Kids and snow

I'm in Denver and watching my nephews play. I'm drinking coffee, contemplating a day of doing not much, and it strikes me that life is good!

My brother and family are here from Phoenix. His two young kids are amazed by the snow - about three inches overnight. They are thinking about waking up mom and dad to get the borrowed snow gear on and jump around. It's the simple things to get excited about that are the best.

Heading into the Rocky Mountains later today and hopefully will do some skiing tomorrow.

Slept like a log last night, which means not thinking or worrying about anything is the cure.

Do logs sleep?

After Math

Geesh. Where do we begin? It's like doing a math problem, overwhelming at the beginning, so let's delve in, shall we?

What a phenomenal night at Turner Hall. Great crowd, bands playing their hearts out, everybody having a good time.

Turner Hall co-owner Mark Mester was happy. "We should try to do this once every month to six weeks," he said.

Thanks to Chris Cornwell and the boys from Fielder, who lugged the sound system in at 2 yesterday afternoon. They were absolutely on fire during their set and left the crowd begging for more.

Thanks to Burt Shackelton for wailing away on the sax with The Funions and Fielder. Good Lord can that man play.

I'm proud of my guys, we are getting better and we know how to have fun. Pat Cornwell fought through feeling lousy and was top-notch on the drums.

Cheeks McGee debuted his new band and they were tremendous. As much as I enjoy his solo performances with the loop stuff, his band is way better. Of course having Keith, Big Mike and a super drummer helps too.

Way too much fun.

Back to reality and Palm Sunday, then heading to the Rocky Mountains. Will probably post something tomorrow or Wednesday. Peace!

Sink or Swim

Happiness is ... a clean sink!

Just remember when you are out and about tonight, whether it's at Turner Hall with us or celebrating in general - be safe.

It's a marathon, not a sprint!

I feel bad for Dennis Oliver and Jeff Dorsey for the rain, maybe it will clear by noon for the Y-101 St. Patrick's Day parade down Maine Street.

Rumor has it DO shrinks when he gets wet.

Getting ready for a trip to CO and a week with family, sun and snow. And maybe a lemonade.

Hopefully "The Hood" will survive ....

Early Morning Walk

Sleep is an elusive catcher. Whether by vice, choice or inability to grasp her, she drifts away and she won't come back.

So this morning I walked up Jackson Street in ethereal dark fog and it was a beautiful thing.

Walking is like many things, best when in effortless rhythm. I believe it's referred to as "The Zone," which applies to much more than just sports.

Zombie? Yes, later today. No cure foreseen, though Washington Perk will help after I get to work.

Oh .... anybody who laughs so hard they cry during the Stonehenge scene from Spinal Tap is officially a member of the The Funions Hall of Fame.

Jack Recovers

Just talked to Jack Inghram, Funions sax player of doom. He had major neck surgery Wednesday at Blessing Hospital and had two verterbrae fused. He was released from the hospital this morning and just go home and says he feels weak, but OK.

Jack had some nerve issues with his right hand along with a lot of pain. Once everything wears off and he gets back on his feet he's confident he'll be blowing that horn with us again. His goal is to play April 6 at our Southside Boat Club jam show. If he's up to it, he may come to Turner Hall Saturday to watch Burt ably fill his considerable shoes.

Also a get well soon holler to the Bombshell Translator of Doom, Ms. Rachel Rivera. We'll solider on without her, but a Funions show without Rachel won't be the same, so get better dang it!

March 15

The Funions had a tremendous practice last night and we're ready for our show Saturday night at Turner Hall.

This is the fourth week in a row we've practiced and I'm very curious to see how we play Saturday. Many times good practices lead to good shows, but sometimes they don't. The Funions are used to cobbling together a set list and hurriedly preparing, and it's been nice to actually take some time, learn a bunch of new songs and feel prepared.

8 p.m., $3 at the door or $5 a couple, and we are calling it R Ya Irish in honor of St. Patrick's Day weekend.

Cheeks McGee plays at 9:30 and Fielder at about 11.

Get out today and enjoy the sun!

Singing For Supper

Nothing wrong with singing for you supper.

Heading to Colorado one week from today for some family time and spring skiing.

Big show Friday night at Turner Hall with Mike Breckenkamp's bands. Mike has moved back to Quincy after spending some time in the California sun.

Had a blast at The Grove last night with Slick Woody. It was packed and they had 'em dancing on chairs and tables.

In a Chariots of Fire Theme Song moment, Tookie said hello to a public official he's often taken shots at in the past and they actually were civil to each other. Tookie doesn't want you to think he cares, just so you know, and this bs about him not posting anymore is rubbish. He won't be able to stay away, promise.

Burt plays with Funions

Dr. Brei and I have decided eating Funyons after a meal at the Elks is ... overrated.

Burt Schackleton, musician extraordinaire, is playing sax with us at the March 15 show. Burt sings and plays sax, keyboards and guitar in the Quincy band Cheeseburgers and was featured on the Funions song "Let's Dance" from the Is this Appropriate CD. We are lucky to have him hang out with us!

Jack's surgery involves fusing several discs in his neck area, serious stuff. Surgery is early Wednesday and hopefully he's home by Thursday and on the mend, ready to play with us when we resume the World Parking Lot Tour in April.

The Cheeseburgers are playing tonight in Mendon, and Slick Woody is paying at The Grove tonight, so lots of good local music to check out.

Have a great weekend!

Jack's Neck, Band News

Jack Inghram, sax player of doom for The Funions, is having major neck surgery March 12 and will not be able to perform with us at the huge March 15 "R Ya Irish" show at Turner Hall.

While this is a blow to the band, we are confident the show will go on and we'll sound better than ever.

We have some surprise guests lined up, including Cheeks McGee, who will be only too happy to hammer on his trumpet during Funions songs. Don't be surprised if you see another sax player and maybe even a harmonica blower, too.

So, these dates are still tentative, but our spring World Parking Lot Tour 2008 scheduled is shaping up like this ...

Saturday, March 15, 8 p.m. Turner Hall

Sunday, April 6, Southside Boat Club band jam, 2-2:30 p.m. (approx)

Friday, April 18, Elks, 7:30-10 p.m.

Saturday, May 17, Washington Theater, 6-7:30 p.m.

New Links

Added a couple of links. The first one is for East End Journal, one of the better Quincy blogs.

The second is for The Herald-Whig blog site. As I've mentioned many times, I don't discuss Whig bidness at this site, but I will say we've finally entered the real Web world of blogging and it's been grand so far.

Uh Oh ... EVH is sick

Wonder if Rocky Cola is suddenly sweating AGAIN about the St. Louis show ....

From www.van-halen.com ....

The Van Halen concerts in Dallas, Cincinnati, Raleigh, and Baltimore have been postponed. According to Eddie Van Halen's physician, he is undergoing a battery of comprehensive medical tests to determine a defined diagnosis and recommended medical procedures.

The March 3rd Dallas concert at American Airlines Center has been rescheduled for Thursday, April 24, 2008; Cincinnati's March 5th concert at U.S. Bank Arena has been rescheduled for Tuesday, April 22nd; Raleigh's March 7th concert at RBC Center has been rescheduled for Sunday, April 13th; and Baltimore's March 9th concert at 1st Mariner Arena has been rescheduled for Tuesday, April 15th.

Fans should retain their tickets as they will be honored at the rescheduled concerts or ticket refunds will be issued at the original point of purchase.

Brrrrr

OK. This weather SUCKS. Bit too cold to be out walking or riding the bike or having the dog take you for a walk.

Now that I've got that out of the system ....

I've decided that between learning how to ride a motorcycle or just being a passenger .... I could just be a passenger.

Apparently Colorado has been socked with snow in the last few days, which is a very good thing.

A very sweet little girl knocked on the door the other day selling candy bars for Berrian School. I was an easy sell ....

Thaw (for real this time)

Get outside if you can.

Much fun at the Elks last night, and a very happy 40th anniversary to Bill and Ann Durst!

