Sabre Dance
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Posts posted by Sabre Dance
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Some years back, my grandmother came to stay with us. This was my dad's mom and she could no longer live by herself. We agreed that she would stay with us for six months, then stay with my dad's brother for the next six.
She was in her early 80's and was in pretty good health, except that she constantly paced. She would walk around the house most of the day, which by itself was not an issue. However, occasionally, her blood pressure would drop suddenly and she would black out momentarily and fall. (Thank goodness, she never broke anything.) So, when I was home (I was in college at the time), I would keep an eye on her as she paced. Every once in a while, she would sort of wobble on her feet. I would jump up, thinking she was about to fall, but mostly she didn't. Then, when your guard was down and you were otherwise occupied (like homework), you would suddenly hear a thump...and there was Gram on the floor.
Well, about three weeks into her stay, i began to develop a rash around my midsection. It was red and itchy, and appeared to be the sort of rash you would get if you had a mild allergic reaction to a new laundry detergent or fabric softener. (Now, we never did switch laundry detergents or fabric softeners during this time, but formulas change, etc.)
I never felt any stress at all, even with Grandma pacing and occasionally falling.
The rash stayed with me for the next several months, all through the winter. It got a little better, then it would flare up again. I sort of got used to it and pretty much ignored it after a while.
Spring came and my uncle came to pick up Grandma and take her back to his home. Three days afterwards, my rash completely disappeared. I didn't make the connection at the time, but in the Fall when Grandma came back to stay with us again....the rash returned. Again, it stayed all winter (as did Grandma) and again the next Spring, when Grandma left, so did the rash.
At this point, I pretty much decided that it was the stress of expecting Grandma to fall all of the time that had caused the rash. Unfortunately, Grandma's health declined to the point where she went into a nursing home that summer, and never did come back to stay with us. And the rash never came back.
So, yes, sometimes our body reacts to stress (real or perceived) even if we aren't consciously aware of it.
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Frankly, I find the college game far more compelling than the NFL. I know that the NCAA (and some schools) have their issues, but as a whole, I'd much rather watch a game like 'Bama vs. FSU than just about any pro game. The atmosphere, the bands, the student sections. I mean, the U. of M.'s stadium holds over 100,000 for cryin' in the sink! And they fill it every game. That says something right there.
Anyway, I kind of like that there are some big match-ups early in the season this year. I always hated waiting for a month for the good games to start. And this year, it looks like the Big Ten will be giving the SEC and ACC a run for the money. It should be fun!
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It hasn't been just the past few days...it's more like the past few years. More & more drivers lately have clearly gotten their license from a Cracker Jack box. It's maddening how many don't know the rules or are just a-holes with their car.
This. Today I saw a driver make a right turn on red DIRECTLY in front of an oncoming garbage truck (more like a "right through on red"). Those things do not stop on a dime and you certainly don't want to be hit by one. A pretty big risk to save five seconds. I sold my motorcycle a few years back because there are way too many distracted drivers on the road.
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Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. And it's not like Minnie is the first to copy the Habs.
Is it just me or does this look like a rugby jersey? Wait, I get it....Rugby on Ice, a new show at Mandalay Bay. :D
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Just on quick perusal of all of the new jerseys, a few comments:
1) The designs for all of the teams seem to have been "simplified", i.e., made a little more "traditional". Not a bad idea in general, but for some reason all of the jerseys look a little too...boring? Meh.
2) I read the description on Adidas' web site of how many improvements have been made: lighter weight, stronger, etc. Somewhere in that process, they made all of the jerseys less expensive-looking - like they were replicas instead of authentic. Again, meh.
3) I don't like the addition of the white/gold split stripes on the dark Sabres jerseys, nor the split blue/silver (white?) stripes on the away sweaters. Meh cubed.
4) I am glad to see the curved hem at the bottom of the jerseys is gone.
That's about it. Nothing else to see here....move along, move along.
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Ten days ago I had to replace an 8 month old tire because of a nail. This morning? Nail in the same tire.
In that vein, run-flat tires. I've owned a bunch of cars with regular old non-run-flats and never replaced a tire. So far, I've had to replace three of the run-flats on my current vehicle. One had a chunk of metal in it (you can't just yank the foreign object and patch it), the other two succumbed to a nasty pothole (which caused tennis ball sized bulges on the sidewalls). Next vehicle? Non-run-flats.....
