didn't work for me.

A few other nit picks. I am more interested in Virgil Hawkins than I am in Static. He's a genuine teenager, struggling to make friends at a new school and, even with his cool flying surfboard thing, forever begging his father for a car. While it's not necessarily a bad thing to prefer the alias to the superhero, it is a bit cart-before-the-horse. Superpowers are the whole point of this medium, aren't they? (Side note: yes, I know there are comics beyond the superhero genre but I hope you'll take my point here) It's far from a fatal flaw. My interest in Virgil was almost enough to pique my interest in issue #2 but not quite. I was pleased to see Static's brief appearance in Teen Titans #1, suggesting that he may occasionally pop up in that storyline.

Quite a lot of exposition was devoted to explaining Static's powers and the physics behind them. While it's interesting to a point and certainly appropriate for a relaunch issue, the techno text was a bit cumbersome after a while. One hopes they'll find a more palatable balance in future installments.

I'm with the Band: Texas

2011-10-02T09:05:00.001-04:00

Band: The University of Texas Longhorn Band
University: The University of Texas at Austin
Founded: 1900
Current Director: Dr. Robert Cornochan

The Longhorn Band has played in seven different presidential inaugural parades. UT is the home of Big Bertha, reputedly the world's largest bass drum: 8 feet in diameter.

Photo via Bleacher Report

All This and Football, Too

My Picks for the Week: 10/20 (2nd place out of 3 players)
My Picks for the Season: 62/100 (3rd out of 3)

This was the first week in which I did better with my picks than I would have just going with all favorites. I picked three underdogs: Rutgers, Washington State and Florida. Only Florida lost. I guess it shouldn't be surprising that the house usually manages to stack the deck in its own favor. Otherwise, the house would never make any money. After all, the Vegas odds makers do this for a living. They wouldn't keep their jobs if they weren't right far more often than not.

My Baseball Fantasy: 2011 Season Wrap Up

2011-10-01T16:40:00.004-04:00

Private League: won final, 5-4-1 (finished 1st out of 10 teams)
Public League: 2nd out of 12 teams, 1 point back

It was a pretty exciting finish in both leagues, coming down to the final day of the season in each. Alas, I fell just a tiny bit short in the public league. Nonetheless, I am further convinced my strategy is a sound one.

I am sold on head-to-head leagues. Individual games become a lot more meaningful. As such, I think I'll do a head-to-head public league next year rather than rotisserie. I heard no gripes from my private league-mates so I assume they preferred it, too.

Season MVP

Player: Matt Kemp
Position: Center Fielder
Team: Los Angeles Dodgers
2011 Totals: 39 home runs, 126 RBI, 115 runs, 40 stolen bases, .324 batting average

Photo via Locker Smash

Last year, Kemp was my first round pick and he had a very disappointing campaign. As such, he was still available this year when my third round pick came around in the private league. He was the top player in fantasy baseball in 2011. Conventional wisdom says he'll lose the National League MVP vote to either Ryan Braun or Prince Fielder but if the Brewers duo split the vote, Kemp could grab the award.

Let's Talk Baseball: Bold Proposal Final 2011 Standings

2011-10-01T15:44:00.003-04:00

Season 2 of my grand experiment is over, or at least the regular season portion thereof. For those new to the program, here is my original post for the idea and here is how things shook out at the end of last season, setting up the two divisions I used for the 2011 season.

The final standings are as follows:

First Division

1. Phillies (unchanged from September)
2. Yankees (unchanged)
3. Rangers (+2)
4. Tigers (+2)
5. Rays (+2)
6. Red Sox (-3)
6. Cardinals (+3)
8. Braves (-4)
9. Angels (-1)
9. Giants (+1)
11. White Sox (unchanged)
11. Reds (+1)
13. Rockies (unchanged)
14. Marlins (unchanged)
15. Padres (unchanged)
16. Twins (unchanged)

Second Division

1. Brewers (unchanged)
2. Diamondbacks (unchanged)
3. Dodgers (+2)
4. Blue Jays (unchanged)
5. Nationals (+2)
6. Indians (-3)
7. Mets (-1)
8. A's (+1)
9. Pirates (-1)
10. Cubs (unchanged)
11. Royals (+1)
12. Orioles (+1)
13. Mariners (-2)
14. Astros (unchanged)

Biggest rises: Cardinals
Biggest falls: Braves

The teams in italics are the six different teams to win the past six World Series titles. I am hoping that trend will continue and yet a different team will win this year.

So, in my better world, the top eight first division teams would make the playoffs. Please note, Sox and Braves fans, your teams would still be in it despite all of their efforts to start vacation early. The bottom three in the first division would be relegated to the second for 2011. Alas, the Padres only lasted one season in the top flight.

The Brewers and Diamondbacks would both be promoted automatically. The next four teams in the second division would enter playoffs to determine the third promotion. I'll give the Dodgers the benefit of the doubt. How about that? With all of their troubles this year, their strong finish would have brought a meaningful result.

As I have said all along, my hope is to be proven wrong. I want to believe that more than a handful of teams have a chance to win the World Series each year. Thus I am hopeful that either the Brewers or the D-backs will win it all. Since they play each other, we know at least one will reach the next round.