Hanging out tonight with my surrogate mother, the legendary Anne Mays. And Bob and kids too! Spring Lake is lovely this time of year ....

Almost, QND

Quincy Notre Dame deserved a better fate in today's girls basketball Class3A state semifinal, but lost in overtime to Chicago Marshall.

Sophomore Karlee Gengenbacher is by far Notre Dame's best player. She carried the Raiders on her considerable shoulders and, like her team, gave a tremendous effort.

Here's to hoping they can bring back a third-place trophy to Quincy Saturday night.

The Cars - Drive

This IS the 80s.

For Jamie.

Miss Ben Orr a lot.

Trivia Questions: Which famous actor directed this video? And how do you spell Paula's last name?

Drummers

Pat Cornwell has been a great addition to The Funions.

One, he's a good drummer.

Two, he can sing.

Three, he has good ideas for arrangements and how songs should flow.

There are other things, like actually showing up for practice, having a sense of humor, working hard and not complaining when we screw up a song, and just being a good guy.

Drummers are usually unusual. This is not a bad thing at all. The Funions have had some unbelievably talented drummers and each brought unique gifts and abilities to the band.

I'm just glad Pat is hanging out with us now.

Avalon - Bryan Ferry / Roxy Music

Takes you to another place ....

By a neck ... Dr. Irvine

I do not generally give out recommendations for service providers in Quincy.

But I am not afraid to give love to chiropracter Dr. Shawn Irvine, who has saved me from dehabilitating back pain more than once.

Last week I slept wrong and messed up my neck and shoulder. Like most guys, I ignorned it and thought it would go away.

When I couldn't sit down in front the computer at work this morning, it was enough.

Shawn is very thorough and efficient. He gets the history, probes the area, puts you on the table, does the adjustment and you are good to go. His services are reasonably priced. Today I got some electrical stimulation which also felt wonderful.

I appreciate his professional manner and I appreciate Peggy, his office administrator, making me feel at ease.

On a separate note, I'd like to thank a friend who has stayed a friend through interesting experiences and times. I'm better for it.

Dare Duerr

The best local blog? Easy.

It's Chris Duerr, sports guru from KHQA.

http://www.khqa.com/sports/sports_story.aspx?id=99505

Josh Houchins' blog on WGEM ranks up there, too.

http://www.wgem.com/Blogs/sports_blog.php

The Quincy University basketball teams are peaking at the right time. Both men and women won yesterday in impressive fashion over Southern Indiana. The final regular season home games are Thursday and Saturday this week, and it would be nice to see big crowds at Pepsi Arena.

Bu Bu Busy

Understand a devoted blog reader is disappointed in a lack of updates. Well. It's that person's fault, partially.

Great Funions practice Wednesday night, we ploughed through eight new songs, most should be ready for the March 15 gig.

More Funions gigs in the works, as well. We are working on the Washington Theater show for May 17, hopefully we'll have something before that as well.

The great 80s rock band Asia is putting out a new album with the original lineup of Carl Palmer, John Wetton, Geoff Downes and Steve Howe. Snippets available at www.originalasia.com.

Gotta love a band whose drummer (Palmer) just had a heart stent process, and whose lead singer and bass player (Wetton) is recovering from major heart surgery. Experienced musicians forging on and doing what they love. Wish they'd come closer to Quincy this year on tour ...

Blogs, Sleep, Ca Ca Ca COLD

So Dick Tuck isn't crazy about going to a blog convention with "professional media."

Well. Dick. I'm not crazy about going to a blog convention with Anon Web Warriors. But that insinuates I'm "professional." Whatever that means. Remember, I don't mix bidness with personal blogs. And I don't hide my identity.

To those who are about to sleep for 11 hours, I salute you. And wobble slightly because the very thought boggles the mind. Careful going down them steps, dang it.

I'd give anything for a few hours of good sleep some nights.

OK, I'm Nanook Of The North, but I'm getting tired of this cold weather crap. Bring spring on!

Out & About

I've been conversing with a new friend about Dean Martin. You can Youtube.com a bunch of his clips and if you are a lounge lizard fan, you'll love his stuff.

I speak of lounge lizards because tonight Jack, Alan K. and myself reform Jack Inghram & The Congregational Hart Throbs at First Union, 12th and Maine, for the Evening Under The Stars.

Me: Do you think we should practice?

Alan: Practice?

Me: I'm sorry. Won't speak of it again.

So we'll do that voodoo that we do and that will be that.

Gotta love lazy Saturday mornings .... In a little bit I'll be playing paperboy, seeing if there's life on Aldo Blvd., staring inside my empty fridge, put off cleaning this place, and take a looooooonnnnnngggggg walk.

Record Freeze

For a record third time this winter, we've had a thaw and re-freeze.

The newest rage in pond skating is at South Park near the corner of Eighth and R.J. Peters Drive. Almost perfect shiny glass ice, covered in a quarter inch of smooth-protecting snow.

Glorious ....

Abe's birthday today. Gummermint work is good if you can git it.

I miss Orion The Hunter, "So You Ran" is on Pandora right now. The video is classic 80s schmaltz, if I can find it I'll post it later.

Funions practice tonight, staying warm in the Kingsridge basement by learning oldies but goodies.

Thinking of going out on a limb here shortly. Nothing to lose. Right?

Tookie has the plague. Stay away, Q-Town. Hoser cure has been offered on his latest post comments.

Just Like Old Times

Getting together the boys for Jack Inghram & The Congregational Hart Throbs' event this Saturday at First Union. It's for Michael Warneke's Evening Under The Stars. Jack, Alan K. and myself are all fired up about playing!

Funions continue to make plans .... Mark and I have learned several songs, including a couple of Buddy Holly classics. They stand the test of time and we can't wait to play them out.

There's also been some very preliminary discussions about a new Funions CD, more down the pipe.

Stay warm .... brrrrrr!

The Cure

A good walk cures everything .... misbehavior, a heavy heart, bouncing off the walls.

There's a a person who reads this blog who is struggling right now with some stuff and I want to them it's all right. Things work out and there is a reason for everything. Faith, especially in the darkest of hours, is something you can't let go.

So.

Hang in there!

Richard Martin (R-Ohio) Campaign Ad - I Believe

I'm voting for this guy ....

I'd take Anna

Listening to the great underrated 80s band Cock Robin.

"But I won't leave you until I turn to find you gone ..... I'm the biggest fool of all."

Gotta love lyrics that hit home ....

This band featured Peter Kingsberry and the gorgeous Anna LaCazio, who gives Patty Smyth a run for her money. I'd take Anna to my deserted St. Rachel Island in a second.

They've disabled the embedded feature on youtube.com, so you'll have to go there yourself, just about every song and video is worth listening to and watching.

"There's no path of least resistance, it's a fable you have heard ...."

March 15

Just wanted to make sure everybody knows our March 15 show at Turner Hall, themed "R Ya Irish?" is still on.

Hope you voted today.

No surprise on the school bond issue.

Billary or Obama vs. McCain. Ret O Wreck begins soon.

Dumb

I did something really dumb tonight.

I yelled at a basketball coach.

It's been a very long year for the Quincy High School girls basketball team. They never quit and battle to end of every game, and they've taken their lumps in stride. QHS won its first game of the year and has been in few games the rest of the way.

In the first half tonight against East Moline the Blue Devils hung in there, but they simply wore down against a better team.

With 30 second left and East Moline up 30, their coach decided to press.

And I screamed at him from across the gym.

One of the officials came over and told me to calm down, and he was right. I had no business doing it.

It's just been a frustrating year and I don't appreciate it getting rubbed in.

Eric Orne of Quincy Notre Dame could have rubbed it in Tuesday night, but knows what's going on and he played all his girls.

Evan Massey of Galesburg is simply one of the best high school coaches in the world. His team could have beat us by 80 if he wanted, and QHS-Galesburg is a fierce rivalry .... but he pulled the dogs off early and played everybody.

