[Shrek] An update to my previous post

It seems I spoke too soon as CBS canceled another show I liked, Jericho.

There have been several fan sites set up to convince CBS to bring the show back, including an online petition that claims over 65,000 electronic signatures.

[Shrek] Some random stuff 2

One of my favorite shows has been canceled, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. I've liked everything Aaron Sorkin has done, but like his first series Sports Night, Studio 60 was too smart for its audience. It would have been nice if NBC had given it a chance by keeping it on some sort of reasonable airing schedule. I pay attention to when it's being aired and I'm not sure when it comes back to finish its run. Changing a show's schedule like that is a killer. I figured NBC would have learned that lesson with another Sorkin gem, West Wing. Guess not.

Another of the new shows that aired in the fall of '06 I liked was Smith, which starred Ray Liotta as the head of a team of professional thieves. It was canceled after just three weeks in another case of being far too smart for the people watching it. Based on the network schedules released so far it seems all the other shows I watch ("all the other" being a misnomer, I watch like seven network shows) have survived to next season, excluding The Sopranos of course.

And what's with all these game shows in prime time? Not a single one of them is any good, nor is any all that entertaining. The same goes for these reality shows. Survivor used to be at least interesting, now everything that happens there is contrived by writers and editing. Donald Trump, who is the biggest gas bag on the planet and has the worst comb over this side of the Mississippi River, has had his show The Apprentice canceled. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy. There's no word if he's blaming Rosie O'Donnell for getting axed by NBC yet.

Changing gears, someone needs to explain to me why the price of gas is rising so quickly. The cost of a barrel of crude oil is fairly stable and lower than it was last summer, and there's been no significant raise in demand. So why is the price skyrocketing? I'm sure it has something to do with most of the oil companies and their record profits. I'm all for the free market, but something needs to be done about these fat cats.

And while you're explaining about the cost of gas maybe you can explain to me how convenience stores and gas stations can sell milk cheaper than supermarkets. Fiona and I generally buy our groceries at the off-priced market Price Rite or at BJ's Wholesale Club, so I was shocked at the prices I saw when we wandered into Price Chopper today. Some of the "sale" prices were obscene. The story is the same at Shaw's, the market we used to go to on occasion before they closed the one that was most convenient for us to get to.

To prevent this from being all negative, Fiona and I will be heading to the Tornadoes' free preseason game Tuesday at the HIP. Fiona has been waiting for local baseball to start up since the last game ended. We'll be skipping our bowling night to go, so we prebowled this afternoon so we'd have scores for the week. I'm looking forward to Josie and Rich telling us about the complaining the other teams will do because Fiona and I were a little over our averages.

Perhaps they'll whine in their blogs about it.

[Shrek] Bowling and Backpedaling

Tuesday began the couple's league I bowl in during the summer. As I mentioned earlier, I'm on a new team with Rich, Josie, and Fiona. Let's just say the league has probably never seen a team like us.

Because Fiona was going to Salter School the last couple of summers she hasn't bowled in the league since 2004. It was funny watching her open her bowling bag as she wasn't certain what was going to crawl out of it. Turns out it was just as she left it--her shoes and red, white, and blue bowling balls neatly packed away.

To say Fiona was "a little rusty" would be the understatement of the relatively new millenia. She bowled less than her previously reliable 66 average, but as the night went on she had more and more fun as the rust scraped away. The highlight of the evening was when she got a ten and nearly the entire league cheered and rang the bells they bring to indicate a teammate scored a spare or strike. Her ear-to-ear grin really solidified that we are there for the fun of it.

I had my normal night--two good strings sandwiched around an absolutely pathetic effort. I finished with a 320, which is right around where I should be scoring. Rich was a tad under where he normally bowls, but as he's bowled very little (if at all) since last summer that's not a shock. Josie wrote her own story about the night, which you can catch in her blog on the T&G website.

We bowled some good folks and we all had a great time. And as luck would have it, when it was all said and done we tied 4-4 for the evening.

Now for a complete change in direction, I'd like to say some things about Curt Schilling. As if there's anyone on the planet that doesn't know, Curt Schilling is the definition of "attention whore". There isn't a topic he doesn't have an opinion about, and he's not afraid of speaking about it. Some might say he and I have that in common, but I digress...