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That was post-2005 lockout that the change happened, right? (apparently not; 03-04). NHL decided they liked it better that way, probably to match the NFL. The "Away Colors" wikipedia page only talks about whites at home from 1970-2002. This is interesting from Wikipedia:
"The third major change was for the 1927–28 season when the team's name changed to the Maple Leafs, gaining a new logo and returning to the blue uniform. The logo was a 47-point maple leaf with "Toronto Maple Leafs" lettered in white. The home jersey was blue with alternating thin-thick stripes on the arms, legs and shoulders. The road uniform was white with three stripes on the chest and back, waist and legs. For 1933–34, the alternating thin-thick stripes were replaced with stripes of equal thickness. This would remain as the basic design for the next 40 years"
I believe that NHL teams wore their dark unis at home for many years, up until just before the 1967 expansion. Then it became white (or light-colored) jerseys at home, dark on the road. The reason for the most recent reversal was the introduction of the "third" jersey. These were only dark (never white), but were always worn at home. The NHL didn't want to make road teams carry two sets of uniforms (dark when playing a team that didn't have a third jersey) and white (for those that had a third and were going to wear it). So, they swapped back; road whites, home colors.
The NFL follows the "white on the road" guideline for the most part. There are exceptions: the Dallas Cowboys wear white at home AND on the road (most of the time). It had something to do with them losing a big game while wearing their blue road jerseys; they then considered them "bad mojo".
The NBA and MLB still mostly do white at home, dark on the road.
I still like the home white jerseys....
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I guess y'all who buy tickets can do whatever you want: boo, cheer, blow raspberries, whatever... Watch a game from one of the Canadian cities some time (like Winnepeg). They go nuts for 60 minutes, even if one of their players puts the puck in his own net. Fan is short for "fanatic" - if you decide you want to boo the team because they aren't playing well, go ahead, but please don't use the "F" word. (By the way, there were an awful lot of Sabre "fans" wearing Canucks jerseys in the lower bowl last night. Man, that must've been a helluva drive from the West Coast).
;)
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Before Buffalo English, there was a feature written by Robert J. Summers back in 1989 (I think) published in the Gusto section of the News. It was titled, Buffaloese, or What? I'll have to scan it and post it, as it is pretty funny (and accurate). The title refers to "Or what? - Last words of opening sentences of 75 percent of Buffalo conversations". For example, "How about those Bills, or what? There are other real Buffalo linguistic gems in the piece.
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Howdy, y'all -
Not listed as missing, but I have been absent for a while only due to being extremely busy at work (during the day) and too tired to look at a computer/tablet/smart phone (at night). I did sense that some of the political talk was escalating - it did not make me stay away, but I can't say as I miss it too much. I would prefer to talk hockey, but over the last year or so, hockey has become less of an interest for me as other aspects of my life have grown in importance.
I do hope that A) the Sabres do improve more than they have - it would sure be nice to talk about all them goals being scored in the previous night's game and B) I hope the lost are found again - this forum has had some of the most interesting posts (and posters) I've had the honor of reading. C'mon back - ye are missed.
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Selling England by the Pound is a pretty great album.
You bet! I've compared the musical complexity of early Genesis with more "modern" music and there's no comparison. (But, if anyone knows of a contemporary group that compares to Gabriel-era Genesis, please let me know.)
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Because it looks like a fuel storage container AND because of the recent goings-on there over the past few seasons, I suggest we call it "The Tank".
No? Too soon? :devil:
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I quit watching the Bills about halfway through the second quarter. Unfortunately, I switched to the Yankees-Red Sox game and the Sox weren't doing well either. Hello, YouTube...
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Oof...I finally almost forgot about this....thing. Dig a hole and bury it (along with Ville Leino's contract). Ugh!
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Was a trip to the Senaca Mall a thing for any of you?
Meat from the butcher. Bread and rolls from the baker. Donuts from MANGANO'S.
Hi, N'eo-
Yes! My friends and I would ride our bikes to the Seneca Mall on hot summer days and park our bikes in the garden department of JC Penney's (it had an iron fence around it that we locked our bikes to). We would lounge around in the air-conditioned mall for as long as we could.
I still say Mangano's donuts were the best I have ever had in my life (Paula's included). AND, they had so many varieties! We'd stop after church on Sundays and get a couple of "headlights" (yeast-raised donuts with chocolate frosting and a large dollop of white "creme"). Simply delicious!
I got my banana bike from Sears. It was candy purple. It was a unique bike, as it had 24" wheels (not the usual 20"), both brake calipers on the rear wheel and a 5-speed derailleur. Man, I loved that bike. But when 10-speed bikes became all the rage, I sold the thing. I'm still kicking myself....
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Young Frankenstein may have been the best combination of satire and homage ever put on film. Although Mel Brooks was a collaborator on the story and screenplay, it was really Gene Wilder's baby. Wilder's combination of acting, comedy and writing made this film one of my favorites of all time, and now, over 40 years later, still one of the greats. Gene will be much missed but well remembered.
