Thursday..

on the steps of the Statehouse...
be there...
for that is where and when Christy Mihos will officially announce that he is running for govenor, and also for which party!
I have mixed feelings about what his choice will be. Overrall, I would love to see him run as an independent. I feel that the Republican Party is losing what miniscule ground that they have in this state, what with the failure of Romney to totally live up to and expound on the fire that he had when he first took office, and I just have a gut feeling that Christy will be more effective as an indepenedent. That is a bit hard for me, as I am a registered Republican, but a blind party-liner, I am not, hence why I will vote for Christy as an I no problem, if he decides to go that route. On the other hand, if he went into the race as a Repub, that would mean that Peter Blute could be tapped as a potential running mate; a Mihos/Blute pairing on Beacon Hill would be, IMHO, just what this state needs. Ahhh, what will Christy do?
Mihos (R)
or Mihos(I)???
Either way, I am so excited!This is shaping up to be an interesting race, and may the best Mihos win!

R.I.P., Darren McGavin. LOVED him in A Christmas Story as the grouchy but loveable Dad, but I will always remember him as Carl Kolchak from that quirky 70's t.v. series, which I watched faithfully as a kid. Thanks for some great memories!

$11,655.00 ....

is the amount of money that I have not wasted on cigarettes over the past 68 months that I have been quit! Damn, I'm good!

Hey, Bode, if all you want to do is enjoy life and skiing, on your terms, and don't really give a rat's ass about medals or records or what-not, then why don't you just take your big fat endorsement checks and go hang out at ski lodges for the rest of your life, instead of wasting everyone's time that gives a damn???
I mean, shit, he didn't even try coming out of the gate, and then afterwards, he kind of just shrugs his shoulders; probably was thinking about where he was to party tonight. What a majour league ass!!!
I wonder, who on the U.S. Ski Team could have had a shot at the Games, if it weren't for Bode? Who missed out because of this selfish, arrogant twit?
The only saving grace is that Bode Miller-Time is 28, and probably at the end of his career, thank goodness. Never having to see, or here of him again will be like, totally cool.
Oh, and a huge CONGRATS(!!!) to Ted Ligety for his gold!

Bode who???

I bet... that if Bode put as much effort into his skiing as he seems to his partying and indifference to all things skiing , then perhaps he would be doing better? He has been cited by fellow skiers as the best ever, but seems to me, he has the potential of being the best ever, but he seems to be his own worst enemy when it comes to proving that to be true. Granted, I am not a follower of all things skiing, and I only read about the athletes in depth when the Olympics roll around, but I have read enough to know that Bode is wasting his God given talent, and yes, he is letting down his country, as well. Does he owe me, or you, or any of us anything, just because he chooses to careen down mountainsides on skinny sticks? Isn't he after all, just doing what he (supposedly) loves, and therefore owes no-one a damn thing?
To the former, I say , YES!, he does owe me, you and all of us who care to give a damn about the Games something, because he is representing us. He is the best we can offer up, the cream of the crop for U.S. skiers, and seeing as he had what it took to make it to the Games, then damnit, he should live up to that! He made a conscious choice to become an elite in his sport, so the arguement of 'it's his thing, and nobody else's business' just doesn't fly. If he were injured, then that would definitely make things much different. But as far as I know, injured he is not; hung over, perhaps, and suffering from a stale case of rebel-itis is more like it. You know, it's cool to be a rebel, to live outside of the lines, buck tradition, follow your own path and all that; I truly do admire people that can live their lives by their rules, in their own way. But when one decides to enter into a thing where other rules must/should be followed( like training schedules, sleep requirements, et al), then one should step up, be a man, and do what he was asked to do; in this case, ski his Bode butt off!
Bode has one more chance of redemption tomorrow; tell us Bode, will you step up, or just keep the status quo? Hmmm?

Damnit!!

Peter Blute has decided not to run against Splash Kennedy, citing family reasons. DAMN!! I mean, certainly respect and understand his decision, but man, this really bites.
IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE WILLING AND ABLE TO CRUSH THE POLITICAL DAYLIGHTS OUT OF KENNEDY???
PLEASE??!!

Here is who I would love to see win tonight- Emily Hughes. She has such a presence about her, so much energy, so much love for the sport, so much fun! I know that she has a tough row to hoe to be able to beat Cohen and Slutskya(sp), but hey, her sis came out of nowhere and won 4 years ago, so...who knows? Goooooooooooo, Emily!!! 

A Good Day Is...

~ coming home to find my two fave magazines in the mail, and the big, fat spring issues, to boot!
~ having a really good conversation with someone that shares your points of view( and I thought that I was the only death penalty proponent in this God -forsaken bluest of blue states!)
~ knowing that I have the next day off, with absolutely nothing that needs to be done- the day will be mine!
~ finding out that the newest book by your fave author is being released on the 28th, and that you can pre-order it now! (That would be the latest by Edward Rutherford, his second in the Dublin Saga series. In about 9 days, I can get blissfully lost in 900+ pages of excellent storytelling!)

