Clearly Left of Center

My 8-Minute Obsession

2011-05-05T18:29:00.000-07:00

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is serious business, but it has become part of our popular culture; these days, it seems, everyone is OCD about something. One of mine is doors. For some reason, I need to check a door three times when leaving the house or going to bed. Among OCDs, it is pretty minor; in fact, it probably doesn't even qualify as OCD in the clinical sense. I guess it is more of an obsession.

Obsession is an interesting thing. It can take on many forms. You can obsess about people, about jobs, about money...there is no limit to what people can turn into the objects of their obsessions. Managed properly, obsessions are quite harmless and can even be harnessed into positive outcomes. Left unfettered, though, they can become very destructive, both to the person who has the obsession and anyone coming into contact with it.

I've been in that situation. You see, I have an 8-minute obsession. It all started in the 9th grade, when a friend of mine convinced me to run track--why he was doing it, or why he thought I would enjoy it, I have no idea. But run I did, and I managed to find a hobby that would, at times, become my primary obsession.

First of all, let me say that I have never been all that good of a runner. The two years that I ran track (9th & 11th grades) and the two that I ran cross country (11th & 12th) I was, at best, slightly worse than average. But I enjoyed the actual act of running, and I enjoyed hanging out with my teammates. About the only time I could have been considered a decent runner was a few years in my late 20s and early 30s, when I placed highly in my age group in some local runs.

I also don't really consider myself a runner; I am more of a jogger. The difference between the two varies from person to person and running magazine to running blog; for me, the distinction between the two is 8:00. That's not an hour. That's a pace. In my mind, if you can run miles consistently at a sub-eight minute pace, then you are a runner; if your pace is slower than that mark, you are a jogger.

At various times in my adult life, I have actually qualified as a runner--well, according to my definition, anyway When I lived in Indianapolis, I ran the mini-marathon a few times, and my average pace was in the 7:40-7:45 range. For shorter distances, my pace could get down to about 7:00 per mile. But there was a cost. I had to run pretty much everyday, and I would get antsy if I had to miss even one session. My running watch was always close by, and I would religiously track every run...even making sure I wouldn't cut any corners for fear of gypping myself out of even 1/100 of a mile. Yes, you could say I was obsessed with that damn 8:00.

These days I run exclusively because I enjoy it (some of you would consider that another form of mental illness). And while I like to improve as a jogger/runner, I have to be very wary of becoming slave to that magical 8:00. During the winter, I use a treadmill and cannot help but notice my pace. I methodically increase it all winter so I am close to running shape by the time I can start going outside regularly (in northern Indiana, that's about mid-May for me). But once I get outside, I pretty much abandon the stopwatch and Google Maps on the PC and just go. It is very difficult after a long winter of pacing, and, yes, on occasion I will time myself to see how I am doing, but mostly my running is a true exercise in letting go.

Writing is a bad mother (shut your mouth)

2011-04-12T20:23:00.000-07:00

With apologies to Isaac Hayes for that title, writing really can be a pain in the ass. As many of my friends know, I was recently wed (about six weeks ago), and my bride and I find ourselves in the unenviable position of living in different area and ZIP codes (those of you who are thinking "She has no idea how good she's got it..."--shut your mouth). To make the time apart more palatable, and to keep me from driving her crazy, she has gently recommended that I start writing blog pieces again--at least one per week. Not that either of us (well, actually, me) think that what I write will interest anyone other than myself, but it may make for a good creative outlet.

So I am faced with the age-old dilemma: of what shall I write? Back in 2008, I wrote about politics, simply because it was easy fodder. But right now I am tired of all the sniping and bickering and just wish the hell Obama had called the pussy Dems onto the carpet when he had both houses and just ramrodded his programs through. He didn't, and now we are paying the price. So politics is too annoying to think about.

Sports. Hmmm...I used to follow sports a lot more closely than I do now. Now it, like politics, is pretty much all about the accumulation of wealth--greedy players fighting with greedier owners about money that those of us who should have more sense keep funneling into their coffers. Seat licenses...really?