Just about every team we've played has shown sportsmanship and class.

So I apologize to the Quincy team and the fans for being jerk. It sent a poor message to our girls and other parents and fans.

I do not apologize to the East Moline coach. His girls played hard and fair. He could learn a thing or two from them.

QHS QND girls

Last night was the QHS-QND girls game at Blue Devil Gym and it unfolded according to script. Notre Dame is really really REALLY good, unbeaten and a threat to make a deep Class 3A tournament run. QHS is having a tough year, 1-19 says it all.

QND 69, QHS 37.

There was a decent crowd on a cold night. Girls basketball will never match the boys around here, and that's just the way it is. Once the game started there wasn't much energy because the outcome was never in doubt.

Still, it was nice to see people in the stands during a girls game. And if QHS was having a good season there'd be a lot more interest.

Notre Dame has it all, a powerful inside presence in Natalie Siebers and Karlee Gengenbacher, great guard play from Renita Bunting, and the last piece to the puzzle, former Blue Devil Chloe Barnes.

Coach Eric Orne has done a nice job with this crew, too. Eric could have been a jerk about this game. After all, QHS beat QND in the last two regional tournaments, broke his heart last year especially. But he knew what was going on last night. His team got a big lead and he played everybody a lot, and that's a big thrill for girls who don't get a lot of court time.

What are you going to do, tell a Notre Dame girl to not play hard in the QND-QHS game? Ridiculous.

This year and next, should they avoid the dreaded injury bug, the Raiders have chances to do something very special. They are representing Quincy and I wish them all the luck in the world. They play in an extremely tough regional (Springfield High is at QHS Saturday, 12:30 p.m. if you want to see for yourself). But with a few breaks, they could be playing for a state title.

There are two things Quincy High supporters can do. They can give up and blame the coach and get mad at the world. Or they can realize no matter how bad it gets, it's just a game. A stupid game where you try to throw a small round object through a hoop with a net.

Emily Hart said it best in The Herald-Whig earlier this week.

"It's just a game and there are other things that I do, but I love to play basketball," she said. "As long as I can remember, I've been playing basketball. ... I do have fun, a lot of fun. I love our team and the people on there.

"I love to play. So it's always fun for me."

Fitting final words to this post.

Miss January

Geesh, is she a bitch or what? Tease us with 60-degree weather, then this?

Maybe I put the skates away too early.

Spent last night with two of the most amazing people I've ever interviewed. Ever.

Pandora - Donny Iris. A rock and roll geek I can relate to.

Possible non-Funions musical project looming.

The Funions are taking suggestions for new songs to learn. Thinking about Rambling Man by The Bob Seeger Experience. Bonus points if you can tell me who sang backup vocals.

Thaw

January, a cold-hearted witch at times, slowly releases her grip today.

The ice at South Park has been fantastic for more than a week, almost a record. But this morning the top half inch was a slushy mess, and Curtis Creek skating is likely done for the year.

Despondent, I headed north to another favorite surface. This one is tucked back on the north side of town, and the quarter-inch crusty layer of snow kept it protected.

It's a beautiful thing, gliding around a large patch of ice, and a great workout to boot.

We'll see if it's any good tomorrow.

QND Trivia tonight. I've decided Rock A. Bye, Chuck Otte and I are the Dr. Johnny Fevers of our team.

Deeeee Troy It

Could be worse. Could be the mayor of Detroit.

Looking forward to Trivia Night Saturday and the intense "practice" beforehand.

Saying goodbye to friend Julie Lane Saturday night. Julie and former Funions drummer Justin Busen, her son, head for sunshine in Florida Sunday, best of luck to both.

Speaking of The Funions, we're already getting a big buzz about March 15, and we'll have a big announcement with another event in conjunction with the show soon.

R Ya Irish?

HUGE NEWS ...

Saturday, March 15
Turner Hall, Quincy
The Funions
Cheeks McGee
Fielder.
$3 at the door, $5 cover

It's St. Patrick's Day weekend, we'll be rocking!

MLK

Tookie (http://quincycitydesk.blogspot.com) had some good thoughts about Martin Luther King and how far this country has come with civil rights.

Won't disagree, but we still have a long way to go. A long, long way.

Quincy can be proud of things like the cultural fair last fall and the signs on Eighth Street honoring Dr. King. Just around the corner from where I work is the Dr. Eels house, an Underground Railroad site, and at Washington Park is a monument to one of the greatest men who ever lived and his thoughts expressed in Quincy about slavery.

But there are daily reminders if you keep heading north about our lack of progress. Five percent of our population is African American, yet most blacks live in certain areas of town. Poverty and racism go hand-in-hand.

Until the day a black man doesn't feel the gaze from suspicious eyes when he crosses Broadway heading south; until the day our jail isn't crowded with a disproportionate number of minorities, until the day when it just doesn't matter if you are black, red, green or white .... then we can look back and be satisfied.

Turner Hall ROCKS

It's pretty easy to figure out my favorite venue in Quincy - it's gotta be Turner Hall.

We had another great time as we wrapped up a busy stretch for The Funions. Thanks to all the courthouse crew, Logan, Tookie, and everybody who came out to support us.

By the end of our set we had 'em going pretty good (Hound Dog does that for you). Also got a good reaction to our original songs, which always makes us feel good.

Rock A. Bye and Jack Inghram were again on fire. It is so much fun seeing people react to well-played sax and slide guitar.

We again played pretty well, had some issues with monitors and being able to hear on stage but the sound system itself worked great.

The Funions will be off for a while, hopefully we'll book a show or two in the spring.

Again, thanks for hanging out!

Whitesnake Love Ain`t No Stranger Live 2004

I took some hits for my love of Marillion. For the life of me I don't know why you guys can't handle REAL 80s music. So I was thinking of my second favorite song and I can't come up with a clear choice, but this one ranks right up there. This clip is from 2004 and a show at Wembley in England. David Coverdale is amazing, 56 freaking years old and still rocking.

Do you ever here a song and it just rocks you? Hmmm. Even on the shuffle during the long walks it stops me cold

Marillion - Kayleigh

Sorry, JJ Manager of Doom .... you had some good guesses.

I always think of the beautiful girl in Lake Orion, Michigan, when I hear this song.

"By the way, didn't I break your heart ...."

Losses

Prayers for the Farkas family in their darkest hours.

The memorial for young Alex is haunting.

His dad, Dave, is one of the good guys with a really tough job in our criminal justice system.

Prayers for Fred Kientzle. If you are a bad guy on the loose and Fred comes after you, forget it. You are done. And I do mean that Sincerely.

His mother passed away last weekend after a long fight. They managed to get her home from St. Louis and she died with family, the way it should be.

Sometimes it's good to step back and realize we are all human. We all bleed. Life is unfair to everybody, at times.

Sunday Quiet Sunday

Maybe Tony Romo can use that fine Eastern Illinois education and open up a cabana in Mexico. He has the time ...

Much fun last night at the OL. As I somewhat suspected, there was a good crowd but they weren't much into the music at the beginning. I thought we played well. The host and the birthday girl were happy, and Fielder tore it up, so it was a good night.

The sound was big and booming, but not that bad. I've heard a lot worse.

Thanks Rocky Cola for taking me back 20 years!

Didn't get out of there until 2 a.m. after tearing down .... thank goodness for quiet Sunday afternoons and slipping in and out of consciousness on the easy chair.

Now The Funions get ready for this Saturday's big show at Turner Hall with Cheeks McGee and Dawg Daze Booogie. It's just $3 at the door or $5 per couple.

Bright Lights OL-style

So we are setting up last night for the Web Warrior Bash Of The Century and Napalm Bill shows up with his lights, along with trusty sidekick Alan "Ghetto Fabulous" Lawless, studio guru and banana boat truck driver of doom.

Suddenly the house lights get turned off and the stage lights get turned on. In the immortal words of Dr. Brei .... "Dude, I'm getting a retinal burn here."