Schilling makes a weekly appearance on Boston's WEEI (850 AM, in Worcester it is simulcasted on WVEI 1440AM). During his call in earlier this week to the "Dennis and Callahan" show, Schilling was asked if fans should hold their noses while Barry Bonds perseus Hank Aaron's Major League all-time home run record.

His answer:
Oh yeah. I would think so. I mean, he admitted that he used steroids. I mean, there's no gray area. He admitted to cheating on his wife, cheating on his taxes, and cheating on the game, so I think the reaction around the league, the game, being what it is, in the case of what people think. Hank Aaron not being there. The commissioner trying to figure out where to be. It's sad.

And I don't care that he's black, or green, or purple, or yellow, or whatever. It's unfortunate... there's good people and bad people. It's unfortunate that it's happening the way it's happening.

Schilling has backed away from those comments, and posted an apology on his blog (which I will not link to, Google it if you want to see it).

Well Curt, you should have stood behind those comments. Yes, you were wrong when you said Bonds "admitted to cheating on his wife, cheating on his taxes, and cheating on the game", because Bonds has never admitted to doing those things. He has admitted to taking steroids, although he says it was "unknowingly". Yeah, I guess you could "unknowingly" take a substance for a few years and not wonder why you went from looking like Stan Laurel to The Incredible Hulk.

The fact is Bonds has done all of those things, he simply didn't admit to doing so. I would have liked to have seen what would have happened if just once someone would have the guts to speak out against the elephant in the room, and I thought for once Shilling would use his reputation and speak out.

Alas, I was wrong.

For humor's sake people should check out all the attacks now aimed at Schilling. Many of them are coming from the San Fransisco area. I can't say I'm surprised at that as they are the only people that believe en masse that Bonds is a victim in all of this.

[Shrek] Some Random Stuff

In our April 22nd post I said we'd talk about our recent voyage to Manchester, NH, so I shall start there.

A bunch of us from the Worcester Sharks Booster Club went up to Manchester to watch game two of the Sharks/Monarchs playoff series. Now I had been to Manchester a few times, and in fact had stayed at a hotel that looks down upon the Verizon Wireless Center. I had never been in the building, so it was something new for me on a lot of levels.

Because the trip was badly mismanaged the booster club went up in two vehicles--a rented mini-van, and my buddy Rich's Durango, which was the vehicle Fiona and I were in. We were joined by some other "Sharks buddies" Ernie and Dave. Dave is also a "Tornado buddy", so I'm sure you'll be hearing more about him in the future. The drive up was a lot of fun, a mishmash of conversations about our jobs, politics, and whatever else struck our fancy. It is here that I learned of the term "LBGs". It is extremely "non-PC", and I will not explain what it means. But I do expect to use that term a lot in the future.

So we arrive in Manchester and the first thing you notice is the Verizon Center has no lobby. Everyone is lined up outside in front of the doors waiting for them to open. Luckily it was a beautiful evening so it wasn't a problem. I can envision huge issues if it were raining or snowing, something that happens frequently in the winter.

The mini-van that was driven by Chris had arrived before us, and they were at will call getting our tickets. I was not shocked to find out there was a problem, which luckily were easily solved. I will refrain from posting about how funny it was watching Chris, who has some form of chronic laryngitis, try and communicate with the woman inside the ticket booth.

So into the building we go, and it is an oddly designed place. As you walk around the concourse you go from the standard arena look to what looks like office space, and back again. We made several stops at the Monarch's Booster club table, where they were all generally nice folks. However, the vast majority of the rest of the fans are complete numbskulls.

As the game went on every hit by a Monarchs player resulted in huge cheers; every hit by a Sharks player caused a whine so high looking for a penalty you'd have thought the building was full of preschoolers. It got to the point where we'd laugh at the crowd's reaction. Unfortunately, they got the last laugh as Manchester won the game in double OT, 4-3.

One odd aside, while we were in Manchester several of us commented how good the food was, and how there was a much wider selection over the DCU Center. Later in the series there were several Monarchs fans that came to Worcester and told us how much better the food was in the DCU Center over the Verizon Center.

I guess the saying "the grass is always greener..." fits there.

In other news...

My fall bowling leagues are just ending. In my Thursday league I had the second high average on the team and bowled fairly well throughout the season. In my Monday night league I was, well, terrible. In neither league will my teams finish in the top half, which is a shock because in the Monday league we led the pack at the halfway mark.

