Meow Wolf

By The Fillerbuster

The Cast 060219

SETTING:

This was started on Saturday morning, and finished up Sunday afternoon after some yardwork in front of the Memorial PGA event on the tube.  Objective one way or the other?  Finish and post this comfortably before the Warriors-Raptors game tonight (I didn’t make it, but did post in first quarter-had too much fun writing it).  To do that, I feel the need for speed.

Barely edited due to time constraints, and I apologize for any grammatical errors. 

Writing this without knowing the theme at this point.

Let’s turn and burn.

EVERGREEN (topics that don’t fade away):   

BART STARR

We lost a legend this week, as Bart Starr passed away.  He kind of gets lost in the shuffle when we talk about greatest QB’s ever.  His “period” occurred before Super Bowls existed and therefore people just only remember the first two Super Bowls.  Let’s get into this a little more though so you understand his dominance.  Like a QB similar to Terry Bradshaw, he was simply a WINNER.

So, we can begin with the Super Bowls.  He will forever be remembered as the starting QB of the winning team in the first two years of the event’s existence.  Let’s add that he was ALSO the Super Bowl MVP in both of these games, so he appeared AND brought it.  And, in the first Super Bowl, he completed the trifecta.  He had his best statistical season of his career (1966 season), which got him NFL MVP honors.  Then, he won the Super Bowl and the MVP in the other two legs.  What a year.  We could stop there, but we won’t.  Let’s keep in mind that he won three NFL titles BEFORE the Super Bowl victories.  And let’s add to this more by noting that although Brady has more “titles” than Starr, Starr racked up FIVE titles in a more compressed time frame.  He won five titles from 1961-1967.  That is insane.  Brady’s were spread out.  Finally, he has his own award named after him, an award for outstanding character and leadership, which embodied him through and through.

You will be missed, Bart, and people like me won’t let people forget your accomplishments on and off the field.

MCNABB

About Donovan McNabb and this HOF issue, here is my input.  If I step outside of the box and look at what I truly believe a HOF’er is, then I say no.  The QB’s he has better stats then WON the whole thing.  But, here is the rub.  The level that HOF voters have SET with recent inductions (many, many), and the fact that above average stats do get you in the Hall these days, means that he should be.  So, I am saying that he shouldn’t be as a resume by itself, but that we have lowered the bar on others, so we should lower the bar on him also.  But, the fact that he feels the NEED to announce this is what bothers me.  Let your resume do the talking, and stop telling the media that you are one.  Bark quietly and let the voters do their thing.

NADAL

We have had dominance in sports.  We laud the athletes who can win a variety of different tournaments in different ways (the Slams), and therefore show all-around excellence.  And we SHOULD do that.  But, sometimes we have to step back and look at an athlete’s specialty.  We need to laud someone’s dominance in one single thing.  Rafael Nadal has OWNED the French Open.  This means he owns the clay surface.  Most people don’t understand the difference in the game from surface to surface.  It is dramatically different.  Grass (Wimbledon) is fast.  Grass tends to hold up the big servers and guys who get to the net and win there.  Clay (French) slows everything down.  This might sound boring, but it actually makes your game get under a microscope.  Flaws are accentuated.  Fitness is paramount.  Long rallies are expected.  Ground strokes being solid is a MUST.  Hard courts (Australian and U.S. Open) fall in the middle.

Nadal has won ELEVEN French Opens, people.  ELEVEN.  He could do nothing else on the court, and this accomplishment would be one of the greatest ever.  Borg was the men’s master before.  He had SIX.  But, while we are touching on the subject of specializing in one thing or winning at everything, not only has Nadal owned the clay surface, but he also…has won the other ones too.

JEOPARDY

James Holzhauer is still crushing it on Jeopardy.  If you haven’t caught an episode, you should allocate 30 minutes of your early evening and watch one episode during this insane run.  But, my question is different here.  He is a sports gambler by trade, so if anyone would be examining ways to win more money, he is breaking it down.  If I can bet on Game of Thrones on my sports betting site, I assume you can bet on Jeopardy somewhere.  Is he thinking about betting on or against himself at some point?  Can he take his winnings, and just bet on himself, or take a fall and get some good odds in return?  Will this run end in a shady way?  Will he suddenly be a little slow one day?  I am not saying he will, should, or can.  I am saying that it will be interesting on how this ends, and whether we hear a rumor years down the line on how he tripled his total earnings somehow doing what he does best besides Jeopardy…betting.  In the meantime, keep buttering us up with the charity gifts.  Love it.