Let's face it. When The Funions play, lights are afterthoughts. I remember the legendary K of C driving range show when Scott Smith had the stage lit up and we could see nothing in front of us, and we figured out in a hurry NOT to look right into the lights.

Tonight's show will be all about the rock and roll experience, and as a band I think we are ready. This is the first big private party gig for us and it will be interesting to see what people like or don't like.

The Oakley-Lindsay Center is a challenge acoustically. Even with the room divided in half (there's a pool tournament on the other side) the sound tends to bounce around and it's somewhat muddy. But during soundcheck last night we got a reasonable volume and clarity, hopefully it will work out.

Tookie, thanks. Let's have some fun!

Napalm

The Funions had a treeemendous practice tonight. We dug up some stuff we haven't played in a long time and Saturday night will be a blast.

Napalm Bill is coming down to do the lights for us. Wow!

Also talked to Randy Taylor tonight and we are on for Saturday, Jan. 19, at Turner Hall. It's The Funions, Cheeks McGee and Dawg Daze, should be a lot of fun.

And yes ... we'll do Keep Your Hands To Yourself Saturday just for Rocky ....

Private Party

Big show Saturday night at the Oakley Lindsay Center. Let's just say Web Warriors will be out in force. It's a private party and you'll need an invite, but it will be fun playing for friends both old and new.

We'll play a few Funions songs and hopefully everybody can hoot and holler with the rest. If you are an 80s child, blues fan or rock guy you'll be entertained, I hope.

Practice tomorrow night, setup Friday. We are playing with our friends Fielder, and it should be fun.

A little leery of the dreaded OLC acoustics, I've heard horror stories about the place. It will be divided in half so that should help quite a bit.

On the iPod library right now - "Walls" by Yes off the very underrated Talk album.

January Rain

Nothing like a warm spring shower on an early January day.

Safe travels to Opa Dirk Hart, traveling to Chatham tonight to watch his granddaughter play for the Blue Devils, and in Quincy tomorrow night when QHS takes on Keokuk.

Funions show this Saturday at the Oakley-Lindsay Center, it's a private party but more info coming.

Scandal, Patty Smyth - Goodbye To You

I used to watch this video and openly lust after Patty Smyth. If you've seen VH1's Bands Reunited, you know the years have been kind to her. ! Beat Of A Heart is a close second favorite (and the Solid Gold lip synch rendition on You Tube rocks).

Patty, don't say goodbye to me!

Aldo Nova-Fantasy

This was all the bomb in my high school days. The leopard spandex is killer. I love it when Nova gets the guitar and blasts his way to the stage — who did the special effects, George Lucas? The winking at the girl (2:45) in the front row is classic too.

You can't deny the guitar riff is catchy.

In every one of these videos, some guy with a tank top, huge arms and curly hair plays drums.

Tomorrow I will introduce you to the woman who I still pine for 25 years later.

Fool`s Game by Michael Bolton

Holy Crap!
Finally figured out how to post You Tube directly to the blog.
This video is unbelievably hysterical. First, check out the hair, you could stuff 100 pillows between band members.
The riff is awesome, it's Aldo Nova if you were wondering.
See Michael play the guitar. Really! It's really him! Honest!
At 1:52 I about died laughing .... he runs into the girls, and they leave him on the floor. Can you see them making this video?
DIRECTOR: Ok Michael, the girls come up to you and you lie down, then you peak up at them after they leave.
MICHAEL BOLTON: Sure. What?
Wow. You can't make it up .... And this is just the first of unbelievably good/bad 80s videos.

Posting Videos

I've recently discovered two of the most horrendously good/bad early 80s music videos and I want to link them here.

Bill Simmons calls it the "unintentional comedy scale." These are off the charts.

A while back Uncle Tony offered to show me how to do it. ABC, help!

Quincy deserves to be exposed to early 80s greatness!

Resolved

Back from the snowy north, back to work, back to reality and life itself.

Rats.

New Year's Resolutions:

1. Write a Book.
2. Drink less.
3. Stay in touch with family more.
4. Write more songs for the band.
5. Record more songs for the band.
6. Stay positive watching the QHS girls basketball team.
7. Continue to walk every day, if possible. Even if not possible.
8. Get a better myspace site.
9. Learn how to post pics and video on blogspot.
10. Not get discouraged.

2007 was .... interesting in many ways. Here's to 2008 and hopefully it will be better and more productive.

Snowy New Year

First of all, a very happy new year to everybody and hopefully it was safe.

I am thinking about resolutions and might post something later.

Meanwhile, I do not miss the long Michigan winters. But I miss the snow and attitudes toward winter people have up here.

Started snowing last night around 7 and never stopped, just a straight down world-in-white dusting.

This morning there's four to six inches on the ground and around here, it's no big deal. Shovel it off, admire how it muffles everything and makes everything so still, and get on with life.

In Q-town, this much snow would shut down everything and the kids wouldn't have school next week.

One of my resolutions is to be more grateful. So. I love waking up to the world in white!

Kicking Snow

So I'm heading north Saturday and I call my Hoser buddy Wilx and I'm near Dwight, Ill. While I'm talking I get off on the wrong exit.

"You know your mother is laughing at you right now," Wilx says.

You know he is right. She was horrible at directions and always getting lost. One time when we lived in Montreal she took a wrong turn and we were halfway to Toronto before she stopped and got directions to turn around.

So whenever I get lost .... thanks, Mom .... I hear her laugh and it makes me feel better.

So today I'm in GR and go to the cemetery, but there's four inches of snow. I've been here four or five times but not that familiar with the area and I kick around for a few minutes but CAN'T FIND MOM.

At one point I stick my big boot into the ground and it sinks six inches into the soil. Much to my horror I see a big snow-covered pile of sod a few feet away. Great. Looking for mom, digging up a Grand Rapidian instead.

I'm about to give up when I give it one more kick and boom, there's Virginia Coray Hart.

So the moral of the story is .... don't kick your mother when she is in the ground, but do kick the snow off her grave until you find it.

We're Ready

Good practice last night ... we are ready for a big show Friday at The Elks. Apparently they are closed to sold out for the Christmas dinner/dance/show.

We've learned some Christmas songs and brushed up on some old favorites, should be fun!

World In White

I don't know about you, but I love waking up to a fresh snowmall.

Remembering Gregory Klaas Hart today, on the fifth anniversary of his passing. He rests in a much better place, and for that we are glad.

OK, fill in the blanks .... "Christmas shopping _________." Remember, it's a family Website.

Just got done reading one of the best books I've ever read. More next week.

Bet the South Park Hill will be busy with sledders, though more snow would help. Might be worth taking a look a little later.

Hmmmm. Wonder how the ice is?

One more Funions practice Tuesday, then we are ready for our Dec. 21 show at The Elks. It's reportedly going to be a huge crowd. "Run Run Rudolph" is one of the best songs we've learned. Fun fun fun!

Have yourself a safe Saturday, be careful out there.

La Grange

Very few people just don't care like Jerry Brandt just doesn't care.

http://www.lagrangemissouri.com/gossip.htm

It's never dull ....

Security

There have been suggestions media do a followup with the local mall in the wake of the shooting in Omaha.

As always, gotta be careful about work-related issues. And it is a good idea in some respects.

But really, what are malls going to do? Make us all walk through metal detectors? Shake us down as we enter stores?

There are common sense things which are worth reporting. Citizens should be alert (NOT paronoid) and should always be aware of their surroundings in a public place.

I gasped at the one media report about what to do if encountering such a situation: Remain Calm.

Remain calm? Sounds like good advice, I guess. But when you are in a mall and psycho is blasting away, do you really remain calm? It's completely inappropriate, but it recalls Kevin Bacon in Animal House when Faber is stampeding during the disasterous homecoming parade - "ALL IS WELL!!!!"

There have been some tremendous stories in the wake of the church shootings. Just one of them is here:

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/14817480/detail.html

So it's come to this ... undercover security with firearms in our churches.

I am not being critical of it. And the woman likely saved many lives with her actions.