Tuesday will see the summer couple's league start, and I'm changing teams from who I bowled with the last couple years. I'll be bowling with Fiona, Rich, and Josie (you can read one of Josie's blogs that is linked in the right side menu). I'm going into that league to have fun and just stay loose over the summer...or so I say now.

With the Sharks being eliminated Fiona and I will focus on the Worcester Tornadoes (Can-Am league baseball) when that season starts. For now we're passing time watching the New England Surge (Continental Indoor Football League).

I'm sure there's some other stuff I'm not remembering right now, so until next time...

[Fiona] Football

I hadn't realized just how long it has been since I posted anything meaningful or not so meaningful. I thought I'd sit and bitch about a few observations of late. Let me say that indoor football is alive and well in Worcester,MA. I LOVE football. Well that is to say ever since hubby explained it all to me about 12 years ago. What I can do without...the cheerleaders. Eye candy is a good thing I suppose but couldn't we get it in smaller doses or maybe could they have some sort of talent other than big breasts? Being of an intelligent intellect even the "prettiest" get boring to look at if all they have to offer is their beauty. Do something for Pete's sake. The "Surge" cheerleaders don't actually do anything. If Nancy Sinatra could watch them strut out onto the field in their white vinyl boots she just might be impressed, but these girls lack a serious routine. Where are the dance moves? How about doing something other than flick the tiny gold pompoms back and forth. I keep waiting for the girls to do something: explode a breast implant or dance or do an acrobatic routine. Give me something; I can smile and shake my thing.I want to be impressed with you lot but...

[Shrek & Fiona] We're still alive, honest!

Between hockey playoffs and a ton of little things going on (nothing too major, just time consuming) we've let our blog slip a little.

Rest assured that there will be frequent updates soon, including stuff about our recent voyage to Manchester, New Hampshire and other assorted tales.

(Fiona) It's a Bitch

I came to a shocking and thought provoking conclusion the other day...I am now in that dreaded category, middle age. Shrek and I were on our way to our local BJ's when a 'sizzling car' went flying by us, music blaring. My first thought was not, "wow, nice ride" but" what an asshole". I found this thinking strange for me but Shrek mirrored my thoughts in spoken words. We are indeed getting older and with it our way of living and thinking are changing. Damn! I wanted to be young forever and now I find that I am 'youth challenged'. I remember the good ole days when I could stay up all night. Now, I can't make it to 10:30 most weekends.

The other thing that I find disturbing ; the clothing. The clothes where I enjoy shopping seem to be for the younger crowd. I can't help but wonder when my taste in clothes changed from new and stylish to comfy and warm? What's next I wonder hot cocoa before bed? Reading glasses?It's a bitch...growing old.

[Shrek] It's Just Snow, Folks

Fiona and I went to Price-Rite Friday, not because of the pending snowfall, but because we needed a few things for our traditional St Patrick's Day dinner of corned beef and cabbage. That's a tough meal to make without potatoes and cabbage, so off to the market we went. As you may have guessed, going to the market just hours before a predicted snowstorm was a tactical error.

Can someone explain to me why when the weather forecast calls for snow folks turn into a bunch of raving lunatics? Why is the need for milk, bread, and water so much greater before a snowstorm than after? And why is it you waited until the snow started to fall to realize you didn't own a shovel--or better yet--that you needed a snow blower?

So there we were in the market, and folks have their carts piled high like they're trying to prevent themselves from turning into the second coming of the Donner Party. While I was shaking my head in amazement I overheard two young men who worked there talking about how each had restocked the milk and eggs twice in the three hours the store had been open. Judging by the lack of bread in the store apparently french toast is a staple food for waiting out a storm.

Next storm I'm going to corner the cinnamon market. That will show 'em.

Also empty at the store was the rack that usually held water in gallon jugs. This came as a shock to me as I figured water would be the least of problems when it was snowing. Also in low supply was diet soda and the Doritos' rack was nearly empty. I'll let you make your own joke for that.

Fiona and I went through the store with our cart basically empty. We bought the few things that we needed, a few we didn't, and left. It was then we realized that the fun was just beginning. While we were in the store the snow had begun to fall. It was incredible, with the skies just opening up with many inches of snow falling in mere seconds causing white out conditions so bad folks could hardly keep their cars on the road. Or maybe it was just light flurries hardly sticking to the ground. It was hard to tell with the way people were driving.

But the topic of bad driving is one for another day. Maybe next time...

[Shrek] Put Down the Damn Phone...

There are very few things that annoy me more than people on cell phones.

