A Little Mish-Mash

You’re not just reading the blog of any half-brained nitwit.  You’re reading the blog of a half-brained nitwit who was quoted in Cory McCartney’s NASCAR article on SI.com this week.  Who says having a little redneck in your blood don’t pay off every now and then?  Anywho…

Got some thoughts on a few topics this week.  So, here we go:

• My son called me today and the first words out of his mouth were, “I luuuuv youuuuu!” just like his momma does from time to time.  Knew right away they either wanted to buy something or had already bought something.  After much hemming and hawing, he finally fessed up they’d bought another cat.  Black cat by the name of Zoe.  Makes three cats in less than a year.  Could have been worse.  Figured they would have bought one already.  Wonder what took ‘em so long?;
• May have seen a friend of mine posted a comment ‘bout me taking up for both President Obama and Sen. Chuck Schumer in my last post.  What can I say?  Even a broke clock is right twice a day.  Well, the ones that actually have a face, anyway.  Besides, wouldn’t be right for me to criticize folks for not seeing both sides have some good points if I didn’t acknowledge when someone is right myself.  Or should that be left?;
• Reckon you’ve heard about all the volcanic ash over in Europe.  Somethin’ else!  Travel plans getting ruined all over the world. Even President Obama had to cancel his trip to the Polish president’s funeral cuz of it.  Someone tweeted it’s a good time to be filming shows set in the Middle Ages cuz won’t have to worry about airplane contrails being in the background.  Now, that’s the power of positive thinking.  Anyway, read this volcano is considered a small one.  Hate to see what will happen when a big one finally goes off;
• This is a great time of year to be a sports fan.  Baseball’s going strong, the NFL draft is coming up, the NBA playoffs are starting up, and, best of all, the Stanley Cup playoffs have started.  Been watching them this week.  Forgot just how exciting playoff hockey really is.  You should drop by VS tv one night and check it out.  If you are lucky enough to catch an overtime game, you might just be hooked for life.  And, if it’s a game 7 in overtime, you definitely will be;
• Read today that Peter Angelos, the owner of the Baltimore Orioles, refuses to hire Cal Ripken, Jr, an Oriole legend to say the least, to help out with the ball club.  Says he doesn’t want to ruin Ripken’s legacy if it doesn’t work out.  Also allegedly said he doesn’t want Ripken to get the credit if they finally start winning.  That’s a shame.  Just goes to show Mr. Angelos is not about the team winning.  He’s all about himself winning.  Very sad.  Think Ripken is one of the classiest players who ever played the game.  Never wanted him to break Gehrig’s record.  But, when I saw how classy he was in finally breaking it, became one of his biggest fans.  He was the reason I came back to baseball after the strike.  Still get goosebumps every time I think about him taking that victory lap.  Even saw him at Epcot in 1996 but wouldn’t go talk to him cuz he’s so classy didn’t want to bother him while he was with his family.  Sure hope Angelos changes his mind.  Imagine a lot of Orioles fans do, too;
• Get to listen to Pandora when I work on Saturdays.  It is TOTALLY AWESOME!!!!!  Have three stations:  Guns ‘N’ Roses, Pink Floyd, and Nirvana.  Used to have Metallica but some of the songs were too hard even for me.  In case you’re not familiar with Pandora, you choose a band you like then it programs songs for that channel based on songs in the same general category.  Although, have heard the Beatles on both Pink Floyd and Nirvana and Led Zepplin on all three.  Pretty amazing if you ask me.  The station plays that band about every third song or so, sometimes even sooner.  Highly recommend you check it out if you haven’t already.  You may ask why not just listen to your iPod?  Well, you got me there except you may hear songs on Pandora not on your iPod.  Still purty cool.  Don’t cost a dime, either;
• A lot of folks I follow on Twitter are European.  Mostly British and Irish but some others thrown in there, too.  Pretty interesting to follow their conversations.  Been a lot of talk about the volcano ash this week, naturally.  But, it gets really interesting whenever there’s a football game being played.  (That would be soccer to those of us on this side of The Pond.)  Seems like they all are watching it.  Same thing when Britain’s Got Talent is on.  (You know, that’s the show Susan Boyle got famous on).  Have been some interesting political discussions, too. Sometimes I have to ask for clarification on a few topics and they are always nice enough to provide the extra explanation this dumb American needs to follow along.  It really is a small world after all;
• Gotta couple new blog links to the left.  One by Girl Gone Healthy (follow each other on Twitter) and the other by Forevafit.  Ms. Forevafit just started following my blog today.  Not sure how she got here, but welcome!  Checked out her blog.  It’s still in the developing stages but looks pretty neat!  Ms. Healthy’s does, too.  Both are related to fitness.  Know you will probably enjoy both just as much as I will;
• Special shout out to my friend Sue Mac!  She has several blogs over to the left, too.  She ran a 15k race this weekend that bills itself as the toughest run in the South.  Has two hills in it that must be killerz cuz everyone she talked to about it told her to walk up the hills, even the dude who signed her up.  You know those jokers have to be bad!!!  Well, she managed to finish in under two hours.  Pretty good considering she just started training for it last week.  Congrats, Sue Mac!  And, no, I’m not gonna run in it next year…probably;