MEGAN RAPINOE

Megan Rapinoe has come out saying she will not visit the White House should the women’s national team wins it all.  My problem is not with her not wanting to visit the White House.  I get it.  Controversial President, and go, don’t go, or make your political statement however you see fit.  But, the World Cup is still going on right now.  No one has won.  So, why does she feel the need to tell us this NOW?  Why do I care what someone MIGHT do if they win?  I am offended too if I am other teams.  Why the assumed win?  The timing of this is wrong.  I will welcome her saying AFTER they win.  I will welcome her non-visit with open arms.  But, the preemptive verbal strike is not needed, too early, and slightly offensive.  As White Lion once said so eloquently, “wait.”

WEEK-FISH (current topics of interest in sports):

NFL

• Pacman Jones is retiring, and the only question is this.  Did he have more INT’s than off-field incidents?  It has to be close.
• There is this new thing called the Forty Yards of Gold, where we determine the fastest NFL player.  I won’t exactly set time ASIDE to watch this event, but don’t disagree that it is FUN.  THIS is what the Pro Bowl events should be so we actually watch and care.  Skills competition with much more fun.
• I can’t keep track.  Maybe you can.  Congrats if you can.  I get confused on what Richie Incognito incidents are new, or are old and just have new developments.  He signed with the Raiders, and then we hear about two more August incidents.  Anyone else have enough free time to know offhand if this is new material?  One way or the other, that guy should NOT be on any NFL team.  Stop giving him chances.
• Chris Long will work on weed acceptance in the NFL.  Good.  Smart guy leading the charge, and it is ridiculous that marijuana is still a banned substance in the league, when it is accepted in as many states as it is.  Not saying I would pull a Denver and allow them to do mushrooms too, but let’s lower the standard and allow the drug to help them with the extreme pain they deal with daily.
• I can hate Antonio Brown because he left my team.  You can hate him for other reasons.  One way or the other, the guy has a gift with words.  I loved that him and Carr were “making deposits.”  I hadn’t heard that one before from a WR, and I think it is clever.
• I think there were other ways of doing the deal, but, in my opinion, one thing the Broncos DID accomplish with a one-year deal with Chris Harris is this.  They are taking a chance on immediate results with Joe Flacco.  By the time they have to figure this out again next year with Harris, they will definitely know if they are a winning team as is or not.
• I am confused as to what the Raiders are doing.  They hired Gruden on a 10-year contract.  We were told it would be a long, slow rebuild.  So, why are they getting flashy pickups like Brown, picking up controversies waiting to happen like Richie Incognito, and basically making a microwave meal as opposed to slow-cooking the main dish.
• Peyton Manning has been so methodical and calculating in everything he did for his entire career, that conspiracy theories are already forming about why he is visiting Broncos practice and hand-selecting media to talk to.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

• If you are on Twitter, check out Jim Weber.  Michigan guy who is mostly Twitter famous and loves college football.  Check him out daily with “___ days to college football” with some awesome content.
• I don’t love the guy because he stopped following me after I dissed him on his diss of UVA sports, but that is neither here nor there.
• Ohio State now has a transfer top-flight recruit ready to play, AND they now have someone big time for him to throw to.  Julian Fleming is the #1 WR in the class, and just turned down Clemson, Bama, Penn State, and others to play for the Buckeyes next year.
• The SEC will lift its ban on alcohol at games.  Now, we can make sure the person who is telling us that SEC football is godly is inebriated.  Also, the fine print says it will be only for beer and wine, so at least there is that silver lining.  They will have to drink the fifth before the game.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