Economics? Well, that is something I am no expert at, but that certainly doesn't stop a lot of the loudmouths who work out (even if it is only their jaws) at the gym that I do from pontificating on it--whether or not they have any idea of the difference between a consumption tax and a sales tax. ("It's a tax, goddamit it! It's evil!") And if I hear one more person who normally sings the praises of capitalism bitch about the rising cost of gas....I guess unrestrained capitalism is good only when it benefits you, eh?

Damn, I sound like a crotchety old man. But now that I have gotten a fair amount of bitching out of my system--for tonight, anyway--perhaps that will clear the air (or my system) and enable me to figure out (I had originally typed "ascertain" but for some reason changed it, then felt compelled to explain it...) about that which I shall write (no apologies to Churchill there).

If you read this, I am thankful. If you don't, you will be.

Dehumanizing Technology

2011-02-02T13:20:00.000-08:00

I remember at one time watching a TV show about a people who believed that taking photographs of them stole their souls. It was one of those Twilight Zone-type shows; the rub of it was, when the photos were developed (yes, kids, there was a time when photos were taken on film that had to be developed), the people whose photos had been secretly taken (members of a warrior tribe of some sort) came to life and attacked the person/people who had "stolen" them.

This came to mind as I was going through a tote of photographs I have taken or received over the years. As I sorted through countless pictures of tailgates and forest scenes and wondering why I had felt those moments significant enough to capture on film, I started thinking about the whole concept of photography and its effect on our humanity. (Pretty heady stuff for a snow day, I realize.)

Wikipedia will tell you that the concept of photography has been around since ancient times, but that the first permanent photograph was produced around 1826--less than 200 years ago. Not very long given the expanse of human history. That prompted me to wonder--how did we as people preserve memories--images--of the people and things we cared about prior to that?

Well, the wealthy sat for professional portrait painters, and others painted scenes that would be preserved for as long as their canvases lasted. But what about the rest of the people? How did they preserve memories? The shockingly simple answer is they talked and they remembered. They shared stories and descriptions of others who had come before them. While these may not have been as acutely accurate as a photograph, they placed an image in their minds that would not easily be erased.

And today? Hey, grab a photo on your cell phone and e-mail it to grandma. Sure as hell beats visiting her and listening to her ramble on, doesn't it?

Alpha-Numerics

2011-01-09T14:32:00.000-08:00

No, I am not talking about the various combinations of letters and numbers that are so common in today's binary world. Rather, I am referring to the attempted translation of mathematical concepts into plain English. For example, during the Packers-Eagles game going on right now, the Packers fumbled and then recovered the fumble for a first down. Troy Aikman was relating the fact that the Packers had a +10 turnover margin--that is, they have recovered more fumbles and made more interceptions (10 more, actually) than they were guilty of committing. He then went on to say that their ratio was one of the best in the league.

Hold on a second, Troy. Margin and ratio are two completely different things. Let's look at the two and see why. If you have 20 takeaways and 10 giveaways, you have a +1o margin and a 2:1 ratio. However, if you have 40 takeaways and 30 giveaways, you still have a +10 margin, but your ratio has been reduced to 3:2, or 1.5:1. What you meant to say, sir, is that they margin is one of the best in the league; we have no idea if their ratio is unless you tell us the hard numbers behind it.

It's all in how you slice it.

Happy Penultimate Day

2010-12-30T07:19:00.000-08:00

One of the highlights of Interstitial Week is--of course--Penultimate Day. For those of you unfamiliar with the word, "penultimate," in its adjectival form, means next to the last (dictionary.com). Hence, under our current calendar system (which has been around for awhile and is probably not going away anytime soon), December 30 is the next to the last day of the year--Penultimate Day.

How does one celebrate Penultimate Day? Well, one really doesn't. About the only time anyone notices the penultimate of anything is when there are only two beers left in the fridge (grab one, stash the other, send someone on a beer run) or when there are two pieces of pizza remaining (be sure to grab the larger one). Also, those of you who have or had infants may have noticed when you got to the penultimate diaper.

