Bag of Randomness for Monday, September 18, 2017

  • The Emmys were fun. The Sean Spicer surprise was pretty funny. Alec Baldwin’s first line about how the president finally won an Emmy gave me a good laugh.
  • The school our kids attend has a six-man football team. Being new to the school, we thought we’d take in a game on Friday night. It was the first six-man game I ever attended and it was a bit interesting.
    • The experience brought back an overwhelming amount of memories of growing up in a small town and how big a high school football game was on Friday night.
      • One odd memory I had was the unique smell of the atmosphere of our very old stadium, which I think was built by FDR’s public works program. It was the combination of trees, fresh cut grass, cigars, hot dogs, pickles, popcorn, cheap nachos, frito pies, trash, and who knows what else. It was great.
      • I saw a bunch of kids playing two-below football in an open field next to the stadium. I remember doing that and how hard it was trying to catch a football in the dark, hoping it wouldn’t hit my face.
      • A lot of the fun as a kid was not paying attention to the game but just roaming around. Playing under the bleachers were always fun, especially climbing on them.
      • I was also reminded of long Friday night road trips to watch my brother play. Gosh, I couldn’t stand those trips back then, in particular, riding in the car and having to spend time with my parents. But now, man do I cherish those memories and those conversations. There was something great about knowing my dad was driving and I was as safe as safe could be traveling down long country roads barely making out anything out the back window because it was so dark since those streets aren’t lit. And then there was walking into the house late at night and Skippy barking happily as we finally made it back.
    • Sitting in those bleachers were not good for my back
    • The band was really small, just drums and no horns. They seemed to play constantly. When it came time for the national anthem, it was played by a recording, not from the band. However, the audio for the anthem wasn’t ready when it came time and for about a good two minutes everyone just stood silently with their hands over their heart.
    • The coolest moment had nothing to do with the game but out of nowhere a flock of ducks flew across the field in the v-formation only about 15 to 20 from the ground.
    • I did a lot of observing and thought a lot about what I thought about all of this when I was a teen. When looking at the players, I wondered why I wasn’t more aggressive and wondered why I thought so many eyes were on me when I was mainly on the sidelines. I looked at the student section and saw insecurities, many desperate for attention, overconfidence, and a wealth of potential. I laughed at what I was so scared about. While a lot of what was going on mattered, it didn’t. Maybe being limited physically from what I see others can do and I can’t because of my back pain had me reminiscing too much. I think I threw my youth away. I miss my youth. But now, I try not to take the present for granted and realize how many things I thought mattered simply don’t.
  • I don’t mind how the NFL or the networks will show two screens with one running a commercial and the other with love coverage.
  • Until Saturday, I’ve taken given anyone a six-pack of beer because I don’t drink beer and most of my friends don’t either. However, my neighbor loves his Miller Light and when he sent me a text informing me he just put his dog down, I thought it was warranted. He stresses a lot but internalizes it, but told me when his wife was fighting breast cancer, that dog comforted him more than anyone could imagine.
  • I knew he did a great Mark Twain but had no idea he was still doing it at age 92, and I thought he and Dixie Carter made a great couple. – Hal Holbrook ending 63-year run as Mark Twain
  • But many boys aren’t good projectionists – Boys are better at physics because they learn about ‘projection’ while going to the toilet, researchers say
  • The projector at out church is broken, which isn’t really that big of a thing and made me somewhat long for the days in which we didn’t lean so much on visuals and technology. The biggest “inconvenience” it caused was for the music minister to print out lyrics of songs and lay them on seats. Personally, I would have rather him have us kick it old school and dust off the hymnals still located under each seat.
    • When I was a youth at my church in Mineral Wells, we used to quiz each other what hymn appeared on what page. I’m pretty sure “Love Lifted Me” was on page 454, but I can’t recall any of the others.
  • Bono is coming to Dallas – Bush Center Announces Bono as Inaugural Recipient of Medal for Distinguished Leadership
    • You have no idea how grateful I’d be if someone got me some of the invitation-only tickets.
    • I’m really impressed with the kind of relationship the pair have. Bono was extremely critical of Bush’s father when he was president, but to Bush’s credit, he’s never held a grudge and saw past that.
  • ‘I was just doing my job’: Soviet officer who averted nuclear war dies at age 77
  • I haven’t heard anything about Ted Turner in a while.
  • It was our week at church to help with the offering and pass out the programs or whatever you want to call them. On those days, BoyGeeding wears a bowtie.
  • Hurricane Irma “set the record” for Waffle House closingsThe diner is known for being an indicator of how bad a storm can get. The recent hurricane shut down 157 locations.
  • In case you missed it – Texas Lutheran’s Tyler Hopkins has FG blocked only to kick again off bounce for 18-yard FG
  • CBS has a new stat graphic I like.
  • Gillian Anderson looks like she lost a lot of weight
  • High school football trolling

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3 Responses to Bag of Randomness for Monday, September 18, 2017

  1. Ben W. says:

    High school football is a truly remarkable experience. It's our daughter's senior year, and we've been to all but about 3 of her school's games, since she's in band. Even my non-sports-loving wife gets excited for football season. Our son (who is in 4th grade) is not interested in band, at least right now, so we're very sad that this is likely our last full season. Needless to say, we're soaking in every moment.

    Oh, and that last clip (of Bueller) made me laugh. I think every single band in Texas plays that song in the stands (Land of 1000 Dances). I played it 20+ years ago, our daughter's band plays it, and pretty much every opponent's band plays it. I don't know how it got to be so popular as a football tune, but I sure wish I had the money coming in from the royalties.

  2. Mike Honcho says:

    Love all the points about traveling to HSFB games. This was a huge part of my childhood and agree with every point. I especially remember riding with my grandfather to away games… he always made sure we left extra early. In his mind traveling to an away game meant finding a restaurant or café in the town we were playing, eating there, and still getting to the game an hour to 45 mins before kickoff. We played towns all west of I35 with many trips to Jacksboro, Olney, Graham, Breckenridge, Iowa Park, Vernon, etc. Good post!

    Re: wasted Youth. No worries, Keith, I think you described every teenager who grows up and looks back on their youth.

  3. Alec666 says:

    Good move with the Miller lite Keith. Reminds me when my wife battled cancer and my only support was my dog, kids were 3 and 4 and didn't know what was going on (decision made by my wife and I) my dog was a great listener, she truly help me keep it together.
    Regret, yes, plenty from my youth. Alicia, a 9.5 invited me over to study….Let's just say I really thought she needed help with government and we duly studied our notes….

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