• KU’s big guy didn’t even enter the draft.  KU’s Devon Dotson will come back.  Now, with De Sousa winning his appeal and being available, KU suddenly goes from an also-ran rebuild to a possible contender if they can get a deeper bench.
• RJ Hampton might change the college basketball landscape by signing overseas with an Australian team, but I am hearing he didn’t tell the schools courting him this was an option, and that sounds like a little aloof to me.  Respect the system even if you are going out of the box.
• Everyone thought that the Hauser brothers would go to the same place when they left Marquette.  They didn’t, surprisingly.  But, UVA did land one of them, so I will take it.  I am still not sure WHY Kyle Guy is staying in the draft (totally understand why Hunter and Jerome are gone), and the kid still has to sit out a year, but a nice reload to a program that is top of the heap for now, and doesn’t get one-and-doners like other heavyweights.
• Who is Phil Bledsoe?  He is a guy who got screwed by the rules of the NCAA.  It seems he tested the draft waters, and then wanted to come back to school.  But, the entering and then getting out system doesn’t apply to Division II players.  Cut the kid a break, and don’t blame him for getting bad advice.  Instead of him possibly being drafted in the bottom of the second round and barely getting a chance, let the kid come back to school for another year.
• John Calipari can lure one-and-doners day and night.  He can win titles.  He can be genius-like.  But, one thing he CAN’T do apparently is keep his OWN son at his OWN school.  The youngster has entered the transfer portal, and from what we saw in the tourney, he shows shades of flash that I would take on my team.  Grab him, UVA.

NBA

• Klay Thompson should pretend he is at a poker table and not show a reaction to not making the All-NBA teams.  You know he is good.  I know he is good.  We all know he is good.  And we all know he is a possible 50-point scorer (or 72) on any given night, will have rings galore after his tenure, and will most likely be a HOF’er when it is all said and done.
• The Rockets are blowing things up, which is strange, considering they are the team that was an injury away and two wins away this year in beating one of the better dynasties we have ever seen.  But, the side story about a Paul-Harden verbal altercation after their last loss helps everyone read between the lines a little.  Shame.  Hall & Oates.  So close, yet so far away.
• And now, D’Antoni won’t even extend his contract.  It reminds me of a poor man’s 1998 Florida Marlins move.
• So, rules are goofy.  LeBron is allowed to MEET with Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler off the court legally (why is Kawhi meeting anyone off his team during this playoff run by the way?), but Doc Rivers gets fined $50k for tampering by simply saying that Kawhi Leonard is the closest thing to MJ we have seen.  Doesn’t make sense.
• If you lost out on the Dennis Rodman Do Wrong Next pool at the yoga studio, I hope you at least collected on the worse odds “hit someone at a party” entry.
• After Game 1 of the NBA Finals, anyone else want to think that the Warriors are better off without KD?  No.  The Raptors are a position-less defense that can switch and will continue to give the Warriors all they have, barring health problems.
• I think the Warriors should use caution in using DeMarcus Cousins.  Changing dynamics and chemistry this late in the game is dangerous, especially against a worthy opponent like the Raptors.  If he easily fit into their position-less scheme, I would say yes.  But, he slows things down too much to risk it.
• I have been riding my Raptors prediction in betting for about six games now.
• But, betting is betting, and you bet on who you think will win each individual game.  I have the Warriors tonight.
• Fred VanVleet needs to have more children and soon.  Lights out since his kid was born.
• Random, useless trivia fact to tell your friends.  This is the 36^th consecutive year that some former or present teammate of Shaq’s has been in the NBA Finals.
• Ja Morant just signed with Nike, and you are not excited about what he will do in the NBA, then we are different people on this planet.  Shame about his minor knee surgery and hope it is as minor as it sounds.
• I am really hating this bad publicity about Magic Johnson, and hope this are just bitter ex-employees trying to get their Andy Warhol 15 minutes.
• Adam Silver is looking at a midseason tourney as a possible play-in for playoff spots, and it appears that he already made a trip to Denver and enjoyed some delicious psychedelic mushrooms.
• Now that they are in the Finals, we can really break down how stupid the Raptors’ nickname truly is.
• I totally forgot that Steph Curry doesn’t have an NBA Finals MVP on his resume.
• I think that Drake watched old Spike Lee videos at Knicks games and just wants to be the next him.  Love the passion.  Don’t be a hater.  He has been there since they got good.  And he is Canadian, right?
• Drake has Warriors tattoos?  He is covering them up?  While heckling opposing players and talking smack to Draymond Green, HOW is this not a bigger story?
• James and Wade already conspired to form a team to win titles since LeBron couldn’t do it on his own.  I guess it makes sense that they start the kids much earlier in conspiring and have them play together in high school.  “So adorable,” as my buddy Kyle P. used to say.
• Can we save any Anthony Davis team drama until AFTER the NBA Finals?  Thanks.
• Ron Artest is apparently in some new Showtime documentary, and I don’t know about you, but I bet THAT will be a treat to watch.  It was a treat watching him try to be normal in daily life.
• Pascal (what a cool name) Siakam is playing lights out, and teams who drafted 1-26 in 2016 are wondering WHAT the hell they were thinking.  I admit it.  I couldn’t guess the school.  I could only guess the general conference and part of the country he came out of.  New Mexico State, if you care.
• Like him or not, isn’t it SO odd not having LeBron in the NBA Finals?
• I believe that the rumors about the Knicks trading their #3 pick are just to guard them from being hated on who they select with that pick.
• Why does the NBA Finals insist on adding a day in between games in the same city?  Can we just let them do every other day like the other series?  I went to meet my buddy, Rob, and told him I had to watch NBA.  Luckily, for the night, I was wrong.