However you celebrate (or not) this Penultimate Day, be sure to make it an almost good one!

Brother Richard Gilman Retiring

2010-12-28T06:42:00.000-08:00

For my last four years in Indianapolis, I served as public relations director for a pair of organizations, the Independent Colleges of Indiana and the Independent Colleges of Indiana Foundation. Our membership consisted of the two- and four-year nonprofit independent (private) colleges in the state.

A great privilege of working with these organizations was getting to know the terrific men and women who lead the 31 member institutions. Today's South Bend Tribune profiles one of them: the retiring president of Holy Cross College here in South Bend, Brother Richard Gilman. A soft-spoken man with a very clear vision, Br. Richard transformed Holy Cross from a college for students who didn't get into Notre Dame or Saint Mary's into a respected educational institution in its own right.

Enjoy your retirement, Br. Richard--although I have a sneaking suspicion that your idea of retirement means merely giving up an office.

Interstitial Week

2010-12-27T13:34:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite words, which first came to my attention back in the early '90s, is interstitial. The merriam-webster.com definition of interstitial is "relating to or situated in the interstices." Taking that a step back, the same source's definition (well, one of them, anyway) of interstice is "a short space of time between events." Those events, at least in my neck of the woods, would be the religious-cum-retail holiday of Christmas and the "we need another excuse to party" holiday of New Year's.

Interstitial week has always been interesting everywhere I have worked. It's the time a lot of people take off to burn extra vacation or PTO time that they might otherwise lose--yes, I have been guilty of such an offense in the past, I freely admit. It's also a time when those coworkers who do come in seem to relax a bit and be a bit more casual in their approach to their jobs. There are always exceptions, of course--some people are just wound too tightly to ever really relax, and I do have a few of them around me in my current workplace this week.

Whether you are working or not over the next few days, I wish you a Happy Interstitial Week. Don't work too hard.

Technology Trip-Ups

2010-12-23T05:47:00.000-08:00

I am no Luddite, but I also feel that it is possible, especially in today's world, to be "too connected." Seriously--I don't really care when and where Kim Kardashian takes a dump. Until a few short weeks ago, my cell phone did three things: made calls, took calls, and allowed me to take an occasional picture. Recently, though, I changed phone companies, upgraded my plan, and now have a phone that actually texts (send and receives, by golly) and connects to the internet so I can blog, tweet, and update my Facebook status from, like, anywhere (you may now un-friend me if you like).

One thing I have always tried to stay current on, technologically, is music. Although I never got into 8-tracks (I was always a cassette guy--hated it when songs stopped, albeit temporarily, when tracks changed), I shed no tears when vinyl gave way to CDs and likewise as CDs give way to digital music players. First of all, I like the fact that I can have more music in less space (now I just need more time to listen to more music); secondly, my ear and playback equipment is not so finely attuned that I notice any drop-off in sound quality among digital formats.

(Note: Momentum lost in blogging due to FB conversation with friend from high school. Technology does have its merits most days.)

OK, where was I? Technology and music. Awhile back, I decided I really needed to have a portable music player--you know, one of those newfangled little pocket-size gizmos that can carry the entire music collection of the campus radio station I worked at in college. So I got a Zune--yes, the evil empire Microsoft version. Not a nano or shuffle or anything like that--even though we use Macs at work, I am still a PC guy, and, really, I don't listen to it enough to justify the cost of the Apple versions. One of the reasons is I don't like sticking those buds in my ears; I prefer the outside-the-ears headphones. I never wear one when I am running (indoors or out) or working out, although it is handy when mowing the lawn.

So another thing I did was upgrade the music player in the car. The former one was 10 years old (the car itself is 12--hey, it's a Honda) and was skipping on CDs, so I got a good deal (of course) on a new Pioneer. And this one has, of all things, an input for an mp3 player. So last night I decided to load all of my Christmas music on the Zune for my drive down to the Indianapolis area for the holidays. Wouldn't you know it--no matter how much I tried, I could not get the Zune to sync up with the computer. I plugged the cable into every USB port available, went online to troubleshoot--you name it. I was confounded. Then I remembered I had another USB cable somewhere. I found it, changed it, and, lo and behold! (I love that saying), the damn thing synched perfectly. (OK, Apple lovers--you may stop laughing anytime.)