But.

God help us all.

Triumph

Is it just me, or is The Fox 103.9 playing a little heavier classic rock lately?

I'm not complaining. Grew up on the stuff, after all.

Doc Holiday of 103.9 had a great interview recently with Rik Emmitt of Triumph fame ....

http://www.1039thefox.com/rikemmett-produced.mp3

I saw Triumph in 1993 at Wings Stadium in Kalamazoo, Mich., with my all-time hoser buddy Scott VE. My ears bled for days. Emmett was amazing. Check out his websites, including the myspace site (I think the links are on the fox's site) for more.

Emmett and Triumph are beauty ways to go.

Christmas Music

The Funions cranked out Christmas songs last night in Dr. Brei's basement. We have a couple of new original songs and some standards .... straight blues like Merry Christmas Baby to Run Run Rudolph. Our show at the Elks Dec. 21 should be a blast!

Slink video, Carthage Christmas

The legendary Slink Rand made a hysterical video for "Got It Made." Go to www.slinkrand.com and check on the youtube link.

Speaking of Slink and Carl Thomas, they are both playing in Carthage this weekend as part of the "Christmas Wish" concert at the old college auditorium. www.carsonford.com for more info. Shows are Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., call (217) 357-3154 for ticket info.

Downtown

Kudos to Jamie Busen of the Herald-Whig for an excellent story about downtown earlier this week.

One local blogger, happy holidays Tookie, has facilitated excellent discussion about our downtown - www.quincycitydesk.blogspot.com.

I enjoy working downtown and wish we could make it better, but I agree with Tookie (shudder) in that we need to work together, not mindlessly complain.

Karol Ehmen did a good job for us during The Funions/Fielder World Parking Lot Tour show last summer. I'd love to do it again!

New Links

Put three new links up.

All The News is Quincy's only rational blog about media coverage. Sometimes what he picks on is curious. We'll have a paper with several good stories but he'll talk about a photo or sports story with a strange headline. However, it's always interesting and sometimes leads to good discussion.

I hesitated to put Quincy Fire up here because the usual Web Warriors seem to flock to it. But it's not boring and it's probably the top site in Quincy for discussion.

Quincy Forums also generates traffic, but unfortunately it seems the same people bitch and moan about the same things. I respect the guy who runs it and he's doing a good thing.

Bob & Doug

So I'm driving home from work after another meat-grinder of a day (try sitting through 75 minutes of yawn-inducing motion hearings and you'll know what I mean) and on the radio comes my good hoser buddies Bob and Doug McKenzie.

Takes a hoser to appreciate one, and my Canadian blood flows extra red when hearing Bob and Doug sing the "12 Days of Christmas."

"Quiz ... quiz for Doug!"

I can only imagine Rick Moranis and Bob Thomas laughing themselves silly doing this.

It reminds me of my hoser buddy Kenny VA and insane Calvin College parties. Not that we did any of that sort of stuff, back in the day.

"FIVE GOLDEN TUUKS ... four pounds of back bacon, three french toasts, two turtle necks ... and a BEER ON MY TREE."

I felt better when I got home.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WCXnlFWaIY

Turkey Day

Incredible energy at the Cheeks/Fielder/Predawn Hour show.

I love about Fielder because they crank out one song after the other. That's a band that has practiced and played together for a long time.

I think the Predawn Hour guys have huge holes in their hearts and find it strange to play without brother Cory on guitar. But the place was packed and they delivered a great rock show.

Then I went out at behest of friends to one of Quincy's nightspots and there was a band playing great 80s music, and again, boom boom boom, one song after the other.

That's something I wish The Funions could do better.

I hit the wall about 12:30 and bolted. I walked out into the snow and there was a huge line to get into this place. Most of the people were already "happy" and didn't seem to care they didn't have jackets and would be waiting in 25 degree weather for at least an hour to get in.

Today is about coffee, watching the Lions, hanging out at the White House and with my surrogate family in Spring Lake, and just being mellow - and being thankful.

Have a great turkey day!

Friday Show

Here's the lineup for the Turner Hall show Friday night ....

6 p.m. - Conspiracy Underground
6:45 - The Forgotten
7:30 - The Funions
8:15 - Guraja
9 - Atresia
9:45 - Sweet Diesel
10:30 - The Collapse
11:15 - Necebo

$5 at the door.

This is going to be one of those very interesting shows and it will be very curious to see what kind of reaction we get, because we're the old farts playing with a bunch of young bands.

But we'll try, and we're playing mostly original songs during our short set, so it should be fun.

Much thanks and love to Mike Breckenkamp for inviting us.

Heading off tonight to the Predawn Hour/Fielder/Cheeks show at the former Grifiin Centre, now Winter's West Wing next to O'Griffs on Hampshire.

Michigan Coach

Lloyd Carr is done, and it's sad, but the time was right. Mostly fond memories of a coach who did things right.

Intriguing names at the top of the list. Everybody is talking about Les Miles. I hope Michigan leaves him alone until LSU is done playing. Last year Brian Kelly bolted from Central Michigan after the regular season to take over at Cincy and it left a bitter taste in the Chippewa faithful mouths .... it's all I could think of when I saw his team get beat last Saturday.

John Gruden in Ann Arbor .... that would be interesting.

The most amazing name I've heard today? Bill Cowher. If you think Ohio hated him when he coached the Steelers ....

Farewell, Lloyd

Lloyd Carr has coached his last game in the Big House.

Fortunately I was too busy running around today, then over at QU for the women's basketball tournament, to watch much of it.

I hate Ohio State. They are the Big Ten champs, but they'll go to the Rose Bowl and get hammered by somebody, maybe Arizona State.

The short list for Michigan? Les and Miles, as Tookie likes to say.

I'm rooting for Missouri to beat Kansas next week.

By the way, it could be worse today. You could lose to something called UL Monroe.

Happy Birthday Bass Player

And a very happy birthday Saturday to Funions bass player of doom Mark Brei, the absolute heart and soul of the band.

We celebrated a little too much after practice tonight, but that's OK ... we all have just a little less time left on this earth now anyway.

Fantastic practice tonight. Chris Cornwell is coming into his own as our new guitar player and Pat Cornwell's drumming kept us right there the entire practice.

Looking forward to the Nov. 23 gig at Turner Hall. The Funions play at 7:30 p.m. More on the lineup and other details to come.

New Businesses

The new Starbucks on Broadway has opened.

It will be interesting to see how people react to $5 cups of coffee, and if other places like the awesome Coffee On Broadway see a change.

I miss Mugshots on Jail Alley, but Washington Perk has done a good job with their coffee lately and I love the Granite Bank Gallery building.

The sushi place at Fifth and Hampshire also opened recently. I drove past there Friday about 6 and it was packed. I hope it does well. Ate lunch with some gals last week who said it was really good.

New Blog

I've started a blog for the Quincy High School girls basketball team ....

www.qhsgirlsbasketball.blogspot.com

First game is tomorrow night at Jacksonville.

Ooops

A huge congratulations to Coach Ron Zook and Illinois.

Along with the Cheesehead debacle today, takes a little luster off The Game next week, doesn't it?

Question

Here's a question for you, at the end of a very long week.

Have you ever done something on the job that you haven't felt good about, but you had to do?

Do you really care if certain people get mad because you have done your job?

If the answers are yes and no .... we should get along just fine.

MAC champs, good practice

How about those Central Michigan University Chippewas, YOUR Mid-American Conference West champs for the second straight year!

Had a great practice tonight at Dr. Brei's place, the first one with all six guys. Arranging the songs and not playing over each other is proving to be a challenge. It's interesting how the songs change when the drummer and guitar player are different.

Here's our upcoming lineup:

Friday, Nov. 23
Turner Hall, 6:30-7:30 p.m. with a bunch of bands.

Friday, Dec. 21
Elks Christmas Dinner/Dance
7:30 - 10 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 12
Oakley-Lindsay Center
Private Party
8-9:30p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 19
Turner Hall
7 - 8 p.m. with Cheeks McGee, Dog Daze, Kentucky Knife Fight.

