Here's What I'm Thinking

Lent Day Fifteen

Wednesday, March 19, 2014 – Got your NCAA Division I Women’s basketball bracket completed? If you really want to do the math, Sheldon, go ahead. For the rest of you, I somehow came up with 65 five teams, rather than 64, and that is close enough for government work. That means if you try to count it, it will not add up. The school mascots represented in the women’s bracket are more complex than those in the men’s. Using the same categories of Birds, Cats, Mammals, Humanoids, Other and “What in the hell is a …,” we find eight birds, seven cats, fourteen mammals, nine Other, five “What in…” and twenty-two humanoids mascots. There are two weather patterns – Cyclones and a Red Storm. There is a Blue Demon and a Blue Devil, and a Sun Devil. I categorized the Iowa Hawkeyes as Birds. I do not think it means the mascot is Hawkeye Pierce. The mammal category is populated by dogs with three bulldogs, a huskie and a Great Dane. I was undecided whether to place the Boilermakers in the humanoid category or the Other, as the drink. I went with the humanoid. And this category held the largest number of mascots. Included, are The Irish, the Colonials, the Commodores (not Lionel Richie and the singing group), Cowgirls, Raiders, Volunteers and Mountaineers. There are Spartans and Trojans and Quakers and Raiders. Some Pirates, an Indian and a Matador. In the “What in the hell…” category, there are the Shockers and Flyers, and the color Orange. I hope the MOCs are short for moccasin, because I know people who cannot say moccasin and it would difficult for them to cheer for that team. If you are happy with the mascot titled Vandals, who am I to apply a tag, but Idaho, you might want to think of something a bit less antiquated.
Try Raiders. I wasn’t sure what a Hilltopper is and I am too lazy to look it up. But Good Luck to all the teams. Gig ‘Em Aggies and Sic ‘Em Bears. That would be the Baylor Bears and not the Golden Bears. And please Lord; do not let the Oregon State Beavers play the South Carolina Gamecocks. There are too many jokes waiting to happen.

Lent Day Thirteen

Monday, March 17, 2014 – Top of the mornin to ye, Lads and Lassies. Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, and all that blarney. Tis St. Paddy’s Day where the whole world celebrates being Irish for a wee period of time. Bars are filled with individuals celebrating with green beer and boiled potatoes – the national food of Ireland. Wouldn’t it be more fitting to fast on St. Patrick’s Day since the British almost starved them into extinction? You know “another martyr for old Ireland; another murder for the Crown; the British laws may crush the Irish; but cannot keep her spirits down.” That is from Kevin Barry, an Irish revolutionary song. This history of Ireland is a sad one. No wonder the Irish are known for drinking. And you may know some of the words of this song. Here is the first verse to sing along.
Over in Killarney,
Many years ago,
Me mither sang a song to me
In tones so sweet and low.
Just a simple little ditty,
In her good ould Irish way,
And I’d give the world if she could sing
That song to me this day.
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral,
Too-ra-loo-ra-li,
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral,
Hush, now don’t you cry!
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral,
Too-ra-loo-ra-li,
Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral,
That’s an Irish lullaby.

So true. So true. I hope you are wearing green and that Irish Eyes are Smiling on you today. Nevertheless, I still do not want Notre Dame to win!

Lent Day 10

Friday, March 14, 2014 – This television program aired in March 1964. What is Jeopardy? Perhaps a more accurate question would be “What is one of my all-time favorite TV game shows?” Our Final Jeopardy answer today is Art Fleming. While the Final Jeopardy theme song is going through your head and you know it is, we shall move forward. Or backwards as the case may be. I love to watch Jeopardy and have since the Jeopardy boards were blue cardboard squares with all five categories housed in a larger box of some type. When a contestant selected a topic in a category for an amount, the dollar amount card would suddenly be pulled upward as if by magic to reveal the answer. Sometimes the dollar card would not fly out in a flush manner and would jam, revealing only a few words of the answer. Then you would see a hand reach over and pull the card upward. Funny. Yes, yes, I know I could be a contestant on Jeopardy, but I figure you only get one game show per lifetime and mine is going to be TPIR – The Price is Right. I dream of hearing my name “…Come on down.” I have watched TPIR since Bill Cullen was the host. Not Bob Barker and he was the host for decades. But I watched Bob Barker also. Jeopardy might have appeared after TPIR. It may have been after Concentration. Maybe it on before Twenty-One, before the scandal. But it was definitely on before Beat The Clock. But now, let’s see what you wrote down – Who was the host of the original version of the television game show Jeopardy, which aired on NBC from 1964 until 1975?

Lent Day Nine

Thursday, March 13, 2014 – “All you wanna do is ride around Sally. Ride Sally Ride. Mustang Sally, her’s name.” Thank you Wilson Pickett. Here’s to an original Mustang Sally – Gail Wise, who obviously is very wise. She bought the very first production of a Ford Mustang in 1964 at age 22. She paid $3,447.50. It is baby blue. Notice the present tense verb. Ms. Wise still owns it. The Ford Mustang turns 50 years this year. The first one rolled off the assembly line in March 1964 and debuted the following month at the New York’s World’s Fair. I fell in love with the Mustang the first moment I saw one when I was fifteen years old. That love continues today. While I do like all Mustangs, including today’s models, it is the classic Mustangs from 1964 to the 1970’s that makes my heart beat a bit faster. When I see a classic Mustang on the road, ignoring all traffic, my head turns to follow it. I will stop in parking lots if one is parked there. I look at the vehicle wishing I owned one. Ted D. received a forest green Mustang for high school graduation in 1967. I would leave for school early so I could see Ted’s car in the parking lot. Larry L. had a 1967 red Pontiac Firebird. Mostly because those two were of only a few who had cars, but the cars were always parked side by side. It was the Mustang I longed for. I am certain both Ted and Larry wish they still owned those cars. I am sure they are both worth considerably more than $3,447.50 today. When I win the lottery I am going to buy a classic 1964 Mustang convertible. What am I thinking? When I win the lottery I will buy several classic Mustangs and maybe a Firebird too.

Lent Day Six

Monday, March 10, 2014. Speaking of Chicago – the group – not the Toddling Town on the shore of Lake Michigan. I could not stand Chicago either. I had repressed
Color My World and all versions and events where the song was played until someone read yesterday’s paragraph and reminded me of it. And what was that other Chicago song with the numbers? Was it 25, or 6 to 4? Or was it 25 Ought Six Two Fore? It is one of those songs where everybody hears and sings something different. I used to think a line in a song was “I got a friend in Detroit.” The actual line is “I got a friend in Jesus.” Jesus. Detroit. Not even close phonetically or any way else other than my brain. While we are still talking about songs: Sing along now: with the Mamas and the Papas “Monday, Monday, can’t trust that day.” How many Mondays have you thought about those lyrics? This is one of those songs where everyone thinks they can sing both harmony and be a backup singer. The more alcohol consumed, the more harmony thought to be sung. After tequila shot number three, you think you are singing all four parts at the same time by yourself. My grandmother, Mamaw Faust, had such a horrible voice we were embarrassed to go church with her. Not only was it pretty much the one same note, the decibel level was such there was no doubt whether Mrs. Faust was in attendance that day. I like that now. If you can’t sing good, sing loud. I doubt Jesus or Detroit really cares how you sound as long as you sing.