So if there is a moral anywhere to be found, I guess it would be--when technology fails, start with the little things first. In our world of nanotechnology, the fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in our microcircuitry.

Why I Won't Buy from Certain Companies

2009-12-22T19:50:00.000-08:00

In this case it has nothing to do with exploiting workers, both in this country and others; with unfair pricing practices; with harming the environment; or even with employing people who are rude, ignorant, racist, or have piss-poor customer service skills--although those are all valid reasons (probably much more so than the one I am about to air).

The reason I won't buy from certain companies--two local ones, in fact--is because for some reason they could not find spokespeople who can pronounce the names of their companies correctly. I am referring to Wings Etc. and Kitchens Etc.--both of whom have people in their commercials mispronouncing the "Etc." part of their names as "ekcetera."

For the love of God, people--listen to what you are saying. Where anywhere in "etc."--which, if you didn't know, is an English abbreviation of the Latin term et cetera that, roughly translated, means "and so on"--do you see a "K"? Huh? Huh? Learn to enunciate if you are going to promote your company, morons! Now, repeat after me:

eT cetera....eT cetera....eT cetera....

A Beautiful Day

2009-04-17T12:15:00.000-07:00

A heartfelt thank you to all of my friends who have expressed their care and concern over Bucky's passing. Monday we returned his body back to his true owner. Today, I was able to let his spirit fly home, too.

While I was outside at lunch, I was thinking how much he would have enjoyed sitting in one of the windows of the house, watching the birds and other critters, soaking up the sunlight. Then I realized--if it is so nice here, imagine how awesomely beautiful it is where he is now.

Bask in the sunshine of our Lord, sweet Bucky. It was our incredible privilege to be your caretaker while you were here. And I know we will see you again.

Bucky, 4/29/08-4/13/09

2009-04-13T12:06:00.000-07:00

Today my girlfriend, Kris, and I had to put our little kitten Bucky down. He was fine all through last week, but Friday night (Good Friday--how ironic) I noticed he was having trouble breathing. We took him to the emergency clinic, and they found fluids in his lungs--blood and other stuff. They stabilized him, and he got to spend the weekend with us. Today I took him to his regular vet, and they ran some diagnostics and discovered feline leukemia, and she said there might be other cancers at play. Because he was so young, she said he would continue fighting for every breath until the last minute, rather than just lie down and go to sleep like an older cat would. So we decided to have him euthanized. It was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make, but I know it was the right one.

Bucky was a frisky feline, always wanting to be around his people. He loved to jump on my lap when I was sitting on the desk chair here at home or on the small tower of drawers in the bathroom. And wherever he was in the house, when he heard the faucet in the upstairs bathroom running, there he was. As soon as the faucet was off, he was in the sink, trying to lick up the water that hadn't drained yet. He also loved to chew on Kris' red purse. He enjoyed antagonizing big brother Booger, and he was always in the bed at night before I got the lights shut off and was there in the morning when the alarm went off.

We will miss you, our little Bucky Bear. Rest in Peace--that cancer can't hurt you now. We will always remember you, cherish you, and love you.

Early Nominees for "Dumbass of the Year" Award

2009-04-03T07:04:00.000-07:00

From today's South Bend Tribune:

At least two people have been scammed by a man selling sheets of plywood wrapped to look like flat-panel television sets, police say.

According to Mishawaka police, twice last week, a man in a dented white mini-van approached customers in parking lots at businesses along Grape Road and sold them what he claimed were flat-panel televisions.

Police said the man offered two stories. In one, they said, he needed the money to support his family. In the other, he couldn't return the sets because he had lost the receipts.

A man paid $300 for two sets, police said, and a woman paid $600 for one.

Not until they returned home and unwrapped the sets did they realize they were plywood.

Police said it's likely more people have been scammed but are too embarrassed to file a report.

Just like the people who got taken by Bernie Madoff--remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

A Different take on Madoff...