Now I don't have a problem with folks talking on them while they're walking from place to place outdoors, or huddled by doors outside buildings while sneaking a quick smoke of a cancer stick. I can certainly see where making a quick call home while in the grocery store to see if you milk or bread would be appropriate.

I have a problem with the morons who do it while driving.

There is almost no reason why your car should be moving and you on your cell phone. Are you lost? Pull over to make that call asking for directions. Are you late? Here's a novel concept, leave for your destination earlier. Reporting a crime or road hazard gets you a free pass, but let's be honest here, most people can count the number of times they've done that on one hand and have a substantial number of fingers left over.

For the record, ordering Chinese food or pizza does not generally constitute an emergency.

Now I know what you're thinking--"I can drive safely and talk on the phone." No, no you can't. Countless number of times Fiona and I have been driving along on the highway and come up on a car in the slow lane doing 45mph in a 65mph zone, the car weaving about in its lane. Drunk driving? No, it's a moron on a cell phone. And as if talking on the cell phone wasn't a distraction enough on its own, you've decided to drive 20mph below the speed limit in the lane folks use to get on and off the highway.

At least you had enough sense to put the coffee down and steer with your other hand. Or were you just putting it down to grab the doughnut?

And speaking of putting the phone down, how about these mental midgets that continue on with their phone conversations while they interact with folks right in front of them? Now that you've wandered into the store with the phone welded to your head to grab your sandwich, bag of chips, and 55 gallon drum of diet soda, do you think you could spare 15 seconds of your valuable time to actually interact with the clerk right in front of you instead of grumbling that you want a pack of Marlboro's and shoving a $20 bill in their direction?

A few weeks ago Fiona and I went out to breakfast (not a huge shock for those that know us). We went to Bickford's in Auburn, and as we're regulars the routine there is pretty well set--we sit in a very large booth and as the waitresses have a few moments they come over and sit and catch up on things from the last time we saw them.

As we were sitting, waiting for our order they sat a man a table or so away. His cell phone never left his ear the entire time he was there. Based on his side of the conversation, which could clearly be heard as he all but yelled into his phone, there wasn't anything that couldn't have waited 20 minutes while he ordered and ate.

I won't get into the stupidity of his breakfast order other than to say that if you're so worried about the amount of fat in the bacon that you order it burnt perhaps going to out to breakfast isn't really the correct option for you.

So while we're on the subject of cell phones, how about we mention those ear pieces folks wear that make them look like Uhura from Star Trek? Or maybe more correctly, make them look like flippin' idiots? With them you now have all the other cell phone problems, with the additional stupidity of not knowing if the moron on the phone is actually speaking to you or not.

For full disclosure, I do own a cell phone. I rarely use it. I use it so infrequently my voice mail says "don't leave a message because I don't check for them". Many people ask why I bother to have one if I don't use it. The answer is simple...

....someday I may wish to order a pizza.

[Fiona] It's Always Something

One morning just recently I found myself perched precariously close to the floor in my bedroom. Mind you, I was sitting on my bed at the time, when I was suddenly and quite unexpectedly rocked forward by a loud crack and an awful shudder. To my disgust and horror our bed had expired. I say expire because it had been suffering horribly of late and Shrek and I knew it would only be a matter of time 'til the old gal just wouldn't have it any more and just...

In the famous words of Gilda Radner, "It's always something." After Shrek came and rescued me from the mass that once stood as our bed we had the "talk". The talk of unbelieveability is what I call it. "Can you believe this?" "Why today?" "This is just unbelieveable!" Imagine if the bed could talk. She would say something along the lines of,"Yes, believe it. I have been waiting for over two years to retire. I gave you ample warning of my intentions; I was ignored by both of you equally. Well, now I am beyond tired so I am done!" She gave out one last cry and was no more.

Now the only problem that remained was getting a new bed. To the ordinary human this would be a no-brainer but not for the Shrek and I, we simply had no idea. How sad is it to be mattress illiterate? I did the only thing a gal can do in this situation, I turned to the internet. Someone really should run a "how to" site for stuff that nobody knows how to. You know like how to buy a good quality mattress without getting ripped off and things of that nature that most people have NO CLUE about. I read everything I could find on the internet and was no more confident with the new info I possessed.

Shrek and I have been left to our own devices. What to do? Is it just me or does everyone have to face the fact that the tax return that they've waited all year for seems to get spent even before you get it in the mail? Damn...