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Twitter? Back in my day all we had were birds!
A young person (under 30) asked me the other day if I "tweeted". I said, "No, but sometimes when I have a cold my nose whistles."
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I can't say this new policy bothers me in the least EXCEPT it is just adding another layer of complexity onto what used to be a straightforward transaction. I expect that in a few years, the price of a game ticket will be decided by throwing a dart at a wall of balloons; the ticket price is written on a chit of paper inside the balloon. So, your 100-level seat cost $50, but the guy behind you in line hit the wrong balloon and has to pay $80. I mean, what is next really?
I'm all for a dynamic pay scale for employees. On days when the weather sucks, or you have a hangover, your employer has to pay you a higher salary because it is tougher for you to get to work, etc. (Yeah, right - try running that past your boss and see how hard they laugh).
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I read that story in college (circa 1976) - it has proven eerily prescient, especially in the last few years. Common sense is a commodity that seems to be in very short supply these days (excepting for all of us here on this board, of course!)
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Part of the reduction in enthusiasm for music is age/lack of time. I think a big part is that the music scene (and music itself) is not what it once was. I'm trying to remember the last time I heard a new song that really made me sit up and take notice. (Actually, it may have been "Bad Romance" by GaGa.)
I listen to old Genesis albums (when Gabriel was still with the band) and the complexity of the songs is amazing. I listen to (most of) today's music and it does not have the same depth.
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I've had a number of avatars, but this current one is a picture of the Buffalo Fire Department's fireboat, the Edward M. Cotter. It's berth is a stones throw from Marine Midland/HSBC/First Niagara/Key Bank Center. Also, I am a big fan of the history of Buffalo (and especially its waterfront). And it's a cool picture.
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House of Frankenstein early Sunday morning out of Canada. Wolfman Jack ended every episode with a new song.
Mason Reese
Rodney Allen Ripley
Tiny Tim - still creeps me out today.
Car 54 Were Are You?
Motley's Crew - the comic strip from the Currier Express.
Freddy's Donuts
The Skyway Drive-In
The Como 8
The .22 Caliber Killer
Playing basketball and street hockey at the Nativity playground on Hampshire Street across from a little mom and pop store that sold the best Italian Ice. I can't remember the name, Gancey's maybe.
Morgantee's penny candy store on Niagara Street across from Pizza Town.
JJ Arms.
Evil Knievel with jumping ramp and trailer
Your Host
I know the years have clouded our collective memories, but this show was "House of Frightenstein" and the "DJ" was not Wolfman Jack, but was called simply "The Wolfman", although his voice was a very close approximation of the real Wolfman Jack. The Wolfman, and all of the other characters on the show (except for Igor) were played by an actor/writer named Billy Van. Some of the other characters were Grizelda (a witch) and Bwana Clyde Batty (an explorer/adventurer type complete with pith helmet). Billy Van also wrote for and appeared on a number of variety shows on CBS (Sonny & Cher, the Smothers Brothers) . He was also a regular on a game show (of sorts) from Canada called "The Party Game", which consisted of two teams of three celebrities playing charades.
Sorry, I guess I just had a "memory dump" I swear I did not look any of this up online.......
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I kind of still watch the Olympics, but truthfully my interest in them has waned since they began allowing pro athletes to compete. Yeah, I know back in the Soviet days that most of their "amateur" athletes actually were professionals that trained full time (they had " real jobs", but in name only). When the USA basketball "Dream Team" cleaned the clocks of all of the other teams, well there wasn't much sportsmanship in that.
There are some events (swimming, kayaking, etc.) where there are no true professional "leagues", so those competitions are a little more interesting. Many of the sports I won't watch at all (basketball being one).
Now, the opening and closing ceremonies - I'm good with a little regional music and dance, maybe a little history thrown in. But why do we have to have 25 minutes of interpretive theater mimicking the settlement of the Amazon basin? We all know the main events are the march-in of the athletes and the lighting of the torch. Play a little music, have some quick dances (with historical references), have the athletes march in and then light the torch - that's it. 90 minutes at most. Actually, tonight's opening ceremony will be interesting to see how much stuff fails to come off as planned.
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I got a dog. His name is O'Ryan. He is majestic AF.
Dang, that's a good looking pup! Now I want a dog......
Revisiting the TANK: Was it worth it?
in The Aud Club
Posted
Purposely tanking is like putting your airplane into a nosedive; the steeper the dive, the harder it is to pull out. I think that we are seeing now just how hard it is to shed the losing attitude. If you can't pull out of the nosedive, the plane crashes. Well, I think the Sabres are crashing right now. So, was the tank worth it? So far the answer is a resounding "no". I'll check back in another 3 - 5 years to see how things are going.