2009-03-17T08:26:00.000-07:00

as put forth by Dan Ariely on his insightful blog Predictably/Irrational.

Alcohol Sales on Sundays

2009-02-24T10:40:00.000-08:00

CNN today reported that there are only three states don't allow package sales of liquor on Sundays. I know that one of these states is Indiana, because I live here. (Of course, you can go to certain restaurants or sporting events on a Sunday, down as much alcohol as you can, and drive home, but you cannot buy it in a liquor or other store, take it home and drink it, then go to bed without endangering anyone on the roads--but that is hypocrisy on the part of Indiana's General Assembly that we won't get into today).

What caught my attention was one of the final statements of the report; it went something along the lines of this: Christian groups are against the remaining states legalizing the sales of alcohol in Sundays, viewing it as an attack on the Christian Sabbath. If this is truly the case, then I have the following questions:

Why haven't I heard about these Christian groups fighting to outlaw sales in the 47 states that do allow it on Sundays? I live almost on the Indiana/Michigan border, and I haven't heard anything about movements to get Michigan to change its laws.
If we need to protect the Christian Sabbath, do we not also need to protect the Jewish Sabbath? That would outlaw alcohol sales on Saturdays (which would also protect the Sabbath for Seventh-Day Adventists). What about the holy month of Ramadan for Muslims? Any other Sabbaths we need to protect?

I am not meaning to be mean-spirited toward Christians--I am one. However, I do tire of the far-right's unceasing attempts to force their version of morality on people who choose not to believe as they do. This is a country of multiple religions--and, if one chooses, of no religion. Let us keep that in mind when forging--and not forcing-- legislation.

It's the 200th birthday of...

2009-02-12T11:21:00.000-08:00

...yes, of course, Abraham Lincoln--but it is also the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin (coincidence?). CNN today reported that fewer than 50 percent of Americans surveyed thought that the theory of evolution was factual. Of course, as they also reported, most of the people who didn't think it was true (or factual) were, well, to put it bluntly, ignorant--as in having lower levels of education than those who accepted it.

Most of those who refute it use--also, of course--the Bible as their basis to do so, saying humans were created in God's image. One caller from Kentucky (again, surprise, surprise) said something to the effect that "God doesn't look like a monkey...." My immediate thought to that was, "How the hell does she know? Has she actually seen God? And if God is all powerful, can't He make Himself in any image He so desires?"

My thought is this--yes, we were created by God...but I don't believe it was in full form as we are now. I believe God started the universe off, and things have happened as they should, including the creation of Earth and the evolution of all life on it.

Thoughts on Michael Phelps and A-Rod

2009-02-10T09:36:00.000-08:00

The recent photographs of Michael Phelps holding a bong—a marijuana pipe—has created a lot of buzz, both on TV and over the internet. And now Alex Rodriguez’s admission that he used performance-enhancing substances for thee years in the early part of this decade has the sports world buzzing yet again.

But it’s not just sportscasters and sports blogs—regular news shows, entertainment programs, even politicians have been weighing in on what this means to the American society: “How will this affect our children?” “How will this affect endorsements?” “What kind of role model are they?” On the other hand, many people are asking, “Why should we care? They are just athletes. What he does in his spare time is nobody’s business but his own and probably no different than what anyone else his age is doing.” “Everyone else was doing it and it wasn’t against the rules at the time.” I believe at the heart of the matter is this simple question, “Is it wrong to look at athletes as role models?” My response is, to put it bluntly, it is not.

America has long prided itself on being the land of opportunity—where everyone has a fair chance at their piece of the American Dream. From the days of Thomas Jefferson (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness), through Horace Greeley (Go West, young man—that is where you will find your fortune), and right up to Emma Lazarus (your huddled masses yearning to breathe free), America has been about making it to the top. Once someone has made it there, we celebrate their accomplishments and hold them up as an example as to what each of us can not only aspire to but, through hard work and dedication, what each of us can achieve. So if our society is based on individual success, then certainly we cannot be wrong in looking at those who have become successful as role models.