Brien, DNA

Much fun Sunday making guitar noises with former Herald-Whig reporter Brien Murphy, back in town from Texas for a visit. Hooted and hollered at the palatial Busen estate on 22nd and Broadway, probably scared a few people, too.

The DNA results came back and much to my disappointment, Bob and Anne Mays are NOT my biological parents. But we've drawn up the paperwork and the adoption process is underway. I'm looking forward to eating turkey with my brothers!

Lots of Funions news to report later this week, shows this month, in December and likely two shows in January.

Paul Tibbets

Paul Tibbets died the other day. He was the pilot of the Enola Gay and was born in Quincy, though he moved at an early age.

I interviewed him seven years ago, which I think was the last time he was in Quincy. He was 85 and in relatively good health, and he was still sharp as a tack.

The thing I remember about him was how he simply didn't let what he did envelope or consume him. He let others define his actions. To him, it was simply a job, and he was more concerned about veterans and his country than his role in one of the most defining moments in world history.

It was an honor to interview him.

Guitar Strings

I busted the dreaded G string in church last Sunday. For all the glowing things I've heard about acoustic Elixer strings, they've never worked for me.

I prefer the medium gauges, 52 on the top E. My favorite strings are John Pearse. They last forever and they sound better and better the longer they are on the guitar. Eventually they get too stretched and quickly get out of whack, which is also a good thing and lets you know new strings are needed.

The only person in town that sells them is Al Barnard, but he's never open.

Mississippi Belles are also good strings.

I'd be curious to hear from other guitar players. Seems to me there just aren't that many acoustic players in town .... and what do the younger heavier players in town like to use?

Thanksgiving

From Rev. Tim White of Trinity United Church of Christ, Quincy.

It is that time of year when thoughts turn to raking leaves, turkey dinners, vibrant fall colors and the sentimental, “perfect” lives that none of us have. It is easy to become disillusioned and cynical about things when bills are stacking up, people you care about are struggling, and the upcoming holidays are just another reminder that your life hasn’t turned out the way you wanted it to turn out. As the November winds bring a chill to the air it also brings a chill to many hearts.

I had a conversation with a neighbor recently who told me her Thanksgiving was ruined because her whole family wasn’t going to be together. She told me her children didn’t like each other and there just wasn’t anything to be thankful for. I listened mostly and didn’t say much, but I thought “You and your husband have enjoyed almost 40 years together, your children and grandchildren are healthy and talented and productive and you have nothing to be thankful for because your children don’t want to gather at your beautiful home and pretend that they are “The Waltons” how sad you think like that.

Thanksgiving is in no way about what we have. It doesn’t matter if you sit down at a beautiful table that belongs on the cover of Bon Appetite or if you sit at a table made out of a couple of saw horses and wooden planks and eat chili. When we make Thanksgiving about celebrating all that we have, we make it into a “food sacrifice” to the “gods” who have smiled down and given us all that is on our “wish list of life”.

Thanksgiving is not a day of the year. Thanksgiving is not dependant on a menu with turkey and dressing. Thanksgiving is not predicated on having all your family get along one day a year. Thanksgiving is a condition of the heart that transcends the circumstances of life. Thanksgiving that doesn’t grow out of deep gratitude for God isn’t Thanksgiving after all!

Not Fair

Took my daughter to the doctor today. An old woman in a wheelchair hooked up to oxygen came in. She was talking to herself and obviously unaware of her surroundings.

She looked at me for a second from across the room and I saw resignation mixed with pain. She's hanging on for life, but something about her made it seem like she wanted to go, to fall asleep and pass on in peace.

In another part of the county, a young mother grieves because her husband won't be coming home. Their two young children will ask about their father, and God knows what she will tell them.

Gone, just like that, with the promise of life ahead.

It just doesn't seem fair.

Go Blue!

First and foremost, thank you Bill and Chip for the tickets.

I can't believe how easily we got in and out. Arrived about 4:45 p.m., found one of the last parking spots in the Brown Lot, had a leisurely tailgate dinner, saw my buddy Andrew and his impressive road crew from Chicago/Michigan, soaked it all in.

Strolled across the street into the stadium and saw two drunk fans get into it right off the bat. "That's how fights start," Chris Durst said. Morons.

Massive renovations to Memorial Stadium. Congrats to Illinois for getting it right. The north end zone is now enclosed and the brick grandstand looks like it's been there all along. They put the students in the north seats and boy, were they LOUD.

Fantastic seats, west side, lower level, 10-yard line about 30 rows up. Memorial Stadium is a grand place, despite the dust.

Two fighter jets roared over the stadium just before kickoff and shook the place to the chore. The students were chanting "USA! USA!" Chris says, "This beats pro football, that's for sure."

Illinois started strong and eventually simply shot itself in the foot. The crowd moaned about all the penalties, but when you drag a guy down by his face mask, whack him out of bounds, run him over without turning around while playing pass defense ... and when you drop punts and can't throw a pass down the middle with the game on the line .... well.

Michigan helped too. Ryan Mallett fumbled once and tossed a goal line interception too. No Mike Hart, either. I think Jake Long (77) is as big as Marblehead, no secret Michigan runs left, left and left.

The flea flicker touchdown pass unfolded right in front of us and was a great call. Much-maligned coach Lloyd Carr deserves some credit.

Again, one or two idiots in the crowd by us, but I enjoyed the good natured bantering with the guys behind us and it was all good.

Left with 2 minutes to play, and took only about half an hour to get out of town. The traffic on Kirby moved well, and we were northbound on Prospect but stopped dead in traffic when Chris suggested we cut west through the neighborhood. It probably saved us 15 to 20 minutes.

Got home at 2 a.m., stayed awake in part with a phone conversation from Tookie at 1 a.m. He's happy about Elephant Ears.

Thanks for the garage signs, Christy!

Sleep is waaaaayyyyyy overrated .....

Sun Splashed Saturday

Beautiful Day in Q-Town. God smiles at Octoberfest for the marching bands, at the Tin Dusters, at the Sammy Fund walk early this morning.

Much fun at the Elks last night. Good energy, if nothing else. The people at the Elks are great, just wish a few more would show up and party with us. Playing with Pat on drums and Chris on guitar worked well, we'll only get better with a few more practices and gigs. Rock A Bye on slide and the incomparable Jack Inghram on sax were on fire again, as usual.

There were a few times when I felt we were just another bad bar band .... but the few original songs we did play got great reactions. Gotta work on the new stuff!

We may be playing Friday, Nov. 23, at Turner Hall with a bunch of other bands.

Heading to Champaign for the big game tonight .... Dr. Brei and his neighbor's brother in tow. GO BLUE!

Back probably around 3 a.m., up before the sun for the Sammy Fund golf event tomorrow.

If I was in town, I'd be at the Octoberfest thing tonight at Flinn Stadium (parade on Maine Street starts at 2 p.m., we'll catch the beginning). Or go down the river for the Exchange Club's Smoke on the Water and to watch the Cheeseburgers.

Whatever you do this weekend, enjoy!

Busy Weekend

All kinds of stuff going on this weekend. Tin Dusters and the Exchange Club's Smoke on the River Saturday with The Cheeseburgers.

A while back The Cheeseburgers were playing at the church parking lot down the street late on Saturday night as part of an annual event. I had my window open and I could hear Burt Shackelton singing "Comfortably Numb" as I drifted to sleep .... Geesh!

Friday night we are playing at the Elks, 7:30 p.m. We had a really good practice with drummer Pat Cornwell the other night and this should be a lot of fun.

Saturday morning is the Sammy Fund run/walk at Madison Park. Saturday is also Quincy Marching Band's Octoberfest, with the huge parade down Maine Street in the afternoon. Hopefully they have good weather this year.

Heading to Champaign with Dr. Brei and JJ Manager of Doom for the Michigan at Illinois game Saturday night. Sunday is the Sammy Fund golf and dinner/auction event.

