This and that

Friday, November 21, 2008 at 10:09 am (Hack for Hire, Writing by Ear)
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THE BUG
I love Wal-Mart. Not the ambiance. Not the colorful crowds. Not the endless walk from the “food side” to the “everything else” side. But the fact you can catch a cold and buy supplies to treat it all in one visit. I can’t be sure my first cold of the season came from my stop Tuesday evening, but…something tells me yes. It just felt like germs were everwhere — on the cart with a bare metal handle because the plastic covering was gone…emanating from the woman sneezing in Produce…on my hand and then on my face when I had that itch on my cheek I couldn’t ignore. I don’t shop much at Giant Eagle these days because Wal-Mart is closer and cheaper, but I do appreciate the giant tubs of antibacterial wipes GE makes available. (Of course, we’re probably only breeding super-bugs with our incessant spritzing and wiping and squirting.)

THE FIX
I’m very thankful you can still buy pseudoephedrine products behind the counter — even though it’s like lining up at the meth clinic to get your fix. Endless lines while everyone has to give name, address, phone number, consent, signature — just use the retinal scan already. We’ve learned to try to stock up on everything cold-relief-related when we’re well…the drugs, the special box of lotion tissue (I love this), chicken soup of all kinds — this time, though, no ginger ale. Damn. I’ll have to buy a six-pack and hide it from the pop-monster. (Because, it’s only November and you know there will be a next time.)

THE GAME
When did Cris Collinsworth become such a Steelers fan? Usually I can’t bear to listen to the national announcers, but I was too tired from my cold-and-drug-induced stupor to delap the cat, get off the couch, and walk 10 feet to turn on the radio. He was so complimentary it was kind of embarrassing — I’m sure the 20,000 or so Americans watching who aren’t Steelers fans were pretty tired of it. I surmised he is so disgusted with his old team he had to let them have it extra hard — a theory later confirmed by his comments at the end of the game of what HE’D do if he owned the team (first, rebuild it from the ground up with big guys). Well, now that they have 8 wins, Mike’s prediction of an 8-8 season can now come true…ha ha. Really, it was awfully nice to see the Steelers listed behind only the Titans on the leader board (but I’m not looking forward to that game in a few weeks. At least it’s not New England who’s undefeated again.)

THE BIZ
Knock on wood, I’ve been busy with work again. After a very slow late summer and early fall, things are booming. Feast or famine, like always. I have noticed with my primary client. though, a stronger emphasis on budgets and hours allotted. How the heck do I know if I can write a 1500-word “point of view” on a topic I’ve never seen before (I scribbled down something about actuarial processes and IFRS) in 4-6 hours? How ’bout I let you know when I’m done? Yeah, it’s a tough economy, but I don’t want to be the “cheap fast one” (in love or in business).

THE DUTY
Even so, I better make that callback for the call I dodged at 5:06 yesterday to find out more. Duty, like death, taxes, and bills, waits for no bug or no lazy writer. But if it could just wait ’til Monday when I feel better, that would be great.

A professional is someone who can do
his best work when he doesn’t feel like it.
                               ~ Alistair Cooke

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It must be in the water.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008 at 6:37 pm (Writing by Ear)
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I’m still a Pittsburgher, even though technically I live too far east these days, just 20 minutes or so from Latrobe, PA — home of St. Vincent College, which is better known as the home of Steelers training camp. You can’t live in the ’Burgh and not know about this annual ritual: The swallows flock to Capistrano; the Steelers — and their minions — flock to Latrobe.

I’ve never been there to watch training camp practices and scrimmages, snag an autograph, or see the boys up close. But I’ve been to the campus a couple of times to see a play (just last Saturday in fact) — that would be a stage play not a hut-one, hut-two play. It doesn’t take long to understand the attraction of the place. It’s beautiful (even without the Steelers in view), and the revamped field is a dream (is that Lambert coming out of the corn?). You can picture hanging out there and looking down on the field, talking ball with the guy (or gal) sitting next to you, with the Laurel Mountains as the backdrop.

The campus is also home to the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media — yes Mister Rogers. Oh yeah, there’s a magnificent Basilica as well — stunning at night. The Steelers and Mr. Rogers and God — an embarrassment of riches.

Before the play, we ate at a nearby restaurant, Sharky’s, popular with the locals and the players. Of course, it’s decorated to the hilt with black & gold (including the waitresses) and has TVs all over the dining room showing current Steelers news coverage as well as highlights of past events — games, Pro Football Hall of Fame inductions, ceremonies at Three Rivers & Heinz Field, player interviews, etc.

It’s amazing what a magnet those screens are. Show any highlight from any game in the golden years and it’s hard to keep your eyes off the sets. Show any aging player and it’s sure to spark a memory of some game, play, or event. It’s 30 years later, for goodness sake, but people are mesmerized. How can you explain such devotion?

I’m guessing it’s something in the water. I drank it 30 years ago and was hooked. Me and about a bazillion other Steelers fans — at home in Pittsburgh or wherever their lives led them.

But that doesn’t quite explain the many, many fans who have never set foot in the ’Burgh at all, let alone in the sleepy little town of Latrobe (that’s LAYtrobe). 

OK, how about this: It’s the water if you ever lived here; it’s the thirst for it — the thirst to be part of that big-awesome-love-hate-black-n-gold-towel-waving-Steeler-nation-madness — if you haven’t.

And, yes, there are those of you who live here and don’t give a hoot about the Steelers — those of you rolling your eyes all “What’s wrong with these people?” I’m afraid you’re on your own. Find your own magic potion. Wave a towel for whatever it is “you people” root for. Look down on us black & gold crazies. Whatever. Just don’t stand in front of the TV. And pass the water pitcher.

I believe that water is the only drink for a wise man.
                                             ~ Henry David Thoreau

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This just in: TV down, radio up

Friday, December 21, 2007 at 12:07 am (Writing by Ear)
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td2.jpg Yeah, it’s a good day — even though I’m still crunching on pre-holiday assignments (last conference call at 3:00 p.m.).

Any day after the Steelers win is a good day, and we haven’t had one in a couple weeks. You know what’s really great? Being able to turn down the TV and listen to the Steelers’ announcers, Bill Hillgrove and Tunch Ilkin with Craig Wolfley and Ellis Cannon, on DVE. (We miss you, Myron!) Forget bozo network announcers, who are usually too busy cackling about something silly to call the game, and who don’t know James Harrison from James Farrior anyway. When you go the radio route, you get the pure game from people who know it very, very well and who actually LIKE the Steelers.

Yeah it’s a drag that the TV time delay means you hear the play a second or so before you see it, but it also saves a few heart attacks — you know sooner if Hines makes the catch or if he doesn’t, or if Ben steps out of the sack or not. I don’t mind — it’s worth it to get so much more insight along with meaningful stats and analysis.

I know I heard a factoid in the past about how many Steelers fans turn down the sound and listen to the radio instead. It was a significant number! If you haven’t tried it, give it a shot.

Oh, and while I’m at it, why don’t they just give New England the damn Lombardi trophy and save everyone the pain of watching them the next 6 weeks? Unless Green Bay or some other popular NFC team is in, it’ll be one of those “I’m only interested in the commercials” Super Bowls. Although, I see Tom Petty is playing at halftime — now THAT’S worth tuning in for…Tom Brady? Not so much.

Go Steelers, and way to go Mike Tomlin — 10 and 5 your first year ain’t too shabby. 11 and 5 by beating the Ravens in Baltimore…downright sweet!

Here we go, Steelers, here we go.
~ Every Steelers fan ever

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