So the question becomes, then…what defines success? Money? Power? Instant recognition? One’s face on a Wheaties box? For better or for worse (I will let you make that call), the answer to all of the above is “yes.” In a society that is based on fame and fortune, in a society where one’s achievements bring certain privileges—owning a large home in an exclusive community; having access to people and places most other can only dream about; being the object of everyone’s attention—being successful does make one a role model, whether one wishes to be or not. And as been quoted many times, most recently in Spider-Man, “With great power comes great responsibility.”

In America, success brings power: the power to draw attention to oneself wherever one goes; the power to fill a theater, a stadium, a concert hall, a restaurant; the power to motivate people to buy something, to vote for someone or donate money to a cause. Among the people who are among the most visible are sports stars. Now whether we place too much emphasis on sports in our society is a whole other matter for discussion; the fact is that it does play a tremendous role (who didn’t know the Super Bowl was Sunday before last?). And top athletes are among the most celebrated in society. So is Michael Phelps taking a bong hit a big deal? Does the fact that A-Rod used PEDs really matter? Right here, right now, in the America of 2009—you bet it is.

Maybe I am just not "with it"....

2009-02-01T15:28:00.000-08:00

...but I did not like Jennifer Hudson's rendition of The Star Spangled Banner prior to the Super Bowl. I'm just not into "interpretations" of it, as if it is a jazz tune or a Broadway standard, which this evening's rendition reminded me of. I think it should be sung straitforward, quickly, and with dignity. But what the hell do I know?

RIP John Updike

2009-01-28T08:26:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite writers, John Updike, passed away on January 27 at the age of 76. I remember being introduced to Updike in a sophomore English class at MSU--one of the assignments was Rabbit, Run. Since then, Updike has ranked among my three of four favorite authors.

A truly unique American voice is now silent.

Quick Bitch Session

2009-01-16T07:11:00.000-08:00

It was -19F last night in South Bend...if I wanted to freeze my ass and one remaining testicle off, I would have moved to flippin' Barrow, Alaska. Hell, it was probably warmer in Barrow than it was here. At least I wasn't in Minnesota, where it was much colder--but those crazy Scandinavians Lutherans just say, "What the hell, eh?" and dig into another hot, steaming fish casserole. As Mr. Buffett sings...."I gotta go where it's warm."

End of (this) bitch session.

Another Sign I am Getting (More) Jaded

2009-01-13T17:30:00.000-08:00

So I am watching the local Fox affiliate this morning, and they run this story about an Atlanta woman who just celebrated her 107th birthday. And I think to myself...you know, 10 years ago, I would have thought, "How cool!" But today, I didn't...and I got to wondering why.

Then it hit me. She may be 107 years old, but she was born in the same century as I was. Back in the late 20th century, it seemed....fascinating, I guess...to know that someone had lived in the century previous to yours (as my great grandmother, who was born in 1893 and died in 1979, did). But now, for some reason, it doesn't seem all that unique. After all, my late maternal grandparents were born in 1911 and 1917...

She has seen a lot of things in her 107 years, to be sure, bt she didn't see the turn of the prior century; maybe that's why it didn't seem so fascinating to me. Either way, I hope she lives to see the turn of another decade, at least.

An Amazing Story

2008-12-23T10:07:00.000-08:00

A truly amazing story.

Peace.

Putting the M back in MTV

2008-11-06T11:08:00.000-08:00

If, like me, you came of age (whatever that means--in my case, it means college years and early adulthood) in the early-to-mid '80s, then you remember when the M in MTV stood for "Music." Well, fear not, "me decade" compadres. MTV has recently revamped its website, and now you can view pretty much every video it has ever aired. So check it out....and, as Styx said in its 1979 song "Never Say Never" (Cornerstone): "Don't look now, here come the '80s...."