Well, that’s all I got for now.  Appreciate you hanging in here with me.  Y’all have a great weekend.  Looks like I will be out buying some new running shoes myself.  Wore the tread off of the old ones doin’ all my runnin’!!!  Woo-hoo!!!

Y’all keep ‘em straight out there!     

Quick Hits

Got some quick hits that’ve been kicking around in my gray matter.  Maybe you can help me with some answers or comments, if needed.  Thanks.

OK.  Here we go:

• How do people know to call when you’re about to start something you’ve been trying to talk yourself into for 30 minutes?
• Been thinking about getting into Twitter.  Any thoughts or suggestions?;
• Hadn’t seen it so don’t know, but, imagine Hurt Locker is an anti-war film.  Anyone really surprised it won the Oscar from the liberal Hollywood crowd?;
• Why does NASCAR think it’s smart to head to the West Coast, where the stands are half-full at best, after its biggest race of the year?
• Skype is awesome;
• Ever notice most fitness TV commercials are geared towards women?;
• Now that TNA is moving t0 Monday nights, maybe pro wrestling/sports entertainment will be worth watching again…maybe;
• Brett Hart, the Excellence of Execution.  The best there is, the best there was, the best there ever will be;
• Glad the weather’s getting better.  Hope it will inspire me to start exercising more;
• Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains is one of the best seasons ever;
• Anyone else not watching American Idol this year and not missing it?;
• The hardest part of getting a new laptop is getting used to the keyboard;
• It’s true a Southern man don’t need Neil Young around anyhow;
• The Percy Jackson and the Olympians book series is purty good even for adults;
• Is Chumley really that dumb and Rick really that smart on Pawn Stars?;
• Have been able to catch with some folks haven’t thought about in years on Facebook.  Very nice.

Feel a little better now.  Thanks for your curiosity.  Please feel free to leave an answer and/or comment or two, or send me an e-mail at ScotPS23@yahoo.com.  If there’s a question gnawing at you, please leave it, too.

Probably won’t be updating the blog over the next couple of weeks.   Gotta take a break every now and then.  But, fear not, both fans out there, I will definitely be back.  Will still check for comments, though.  Please feel free to peruse my archives over on the left while I'm gone.

Y’all have a good one!  Be back soon!

A Whole Lot of Another

Been lots of interesting things in the news here lately.  Everybody must be trying to get things in before the Super Bowl since things always seem slow down afterwards. So, if I can thaw my fingers out, will try to give you a little food for thought if nothing else.  Here we go:

