PicoBlog

In the latter half of my 20s, it has become apparent that I now cry at the drop of a hat. Not sure if that’s because I’m increasingly aware of my own mortality and the mortality of my loved ones, if I’ve become more in touch with my emotions and how to process them through physical reaction, or if I’m just one of the Highly Emotional People that Marina was singing about on her last album.

It can be hard to find places to live in the US that allow you to get around without a car and don’t break the bank. I developed a my own methodology last year for identifying the best cities in the US. At the recommendation of comments received from that, I’ve gone a bit deeper this year and identified the top neighborhoods that are both walkable and affordable, or “walkaffordable”.

When in doubt, always ask the waiter. Even when you don't speak the language, a lot can be figured out with a phrasebook and a waiter. Changing channels -- when a talk show comes on Looking forward to the new book. (I was going to buy it immediately but then I remembered that you're a big fan of decision making by lottery so I'll have to see when its number comes up.

On Nov. 29, 1971, the Cincinnati Reds made a daring move, trading away key and immensely popular players Lee May, Tommy Helms, and Jimmy Stewart to the Houston Astros in exchange for Joe Morgan, Ed Armbrister, Jack Billingham, Cesar Geronimo, and Denis Menke. Little did the fans know, this controversial decision by general manager Bob Howsam would set the stage for a remarkable chapter in Reds history. Cincinnati Enquirer sports reporter Bob Hertzel captured the initial shock, comparing the trade to a wartime scenario.

Note to readers: This is the first part of a three-part series. Following their stunning performance at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, Big Brother & The Holding Company hit the top of the album charts with Cheap Thrills. This psychedelic masterwork featured the astounding vocals of Janis Joplin and the groundbreaking guitar work of James Gurley and Sam Andrew. “Piece of My Heart” remains one of the era’s defining singles. Many of those who were on the scene cite James Gurley as the father of psychedelic guitar in San Francisco.

In the spring of 2016, the Golden State Warriors made Ron Harper a prophet. Led by a transcendent Stephen Curry, those Warriors were the rarest of rare teams: not just a great club, not just a juggernaut, but an instant icon. Their only competition was the 20-year-old ghost they were chasing. That would be the ‘96 Bulls. During the 2016 playoffs, when the Warriors looked like a sure bet to become back-to-back champs, I published a chapter excerpt from my forthcoming ebook on those record-setting ‘96 Bulls.

In the 30-plus Decembers that I’ve been making Top 10 lists for one publication or another, I’ve never encountered a movie year like 2022 – one so hesitant, off-kilter, and out of whack. It seemed like nothing of lasting value came out at all during the first six months – other than the one about the laundromat lady who can jump parallel universes – and the big summer blockbuster was a sequel to “Top Gun,” a 36-year-old hit starring the movies’ own Dorian Gray.

I am a nerd. Let’s get that right out of the way. We’re here to talk about scorebugs for the next little while. And, if you’re unfamiliar with what a “scorebug” happens to be, it’s that thing on the screen that shows you all sorts of information about the game that’s presently taking place. Generally, you’ll see time, score, timeouts remaining, foul situation, shot clock, quarter, etc. (Also, it’s sometimes called a “score bug” — two words — instead of a “scorebug” — one word — but I stick with the one-word variety; I don’t know why.

Good morning! We’re officially one week away from the 2024 NFL Draft. I was going to dedicate this newsletter to a ton of mock drafts 😉, but you can’t swing a Rangers president’s trophy banner around without hitting one of them. I can almost guarantee that over the next week there will be three names continuously mocked to the Jets. Brock Bowers, who could invigorate our offence. Troy Fautanu who I love and Taliese Fuaga who I like a lot.