Top 50 of the '80s--1-5

2008-08-06T12:39:00.000-07:00

Here they are--the songs absolutely nobody has been waiting for--my top 5 songs of the 1980s:

1. "St. Elmo’s Fire (Man In Motion)"—John Parr (St. Elmo’s Fire Soundtrack)
2. "Rock and Roll Girls"—John Fogerty (Centerfield)
3. "Let My Love Open the Door"—Pete Townshend (Empty Glass)
4. "Do You Believe in Love"—Huey Lewis & The News (Picture This)
5. "This Beat Goes On/Switchin’ to Glide"—The Kings (The Kings Are Here)

Clever Ad Line

2008-07-31T13:47:00.000-07:00

Best ad line I have heard in a long time: John Corbett for Applebee's: "It's not Tuesdays or Fridays...it's everyday at Applebee's." Very subtle way to mention without mentioning your competition.

Top 50 of the '80s--6-10

2008-07-30T11:28:00.001-07:00

Finally hitting the homestretch...here are, according to me, the second Top 5 of the 1980s:

6. "The Ties That Bind"—Bruce Springsteen (The River)
7. "Lonely Nights"—Bryan Adams (You Want It, You Got It)
8. "Small Town"—John Mellencamp (Scarecrow)
9. "867-5309 (Jenny)"—Tommy Tutone (Tommy Tutone 2)
10. "Talking in Your Sleep"—The Romantics (In Heat)

Top 50 of the '80s--11-20

2008-07-25T12:32:00.000-07:00

11. "I've Got a Rock ‘n’ Roll Heart"—Eric Clapton (Money & Cigarettes)
12. "Just Between You and Me"—April Wine (The Nature of the Beast)
13. "Watching the Wheels"—John Lennon (Double Fantasy)
14. "Your Wildest Dreams"—The Moody Blues (The Other Side of Life)
15. "Sausalito Summernight"—Diesel (Watts in a Tank)
16. "Jeopardy"—Greg Kihn (Kihnspiracy)
17. "Goodbye to You"—Scandal (EP)
18. "Take My Breath Away"—Berlin (Top Gun Soundtrack)
19. "How Does It Feel to Be Back"—Hall & Oates (Voices)
20. "One Night Love Affair"—Bryan Adams (Reckless)

Top 50 of the '80s--21-30

2008-06-25T09:09:00.000-07:00

21. "Need Your Loving Tonight"—Queen (The Game)
22. "Tired of Toein’ the Line"—Rocky Burnette (The Son of Rock and Roll)
23. "Turn and Walk Away"—The Babys (On the Edge)
24. "Fantasy"—Aldo Nova (Aldo Nova)
25. "While You See a Chance"—Steve Winwood (Arc of a Diver)
26. "Heat of the Moment"—Asia (Asia)
27. "You Shook Me All Night Long"—AC/DC (Back in Black)
28. "Burnin’ for You"—Blue Oyster Cult (Fire of Unknown Origin)
29. "Edge of a Broken Heart"—Vixen (Vixen)
30. "No One Like You"—Scorpions (Blackout)

Top 50 of the '80s--31-35

2008-06-11T11:28:00.000-07:00

31. "Little Red Corvette"—Prince (1999)
32. "Nicole"—Point Blank (American Exce$$)
33. "You Better You Bet"—The Who (Face Dances)
34. "The Kid Is Hot Tonite"—Loverboy (Loverboy)
35. "American Storm"—Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band (Like a Rock)

Top 50 of the '80s--36-40

2008-06-04T10:56:00.000-07:00

36. "Magic"—The Cars (Heartbeat City)
37. "Back on the Chain Gang"—Pretenders (Learning to Crawl)
38. "Some Like It Hot"—Power Station (The Power Station)
39. "I Got You"—Split Enz (True Colours)
40. "Head Over Heels"—The Go-Go's (Talk Show)

Top 50 of the '80s--41 to 45

2008-05-28T10:12:00.000-07:00

As promised--or threatened--here is the next installment:

41. "Hearts on Fire"—Randy Meisner (One More Song)
42. "I Missed Again"—Phil Collins (Face Value)
43. "Teacher Teacher"—Rockpile (Seconds of Pleasure)
44. "Wasted on the Way"—Crosby, Stills & Nash (Daylight Again)
45. "Always Something There to Remind Me"—Naked Eyes (Naked Eyes)

TBC.....

