November 28, 2009

Chicago

While watching TV last night I nodded off but awoke to see the latest incarnation of the band Chicago perform their 1970 hit '25 or 6 to 4'. I read that the title came from the time they had remaining in the recording studio. Someone asked the time and the reply was "25 or 6 to 4".

I saw them in Louisville around '72. Whenever I hear a Chicago song it transports me back to that time.

Quiz...Can anyone tell me the name of the band as titled on their first album? They were threatened with a lawsuit by an municipal organization to change it.

From Wikipedia:

Chicago is an American pop rock/jazz fusion band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The band began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had a steady stream of hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Second only to the Beach Boys in terms of singles and albums, Chicago is one of the longest running and most successful U.S. pop/rock and roll groups.

According to Billboard, Chicago was the leading U.S. singles charting group during the 1970s. They have sold over 120 million albums worldwide, scoring 22 Gold, 18 Platinum, and 8 Multi-Platinum albums. Over the course of their career they have charted five No. 1 albums, and have had twenty-one top ten hits.

November 11, 2009

He Ain't Heavy

While playing computer solitaire this morning the phone rang. I saw ‘South Park’ on the ID screen. It took me a second to realize it wasn’t a cartoon calling but my brother, who manages the golf course at South Park Country Club. He majored in agronomy in college, or as we used to say, he studied dirt. It was good hearing from him.

We switched gym memberships the other day to the new Powerhouse gym which occupies the space where the
former Metro Fitness was. Wife and I worked out there Monday for the first time. I used the weight machines and over did it. I’m still so sore; I can’t pull on a shirt without wincing. It’s a good sore though. I’m going over there again later today to punish my body some more.

Powerhouse offers a class called Body Pump and I’m thinking about giving it a go.

November 8, 2009

The Last Soccer Game

I was watching Tristan play his last game of soccer with all the other four year olds yesterday. Tristan said to me last week, 'I hate soccer papa bear.' He said it wasn't fair that he couldn't touch the ball with his hands. I know next to nothing about soccer, but hey, it's always fun to watch kids play any sport, learning organized sports and all that. Watching kids play always takes me back to my childhood when I played flag football and softball.

I didn't take to sports at all until I picked up a tennis racket...It was love at first volley. Although I never had a burning competitive nature, I loved the aesthetics of the game.

The soccer ball rolls along the field with all the kids in a knot, surrounding it until it's kicked out of bounds. A kid throws it in bounds with both hands over-head and the sequence is continued until it's kicked out of bounds again. The parents yell instructions...'kick it!...go the other way!...kick it!'...ad nauseum.

Tristan towers over the other kids. He's going to be a big bruiser when he gets older. He loves baseball and basketball. He hasn't played football yet but when he does, woe be to the kid in his way. It's uncanny how well he throws a ball. I can see him as either a quarterback or pitcher. If he takes up tennis I see many 120 mph serves in his future.