Might have to take Monday off to recover!

End of Experiment

I am teetering precauriously on the brink of falling off the wagon. It will happen soon.

So I will choose the place and time willingly.

There's a gathering this afternoon to celebrate Bosses Day and I'll simply avoid the temptation. Woodland Cemetery and the Shuffle beckon, and I'll be better off for it.

However ...

Practice tonight, gig Friday at the Elks.

Michigan at Illinois in Champaign Saturday night.

Sammy Fund all day Sunday.

So, for no reason at all, I will probably tip one or two Wednesday night, in Good Company, and call it a grand experiment. I will also do it again.

Baseball Woes

With apologies to my sister in Denver and brother in Phoenix, baseball sucks.

Nobody, and I mean nobody, cares about the Rockies and D'backs. Last year's World Series was the least-viewed ever, and this year's might have even less viewership due to the NL representative.

In the AL, at least you have the team you love to hate, now known as the Boston Red Sox. I hate the Red Sox. I hate Manny Ramirez, who looks like the alien predator in the awesomely bad Arnold-Jesse movie from back in the day. I hate David Ortiz, who looks like he's waddling after a pizza when turning a triple into a single. I hate Curt Schilling baffling hitters and using his AARP card at the same time. I hate all the other bald guys who look like Stone Cold Steve Austin. And I hate JD Drew, who represents everything wrong about the game, way overpaid and underproductive.

Saturday night I'm getting ready for the Funions gig at about 7 p.m. and the Indians-Sox game is starting. I come home at 12:15 exhausted from playing and tearing down AND THE GAME IS STILL ON. Extra innings or not, it's a classic example of slow-ball and watching paint dry.

Last night I flip to the NL game and they are playing in a freezing rain and it's 4-1 in the sixth .... I watched for 10 seconds, and never flipped back.

Sorry, Major League Baseball. You haven't won me back. You never will.

Two Good Posts

Two good blog posts today by fellow Web Warriors Tookie Don't Care and UMR Blog. Access them at the links on the right side.

Fall Winter Schedule

The Funions are playing this Saturday at the QND 10-year reunion. A week from Friday we're at the Elks.

We have some cool gigs possibly coming up in November, December and January. Look for an announcement soon.

A special thanks to Mark Brei, the heart and soul of the Funions, who refuses to let this band die and has stubbornly kept us going, through thick and thin.

(Loud) Friday Night Lights

Kudos the Quincy High football team, which refused to quit and battled Alleman to the end Friday night.

Another huge crowd was on hand for senior night. Alleman went up 14-0 just like that, but QHS battled back and trailed 28-21 at the half. The Blue Devils made some big plays on offense and a couple of defensive stands early in the second half, but it wasn't enough in a 42-21 loss.

I left after Alleman scored in the second half, in part because of the dreadful PA announcer. Don't tell me if the guy is running off tackle, or how far downfield he is, or if Vonderhaar is under center, or if the clock keeps running. DON'T DO PLAY BY PLAY from the PA. His enthusiasm is appreciated and I'm sure he's a nice guy, whoever he is, but it's overbearing and distracting from watching the game.

That's right. WATCHING the game. If we want to listen, we'll bring our radios and headphones. I didn't see a single person do that Friday night.

It's much better at Quincy Notre Dame (Frank Cash) and QU (Bill Shuler, Steve Looten). They are professional and to the point and don't scream into the microphone.

The QHS marching band also did a nice job, as always. Good luck to them in Kahoka, Mo., today.

Getting Ready

The Funions practiced last night and learned six or seven songs .... we're getting ready for an Oct. 13 gig, a reunion. We also have an Oct. 19 show at The Elks.

And, coming down the pipe, HUGE news .... a private party show Jan. 12 in Quincy. You won't believe who it is for.

Alexis Runs

I walked my customary South Park route yesterday in the beautiful fall weather. Heading back north along 12th, I noticed the Quincy Notre Dame cross country team coming the other way.

Up the street came a familiar figure, still a whispy willow of a thing, still slightly hunched forward with her face glazed in concentration.

Alexis Coleman.

She played on my daughter's Quinsippi Soccer League Tiramisu team that David Adam and I coached. She was whispy back then, could run like the wind, and we put her at back or in the midfield, or if we needed a goal at forward.

Alexis had the hardest shot of any girl in the league. When she wound up the other players would scatter. They knew. She'd usually injure a hapless teammate or two in practice. You never knew quite where it was going to go, but it was always a bullet.

Those are good memories, car bumper pool in the Paul Dennis parking lot, Sunday afternoons in the late summer sun or huddled in the fall cold.

So here she came, and I could hear us yelling, "CLEAR IT ALEX! OUTSIDE! TO THE OUTSIDE!"

She passed and recognized me and I gave her an "Atta girl Alex" and she grinned that beautiful shy smile.

And she was gone, steadily and surely down 12th Street.

It's funny how seeing a face brings back memories.

I miss the days of little girls and soccer, of Silver Shoes and showdowns with the really good Knapheide team and, of course, the only thing that really mattered. After the game, the chorus was unanimous .... "Who brought treats?"

Thank you, Alexis, for bringing it back, and good luck in your running.

To Drink Or Not To Drink

So I made it through September (actually starting Sept. 3) without drinking alcohol.

It was a frustrating yet rewarding experience. I missed having a beer a lot. Saturday night at Frankie's benefit the beer was flowing and people were laughing in that beer buzz way and I had to sip my water and sort of grin and bear it.

This was an event where you paid to get in and drank all the beer you wanted. Normally for me that means sucking down a bunch of beer after getting there, then cooling down because I had to drive (especially in Chicago).

Sunday morning I got up kind of wiped out from the whole thing but really feeling physically fine. And it occurred to me if I'd been drinking, I would have felt a whole lot worse, not really hungover, but just .... run over.

The main thing people always ask me when I tell them I've stopped is simply .... "Why?"

That's a hard question to answer. Maybe to just see if I could do it. Maybe to see if I actually have discipline (believe me, I was sorely tempted on several occasions). Maybe it's to have an excuse to avoid certain situations and establishments.

Maybe to save money .... it's like any vice, you don't really realize how much it costs until you stop. This past summer I estimate I probably drank an average of three beers a day. Many days, especially on the beach, I drank more, and many days I didn't drink at all. Mix in the usual Coors Light with the higher end Goose Island, and that's probably close to $100 a month.

So today is Oct. 1 and I'm faced with the big decision .... stay on the wagon or drop off?

It's really hard to decide, but I'm leaning toward staying on.

Two New Links

Added two new links, one for Kevin's Quincy blog, now that he appears to be doing stuff regularly.

The other is a teacher who has some interesting stuff. Check 'em out!

Brotherly Love

Beautiful time in St. Andrew gym in Chicago's Wrigleyville last night for Frank Calkins. Huge crowd, lots of laughing.

Frank can't talk anymore, though he does have a computer to relay his thoughts. His two daughters sat patiently with him last night and gently wiped his chin as he sucked soda through a straw. People came up to him and his face lit up at greeting old friends.

His family put together a book for the event and some of the stories made me laugh and cry.

His twin brother, Marty, wrote about growing up with Frank and finished with these paragraphs ....

"A couple of months ago when Frankie came to Chicago to go the Bears game with all my brothers, he stayed overnight at my mom's. The ALS had moved to his legs and he needed help walking. That night I sat next to him in our old bedroom located upstairs. I was holding his hand, talking about everything like we've done a thousand times before. He was explaining about what ALS was doing to his body, and said to me out of the clear blue sky, 'I'm glad I caught this instead of you; I couldn't handle it if it was you.'

"I called him a jerk and said, 'I love you.' He fell asleep holding my hand. As the tears rolled down my face, and I smiled and thought, 'That's my twin.'"

The Friend

I met a dear friend for lunch yesterday and I was afraid I'd break her heart.

Instead, I got nothing but love and support.