Top 50 of the '80s--46-50

2008-05-21T07:28:00.000-07:00

Recently some college friends of mine and I swapped a series of e-mails listing our Top 50 songs of the 1980s (the era in which we were in college). I thought I would post my list--in increments--as the mood strikes me.

50. "Emotional Rescue"--The Rolling Stones (Emotional Rescue)
49. "Hold On"--Santana (Shango)
48. "I Love a Rainy Night"--Eddie Rabbitt (Horizon)
47. "Misunderstanding"--Genesis (Duke)
46. "Givin' It Up for Your Love"--Delbert McClinton (The Jealous Kind)

More to come.

Whatever Happened to the Original Version?

2008-04-13T18:42:00.000-07:00

Haven't blogged in awhile, for a couple of reasons. 1. Been under the weather. 2. Nothing has pissed me off lately, politically speaking. 3. Been busy. What I have been doing this evening, however, is listening to, repeatedly, something that a friend of mine found somewhere out there on the internet: the orginal version of "Fool (If You Think It's Over)" by Chris Rea. I've read that Rea wasn't happy with the original version of this and other songs on his debut album, Whatever Happened to Benny Santini?, and he subsequently re-recorded this song on his first greatest hits album, giving it a much blusier feel. But to people like me, who did much of their growing up in the 1970s and hearing this song on stations like WLS-AM in Chicago, this is the ultimate version, and finding it is like discovering Eldorado. I did find on YouTube a video clip of Rea doing this version from what looks like a late '70s British TV show, but they don't have the full version. Think I'll listen to it a couple of more times this evening.

Wally Phillips, 1926-2008

2008-03-31T06:18:00.000-07:00

Just got around to reading Saturday's paper and, while I normally skip over the obituary pages, something in that day's paper caught my eye. Longtime Chicago radio host Wally Phillips died last Thursday after suffering from Alzheimer's. For those of you who never heard of Wally Phillips, he was the king of morning radio in Chicago from 1966 through 1986. When I was a kid, I spent many nights at my grandparents' house in Valpo, and every following morning I would hear Phillip's rich voice coming through their radios on WGN. Phillips was perhaps the most dominant local radio personality in US history; at his peak, he had local listenership of 1.5 million--that was half the population of Chicago! His mix of drop-ins, humor, and local news (plus an occasional song or two) made me want to get into radio when I was a kid. He will be missed.

The Internet: A Wondrous Thing

2008-02-27T11:45:00.000-08:00

It's amazing what one can find on the 'net. Today I am at home, enjoying a day off (well, considering it's snowy and cold outside, I am making do inside), with XM Radio on, listening to some "classical" (read symphonic) music. On comes Rachmaninoff's Symphony #2 in E Minor--3rd Movement. Normally, it would just be background noise to me...but, wait....what do I hear? Is that Eric Carmen's "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again"? It can't be! But wait, wait...there it is again!

Wow...I wonder if anyone else has noticed that? Since I know almost nothing about music, other than what I like and don't like, I figure somebody somewhere has picked up on this. So I do a search on the phrase "Rachmaninoff and Eric Carmen" and get the website Songfacts. I don't get the one I was listening to, but I did get to a page linking Carmen's "All By Myself" with Rachmaninoff's 2nd piano concerto, even quoting Carmen how he used parts of that piece in his song (he wrongly assumed it was in the public domain). Following the link More songs that use parts of Classical compositions, it turns out that there are at least 46 (yes, 46) songs that Songfacts has identified fitting this description. And on that list, sure enough, is the pair that sent me on this chase.

Speaking of music that sounds similar, have you ever listened to "Do Ya" by ELO, "What Is Life?" by George Harrison, and "I'll Supply the Love" by Toto back-to-back-to-back? Tell me if those guitar riffs aren't eerily similar?

Sectionals = Snow

2008-02-26T13:44:00.000-08:00

OK, I haven't done any historical research on this, but there is a legend in Indiana that it always snows around here when the boys high school basketball sectionals begin. And guess what starts tonight?