Welcome Back from vacation, Mike! 

NICE going, USA!! And a tip 'o the hat to you, Shani Davis. More commentary to follow on the controversy 'tween Davis and Hedrick, but for now, just enjoying having seen a kick ass race! * 02.20.06 Upon further review by yours truly, it seems that both sides( Davis and his teammates) are gulity of being baby-ish pissheads. I mean, look at the way Cheek is barely standing beside Davis. And Davis not competing in the team event? Piss poor. And the cold shoulder treatment given out by Chad, Davis' other teammate, who he beat out for the gold, incidentaly? (sp) Hey, all of you- GET OVER YOURSELVES! I feel the need for a serious reality check.

Ahhhh, Triple Smacks - the breakfast of champions among three year olds everywhere! Circa 1967

~Yevgeny Plushenko~
One helluva skater! Just as exciting to watch as Elvis Stojko was, back in the day, in his own way.

I love the Olympics, always have since my wide -eyed initiation to them during the '72 Munich Games. Maybe that love grew from being a part of the Cold War generation, where it a matter of pride ( and fun, too!) to root against the nasty CCCP Commies and those scary, scary East German women, and I use the term women loosely!. (Strange as it may sound, I do miss those Cold War days, at times.)

Maybe..but I just think that the love of the spectacle that is the Olympics, whether they be the Summer or Winter ones, was borne from the unjaded innocence of childhood, from a time where it was fun to watch people from so very far away participate in sports never heard of or seen before, to be able to 'be' in places like Munich, Montreal, Innsbruck, Sarajevo. To see the different flags, the tears of joy, the strain of not momentarily living up to a short lifetime of high expectaions on a myriad of faces, and not quite understanding the magnitude of those mixed tears, but somehow in a limited way getting it , just the same. To dream of one day being an Olympic speed skater, or gold medal swimmer, to prance around the family living room, ungainly feet keeping pace with Dorothy Hamill on that awful light orange carpet...

It's a long time past since I pranced upon that orange floor, but I still get excited as that 1972 eight year old did when I know that the Games are coming up. I am careful not to catch the morning sports report, as I don't want to spoil that night's viewings. I high-hosey the t.v. at night for about two hours or more, sometimes much to the chagrine of my kids, but too bad. I need to get my luge and sky jump fixes, need to watch some guy from one of the many -Stan's come back to kick butt in a skiing competition, need to for a two week period become thoroughly immersed in the (insert number here) Olympiad. I don't necessarily always root for the Americans,( what fun would that be?) and also, I don't care if the Games aren't a mirror image of what they were wayyyyyyyyyy back when; why would they be? Times change, civilisations progress, and ergo, so do the sports offered up. And yes, I consider skiing, luging(sp), ice dancing et al to be sports. There doesn't need to be a ball/glove/court involved for a sport to be considered a sport. Perhaps some of us Americans need to broaden our narrow views a bit, and stop thinking that the world revolves around us.

But I digress, and also I need to get some stuff around the house done before I settle in with my wide -eyed offspring to catch some Olympic action. And yes, I am sure to watch the rebroadcast of anything I missed in the wee's of tomorrow morning. Gotta love it!

Talk about perpetuating racism....

the following is from that sage 'journalist', that bastion of love, peace, equality and all things fair and PC, Bryant Gumball:

"And finally tonight the Winter Games. Count me among those that don't like 'em and won't watch 'em. In fact, I figure when Thomas Paine said, "These are the times that try men's souls", he must have been talking about the start of another Winter Olympics. Because they are so trying, maybe over the next three weeks we should all try too. Like try not to be incredulous when someone tries to link these games to those of the ancient Greeks who never heard of skating or skiing. So try not to laugh when someone says these are the world's greatest athletes, despite a paucity of Blacks that makes the Winter Games look like a GOP convention. Try not to point out that something's not really a sport if a psuedo-athlete waits in what's called a "kiss and cry area" while some panel of subjective judges decides who won. And try to blot out all logic when announcers and sports writers pretend to care about the luge, the skeleton, the biathlon, and all those other events they don't understand and totally ignore for all but three weeks every four years. Face it, these Olympics are little more than a marketing plan to fill space and sell time during the dreary days of February. So, if only to hasten the arrival of the day they're done, and we can move on to March Madness, for God's sake, let the Games begin."
WOW.
Of course, I am sure that Mr. Gumball will get a free pass for this one, as I am sure that HBO doesn't have the balls to do what they should with him after spouting such hateful, useless diatribe as this. Of course he is entitled to his opinion, but being in the position that he is, I find these remarks quite disturbing. Keep fanning those flames of racism and hate, Bryant.
What an ass.

Peter Blute to run against Splash Kennedy??