When you make life-changing decisions, the consequences reverberate, much like the pebble in the pond. The last thing I want to do is hurt anybody, but sometimes you have no choice.

I appreciate friends and I have good ones in Quincy.

I'm also reading Rick Reilly's book, a collection of his Sports Illustrated columns, and time after time he drives home the point about not taking friends and family for granted.

We all do. It's human nature.

Stopping for two seconds to think about it will make you feel better and cleanse the soul.

Gundy's Rant

Just saw Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy's rant about a columnist criticizing his quarterback. See it for yourself:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Mike+Gundy+Oklahoma+State&search=Search

Gundy goes over the edge and makes several classic mistakes in his raving. First of all, his team won a big conference game, but nobody cares about that now, since all he did was get red in the face right after it ended. Secondly, he shouts at a guy who works for a business that buys ink by the barrel, and you simply can't win.

Gundy made some great points and should be commended for sticking up for his QB. But if thinks that these are "just kids" and if thinks college football is some sort of dream world where athletes are immune from media and fan scrutiny, he's not only sadly mistaken, he's been living under a rock for a long time.

Had Gundy simply stared the columnist down, or frozen him out, or simply ignored him, or made a short statement about what an idiot the guy is, he would have won. And he could have used it for the "us against the world" approach to motivating his team.

Division I College football is a big business, plain and simple. Are they 17 and 18 years old? Yes. Are they being paid? No. Do the vast majority bust their butts and make their universities proud? Yes.

Are they coddled and have advantages many students simply don't have in this day and age of $30,000-a-year tuition? Yes.

Look at Michigan quarterback Ryan Mallett, a FRESHMAN IN COLLEGE who is now throwing passes in front of 110,000 angry Maize and Blue fans on Saturdays. Is that fair to throw him to the wolves? Heck no, but he's out there and trying, and if some bozo writer says otherwise, that's the way it is.

The media doesn't care. There are sports writers and columnists out there who simply feed the beast, who have kids themselves, who don't want to hurt anybody, but also will run over their mom to get the story.

Coach Gundy needs to worry more about the rest of the Big 12 schedule that what a columnist says. This isn't a fairy tail with the gloves off, Coach. It's the big time, Big 12 football, and blowing up after a huge win doesn't get it done.

Gundy doesn't owe the columnist an apology, or talk to him ever again. He does owe an apology to his team and the rest of the media, because they wanted his take on a big game and he left them hanging.

Flinn Rocks

Huge crowd at the QHS football game last night for Homecoming.

Give Coach Little and his players credit for being prepared and playing really hard. The Blue Devils are 3-2 and 2-0 in the WB6, though the tough part of the conference schedule now looms.

I was working last night so I only saw a few minutes of the second quarter and the halftime show. The percussion and bells section especially were very good, not that I'm biased ....

The QHS band rocks. They were in excellent form in the parade Thursday down Maine Street and at halftime Friday.

The only thing I didn't like about the game was the public address announcer. Doing play by play is annoying. And there was more yelling than information given. If I want a running account of the game, I'll bring my radio. Just give us the ball carrier and who made the tackle.

Other than that, it was a Big Friday Night ....

Happy Birthday Tookie

And a very happy birthday to the Web Warrior of Doom who turns 10 today. Don't hit him while he rides his new tricycle around Vermont Street. Be nice to him and try to talk to him now before McFadden turns his world upside down Saturday.

Tookie - sometimes I think it must be nice to not care about anything.

Could Be Worse ....

You could be a Georgia football fan.

Alas, turmoil galore in Ann Arbor. Even the great programs must struggle on occassion.

The boss at work says, "Who is going to watch two 0-2 teams play each other?" Uh, it's Notre Dame vs. Michigan, and just for the train wreck appeal, much of the country, actually.

Best game yesterday was Fresno at Texas A&M, three or four OTs and players were dropping like flies in the Texas heat.

Did you catch the mighty Chippewas dismantling Toledo last night? Brian Kelly bolted Central Michigan before last season ended and headed to Ohio. Love the guy, high-fived him on the field after Central beat bitter rival Western Michigan last November .... but part of me watches in a jealous rage.

In two non-CFB notes, we're up in Paloma today and looking forward to playing in the bright sunshine of rural Adams County.

And trying to listen to Journey without Steve Perry is like playing golf without a putter. It just doesn't work .... though I like the song "Higher Place."

Social Experiment

It's not quite a Michigan morning - still too much humidity - but it's comfortable sitting on the porch reviving with caffeine.

I've decided to quit drinking during the month of September, and to see where it leads. Until last night, I was doing fine. Then I went to Blues In The District at Washington Park and it got a little more challenging.

But seeing Tookie with H20 made me feel better. He's stopped to cut carbs. I've stopped to just see if I can do it.

I liken this to a social experiment. If you are hanging out and the beer is flowing, are your perceptions different if you decide not to drink?

Duh! Of course! I'm not saying it's better or worse, but it's very different.

I'm quitting because it was getting too easy to have a beer after work. After a walk. After dinner. At night. All night.

I know people who drink a lot more and are still functional. I know people who hardly drink at all and should drink more — "Lighten up, Francis ...." In the end, you can't worry about anybody else, just yourself. My liver will thank me, I know that.

Not sure how long it will last. I can't imagine sitting on a Lake Michigan beach without a beer. Then again, it might be nice to wake up in the tent and not wonder where the Aspirin bottle is.

Just thinking how huge the Oregon at Michigan game is this afternoon, and how nice it will be to just sit and watch college football today.

With a water, of course .....

I luv Tookie

OK. He's a Web Warrior. He bashes people without caring. He can't spell worth a bleep. He doesn't really care about anything or anybody.

But I want Tookie to know this.

I LOVE YOU MAN.

This has nothing to do with Tookie giving me Michigan at Illinois tickets. Yes, I am still a fan, despite Armageddon last Saturday. So I'm going Oct. 20 to Champaign. Right now, I have two extra tickets if anybody in Cyberspace is interested ....

Amazing Guitarist

Every now and then somebody will come along and blow you away.

Check out guitar player Andy McKee on Youtube.com, especially his song Drifting and an amazing cover of Toto's Africa.

And the song Into The Ocean features the most unique guitar I've ever seen.

Check it out!

Aharon's Elaina

Just watched a youtube video featuring Elaina Bellis of Quincy. It's by a guy named Aharon.

I did a story about Elaina not long ago. She went to LA to find herself and get into the TV and movie industry. She sounded like she was having the time of her life.

Check out the video here ....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=My9WuSHbkj8

Wow. A beautiful girl in a well-produced video and even kind of a cool song.

Drew's Off To School

Best wishes to young Drew White, off to school in the Chicago area (Elmhurst, I believe).

Drew heads north Tuesday armed with my old guitar, a good head on his shoulders, massive love and support from his dad and brother, and best wishes from Trinity UCC and friends.

I didn't go away to college until my third year out of high school and it was a huge mistake to wait that long. Some young people are fine staying home and going to school .... look at how well John Wood Community College does, and it makes a lot of financial success.

But others are ready. And others are ready to send them on their way. Right Tim??!!

Andrew, I remember your proud mother rocking her new baby boy in the church pew at Second Congregational in Grand Rapids, and now I'm wondering where the heck all this time has gone.

Quincy is home and always will be, but these are the greatest times you will ever have, Drew. Close your eyes and bottle this up right now, cause you won't leave home for the first time again.

Good luck, my friend.

Bands I'd Pay To See

1. The Who
2. U2
3. Yes
4. Asia
5. The Police
6. Van Halen
7. Eric Johnson
8. Journey (only with Steve Perry)
9. The Kinks
10. The Cars (even The New Cars)
11. The Collapse
12. Dire Straits
13. Foreigner (only with Lou Graham)
14. Sammy Hagar
15. Huey Lewis & The News
16. Peter Gabriel
17. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
18. Raised On Radio
19. Freddie Tieken & The Rockers
20. Jack Inghram & The Congregational Hart Throbs