Monday, January 28, 2008

Safeco in the the Winter

Last weekend we went to Safeco Field for the Mariners Fan Fest. They should've called it the Mariners Fun Fest, because it was fun.

With temperatures in the 30s, we played catch in right field and I fielded some low pop-ups in left (above).

Coach Truitt in the dugout, pondering a lineup change... Or a medium popcorn.

We also got to "run" around the bases--Mandichiro steals third!

A photo-op at first base. Eliza wore Mariner earrings. I did not.

Friday, January 25, 2008

Postage Stamp of the Week: Brev Inrikes

Here's a quadtych of Swedish stamps depicting idyllic lakeside scenes.

I don't know what "Brev Inrikes" means.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Hello Packsquatch!

Another reason to love the Packers:

Goofing around online during today's Packers-Giants game, I came across Packer Palace, the most kickass sports site I've seen in some time. The best part is its series of hilarious Packsquatch cartoons, in which the green Bigfoot violently dismembers the Pack's various opponents. (What Packsquatch does in the Seahawks cartoon is only a slight exaggeration of what Green Bay did to Seattle last weekend.) I also love the faux logos and the Bigfoot blog.

Anyway, now that the 'Hawks are out of contention, I was gonna cheer for Bret Favre and the Pack to win the Super Bowl. Now I don't care.

We Hardly Knew Ye: Suzanne Pleshette

Suzanne Pleshette died yesterday at age 70.

In her role as Emily Hartley, the sassy Pleshette played the perfect foil to her button-down husband on The Bob Newhart Show, their differences giving the classic '70s sitcom some of its funniest moments.

She also starred in Hitchcock's The Birds.

Friday, January 18, 2008

Postage Stamp of the Week: Abominable Snowman

This week's stamp is from Bhutan: it's the Abominable Snowman, the Himalayan cousin of Bigfoot!

Though he's also known as the Yeti, I prefer the term "Abominable Snowman," much as I prefer "Bigfoot" to "Sasquatch."

While the archer in the artwork here may disagree, I don't find this snowman all that abominable. He's just misunderstood.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

We Hardly Knew Ye: Andy Kaufman

Had this friggin' comic genius not died of cancer in 1984, Andy Kaufman would've hit the big five-nine today.

I liked him best as Tony Clifton.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Now I've Seen Everything #2: Baby vs. Cobra

Friday, January 11, 2008

Postage Stamp of the Week: Football

ARE YOU READY FOR THE FOOTBALL?!?

Though a rhetorical question, I do believe I'm adequately prepared for tomorrow's Seahawks v. Packers playoff game. I have no prior engagements, and our TV reception is decent. Should I get hungry, I'll have my favorite bean 'n' cheese burritos on hand. Win or lose, it oughta be a good one.

This 1969 stamp with the clip-art-like image commemorates the centennial of the first-ever college football game. Rutgers beat Princeton, six goals to four.

The 12th Man is Stupid™.

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Happy 61st, David!

David Bowie hits the big six-one today.

I saw him play the Tacoma Dome in 1990 and it was killer. His Ziggy Stardust album is one of my all-time favorites, though I must say that Never Let Me Down is a guilty pleasure.

He has the same birthday as Elvis.

Saturday, January 05, 2008

We Hardly Knew Ye: Sunset Bowl

Seattle's best bowling alley will close in April.

Two years ago I wrote this piece on Sunset Bowl for Seattlest, which apparently broke the news yesterday. (BWT, the photo here of the Sunset at sunset accompanying both Seattlest pieces is mine, as was the red Honda Accord seen in the parking lot.)

More coverage in the Seattle Times and the P-I, and on the Slog -- dig those comments.

Not that I was much help, since I haven't bowled there since December '06.

Friday, January 04, 2008

Postage Stamp of the Week: Elvis

Had a bloated, doped-up Elvis not died on his bathroom's shag carpet, gold pajama bottoms around his ankles while face-down in his own vomit, he would've turned 73 this Tuesday.

Two years ago, upon the King's 71st birthday, I wrote about Elvis in Seattle (prompting many amusing comments). Then last year I wrote this, which nobody read.

Anyhoo, the Postal Service issued the above stamp in 1993, and I issued the stamp below in 1994.

Smells like blue suede shoes.

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Happy 20th, Mudhoney!

Mudhoney hits the big two-oh today.

The Northwest's best-ever rock band met for their first-ever practice on New Year's Day, 1988. Mudhoney was soon hailed as the Seattle band back in the proverbial day, from the '88 release of their classic debut single ("Touch Me I’m Sick") up 'til when teen spirit stunk up the place.

After Mudhoney left Sub Pop (the Seattle label), they spent most of the ‘90s on a major, but the closest they ever came to the mainstream was a performance in a Chris Farley movie. In the '00s they returned to Sub Pop, and by now have survived intact for two decades, save for a lineup change at bass.

Mudhoney's stayed true to their signature ‘60s-‘70s proto-punk sound all along, with occasional dashes of freeform jazz, blues, and psychedelia. Singer Mark Arm, possessing the finest howl outside Detroit, continues to write killer songs, both sinister and snotty, dark and wry. It's fitting that they've opened for the reformed Stooges, and that their three original members also played in a Sonics cover band, and that Arm fronted a partially reunited MC5.

Their reign as kings of Seattle rock has long since passed, but a mess of releases and hometown shows all the while has kept longtime fans happy. Lucky for us, they’re still around.

Mudhoney can do no wrong.

Crossword Report: December '07

In like a lion, out like a weenie.

Did I mention my intent to solve every New York Times crossword published in 2007? Unfortunately, I wasn't able to complete 'em all by the end of the calendar year. After a strong start, I ended '07 with 81 unfinished puzzles--mostly Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, as well as everything from December... I got sidetracked, okay? And, though my final number of solved crosswords was 555, about half were non-Times puzzles.

Anyway, my goal of eventually completing every 2007 NYT crossword still stands, and I'll let you know when I do. Please make sure I have your current email address.

Crossword Report: January '07
Crossword Report: February '07
Crossword Report: March '07
Crossword Report: April '07
Crossword Report: May '07
Crossword Report: June '07
Crossword Report: July '07
Crossword Report: August '07
Crossword Report: September '07
Crossword Report: October '07
Crossword Report: November '07
Total crosswords solved in December 2007: 0
Total crosswords solved in 2007: 555