• Man!  What a Super Bowl!  Didn't care a whole lot who won.  Only hoped for a good game, and it was delivered.  Was glad to see the Saints pull it off.  They and their fans certainly deserve it after 43 years of heartache.  They played a great game and Sean Payton showed he wasn't just glad to be there.  Calling for an on-sides kick to start the 2nd half took some real courage.  WHO DAT!!!;
• Thought this year's ads were just kind of OK.  Liked the Doritos ad where the kid told the man not to touch his mama or his Doritos.  Didn't realize the Tebow ad was on until he tackled his mother and had to rewind it to pay attention to it.  Like many other things in life, it was much ado about nothing.  Certainly wasn't as controversial as you would have thought.  Think some groups decided to "protest" it beforehand just to get their name in the papers.  Can't always believe the hype, I reckon.  Imagine that.  Did read where one group said tackling his mother encourages violence against women.  Guess they had to complain about something since the ad didn't live up to other expectations.  Would think most people are smart enough to see the humor in it and don't think the ad is saying it's OK to tackle women, especially your mother;
• Did anyone know we are apparently fighting in Pakistan now?  Or, at least we have sent "advisers" there. (Ain't that how we got started in Vietnam?)  Anywho, three were killed in a suicide bombing the other day.  Looks like the reigning Nobel Peace prize winner may be expanding the war on terror, or, whatever they are calling it these days.  (Apparently that phrase is a no-no with the White House and its staff.)  Anyway, not saying there's anything necessarily wrong with it.  Just wondered if you knew about it;
• Read where Michelle Obama is catching some flak about using her daughters as examples in her fight against childhood obesity.  Said might be setting them up for eating disorders and/or poor self-esteem later in life.  Think as long as she keeps it in proper perspective for them, they will be OK.  If the doctor said they need to lose a little weight, she should be praised for trying to do something about it (as long as she didn't do anything out of the ordinary) instead of ignoring the problem.  Shouldn't be anything wrong with using a personal example, either.  Just hope they don't turn it around later and say they don't want their children to be in the spotlight.  Can't expect to have it both ways if you are going to put them out there yourself.  That don't mean someone should go out of their way to put them out there in a bad way, though;
• Sarah Palin spoke at the Tea Party convention over the weekend.  Had notes written on her hand like she was cheating on a civics test in high school.  Not sure about all the particulars as to why she wrote on her hand and not on note cards.  Maybe she thought of something she wanted to be be sure to mention as she was walking to the stage.  Don't know.  But, it don't look real good.  Not very professional at best.  Mostly unprepared at worst.  Just something someone already looked down upon by the media should consider; 
• Read some speculation the other day that the Feds are being tough on Toyota since they are competition for Government Motors (that's what some folks are calling General Motors nowadays).  Since we the people own most of GM now, it will help our bottom line to make the competition look bad anytime they can.  Not saying I necessarily buy it, but some interesting food for thought;
• Hard to believe NASCAR has started back up again.  Got the Daytona 500 this weekend.  Looks like Danica Patrick will run in the Nationwide (one step below the Sprint Cup in case you don't know) race on Saturday.  Could be interesting.  Hope she does well.  The sport could use a little boost.  Lost interest myself last year when they flat out caught Jimmy Johnson and Mark Martin cheating in a Chase race and did nothing about it. Both cars were about an inch lower than NASCAR allows.  Don't sound like much, but it was a race they totally dominated over the rest of the field so it must have been something.  If they allow the drivers to start racing again instead of just driving around in circles, will probably watch again this year.  Will have to see;
• Read an interesting snippet on Dale Earnhardt, Jr, this week.  Someone asked him if he had to win to be a central figure in the sport.  His reply: "Apparently not."  Purty astute if you ask me.  Hasn't won a race in a couple of years, and he's still the most popular driver, probably for no other reason than who his daddy was and how he died.  Think all he wants to do is race and be himself.  Too many other folks want him to be his daddy reincarnated, and that ain't fair to him.  Ain't but one Ironhead and there won't ever be another.  If you ask me, all of The Intimidator's fans should have gone to Tony "Smoke" Stewart.  He's the closest thing out there to Number 3.  Anyway, hope Jr has a good year this year.  While Smoke is my favorite driver, will be rooting for anyone but Jimmy this year;
• Certainly been some odd weather around the country this year.  Heard last year that if there's thunder in January, there will be snow in February.  Well, we had thunder around here in January.  Will see if it happens this year.  Had thunder last year and snow on March 1, which was purty close.  Had some snow flurries Saturday and Sunday.  Might have to count that.  One odd thing is, with all the snow we're having in the States, read they are having to haul snow in for the Olympic snowboarding events next week in Canada.  Strange days indeed. 

Well, that's all I got fer now.  Thanks for hanging in this long.  Y'all have a good'n!

Later.