There was a poll question on Boston This Morning(WRKO) asking if you would support former Congressman, MassPort Head, and RKO talk show host Peter Blute if he decides to run against Teddy for the seat that Fat Boy has held for far, far, far too long; would I support Blute? Would I?
HELL, YEAH!!! He's a moderate conservative, has nothing to hide(Google him, and you'll see what I mean), and though like with Mihos, I don't see eye to eye with him on everything, I agree with Blute enoughand have more than enpough confidence in him that I would vote for him in a heartbeat. I also had the pleasure of meeting him, the late Andy Moes and Sam Donaldson at an RKO sponsored event back in early 2001, and he is a classy, well spoken, bright guy.Man, I hope that he decides to run!
Just the thought of having the opportunity to be able to cast a vote for Mihos and Blute is like ...having your cake, and eating it, too! Can't say that I'm not passionate, huh?!

Drive-By's

~ Am I of the opinion that Mr. Entwistle killed his wife and baby daughter? Yes. Yah, yah, I know; innocent until proven guilty, but, alot just don't add up for me.
~ When will we New Englanders ever get used to the fact that, 1) it will snow in the wintertime in Massachusetts; you'd think we'd be over that and accustomed to it by now, 2) a storm that is supposed to last all of 24-36 hours doesn't mean we have to buy 2 weeks worth of groceries, and 3) perishables will rot if power is lost, so why stock up on them prior to a storm?? It truly boggles the mind.
~ Dial up will become an option, if necessary! Kids, be aware!!

~Whitman Park 8 February '06~
Silent
framings, as a
masterpiece hanging in
the MFA would be
the landscape, was
so still
frozen
not only,
the water
but the trees and the grasses
and if I stared
long enough,
it would be as if my
breath
was preoccupied,
with other things
at the moment, also;
mesmerising, was the nothingness.
change to-
Dog
walking man
elderly stepping,was
he
careful to
side-aways
February's rutted,
muddy
offerings
with a heavy windbreaker's
collar upturned,
but seeming to enjoy
the muted sun
nonetheless
was he? I don't
know so
carefully crafted
was his
craggy, facade.
became-
Backwards
glances to the
melding of
the nothing and the
everything,
the movement
of the stillness
still freshly vivid
in the toss,
of my
mid-winter hair.
Chrissie 02.12.06

Happy Birthday!!

The 80th, to be exact, to my wonderful Dad in Law, Robert.
I Love You!

One damn good reason to vote for Christy Mihos...

'He said he also would support selling all service plazas on the turnpike to the highest bidder in order to raise money to pay off debt on the western portion of the turnpike. After selling the plazas, he said, he would support removing all tolls west of Route 128. '

Imagine, if you will, a toll-free turnpike, as it was originally intended to be!! But hey, let's be bold, shall we? Why not make the entire 'pike toll free!? Regardless of that last statement, I say...
BRAVISSIMO, Mr. Mihos!!

~ excerpted from here:http://www.masslive.com/springfield/republican/index.ssf?/base/news-2/113662379097300.xml&coll=1

Is it a burnt piece of toast?

No, silly, it's a pic of Tom Reilly, democratic candidate for governor of Massachusetts!! This is what became of Tom after having selected Marie(I don't have to pay my stinkin'taxes/bills) St. Fleur for his running mate without doing a background check on her, and then dropping her like a soggy kleenex after forcing her to drop out of the race . For more info on this unfortunately and strangely humorous story, just google ole Tommy; plenty of side spilttin' stuff to be had!

IMHO...

here are my picks for the top five female vocalists EVER:
1) Judy Garland-her voice can make me well up, I swear, a truly one of a kind, she was.
2) Cass Elliot- the Mama's and the Papa's would've been shit without her.
3) Debbie Harry- oh so femine, even giry-girl at times, but there is no mistaking the raw sexuality lurking not too far below the surface of her voice.
4) Chrissie Hynde- powerful is putting it mildly.
5) Dusty Springfield- her pipes had a huskiness that was rather unusual for her time, but most welcome nonetheless.

Very Cool. 

15 days, 15 hours and 55 minutes till pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training!!!
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, SOXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX!!!!

Requiem in Reverse

'cause I lost
the way
somewhere along
when you didn't
say
what you meant
when you saw,
your
light of day
became,
my night
stolen sight
damned fluidity
but it wasn't you,
it was
me;
seems trite,
to write(!).
Be that,
as it may
but it is truly
so
you may have been,
a key
once upon
a
naive me
but
rusted clatters,
fall further
away
and
I no longer fear
that I
have not so
unintentionally,
let go
the broken string
that held
you, and all the
rest
in.
Breathe, deep
from a picture-less
barren,
sleep
have alot
to say
hey....
found
my way.
Chrissie 02.01.06

Neil Peart from Rush-inarguably one of the best drummers ever. Listen to the ending of Limelight, off of Rush's Moving Pictures cd; the drums at the end are orgasmic. Truly. Not to take anything away from Neil's drumming in other songs, but man..just give it a listen. 

YAY!!!

The computer is BACK!! I highly recommend Geek Squad!
To expound on my earlier statement...
Geek Squad is:
~courteous
~ prompt
~effecient
~very well priced, and upfront about said pricing.
To fix my computer, it cost $229.- plus 99.99 for the cost of an XP OS. Seriously, if you have 'puter problems and need help, call these guys!! You won't be disappointed!