MLB

• Bill Buckner died.  It is an absolute shame that he will be remembered for his fielding error.  Truly a shame.  He was a great ballplayer overall for his career, and a heck of a guy from what we hear.  And, if he wasn’t a heck of a guy DURING his career, he would HAVE to be one AFTER his career, given that probably was all people wanted to “talk” about.  Happy trails, Bill.
• It sound like Dustin Pedroia will have a career like Tracy McGrady, but just with some titles.  I hate it when injuries derail someone’s career too early.
• “Beat girlfriend.”  “Atlantic City.”  Two bad terms when combined, Odubel Herrera. 
• The Rockies just won three of four games in WALKOFF style, and although it might be an optimistic reach considering how the Dodgers are blowing away the other teams in the division, we now can point to this past weekend as THE weekend everything turned around if they keep moving the needle.
• I have thrown money on them after the first walk-off and things are doing well with that theory.
• Unless you live on a deserted island, you know that Derek Dietrich is on FIRE recently.  What you DON’T most likely know is this.  Because of their goofy rules for balloting, Derek isn’t even ON the freaking All-Star Ballot as of right now.  He has like five other teammates on there, but MLB didn’t include him.  Their system isn’t designed for…breakout players.  They make the ballot way too early.
• Correa just fractured his ribs…let me repeat…FRACTURED HIS RIBS…while getting a…massage.  I know there is the tough love massage and the soothing one (forget their names), but that is really some tough love there.  Or maybe he went to Bob Kraft’s massage parlor.  I assume that could get dicey.
• Deadspin is doing updates on Rick Ankiel II/ Trevor Rosenthal and they are hilarious.
• I remember when the Red Sox-Yankees series would generate a little more excitement.  It seems to be in a down time recently.
• If you felt like some players you like are hitting more HR’s than usual this year, you are right.  A record 1135 HR’s were hit in May.
• Vlad, Jr.  Watch this kid play.
• The Phils just acquired Jay Bruce, and I love the pre-trade deadline AGGRESSIVE movement.  Let’s do this.  I love our pitching staff, our lineup, and let’s solidify, solidify, solidify.

NHL

• The Bruins are the better team, I think we all agree.  But, the Blues just seem to have that team of destiny, don’t they?  It reminds me of that insane run the L.A. Kings made years ago.  Plus, don’t you want to hear the odd song “Gloria” at least three more times?  I do.
• Or course I wrote that, and then they got smoked in Game 3.

MISCELLANEOUS

• Lance Armstrong says he wouldn’t change a thing about using PED’s.  Non sequitur.  WHO exactly is telling him that he is loved and that he should stand firm and not apologize?  Just own it, man.
• Ukraine beat the U.S. Men’s Under 20 team last week.  Evidently, the Ukraine is not a sitting duck, nor weak, nor feeble.
• (Seinfeld reference, folks)
• UVA won the lacrosse championship, and it is mighty good to be back where we belong.  Winning at soccer and lacrosse was just as important as winning in football, basketball, etc. when I went there.  We got the Duke losing monkey off our backs, and defeated the defending champion to win it all.  I didn’t get to see the game because I was driving back from New Mexico, so I won’t discuss specifics parts of the game, but it was nice to pull into a lunch stop and see it posted.  Wahoowa.  Way to continue a great year for UVA sports.
• Pagernaud won the Indianapolis 500, and I admit to not having a clue it was happening.  I like to watch the last 5 laps or so.
• Finland beat Canada in the Hockey Worlds, a tournament I also never have a clue that it is going on.
• The Nadal Open has started.  I think others might call it something else.  Not sure.
  • Sad to see Tiafoe (U.S. next great hope) lose so fast.
  • Sad to see Venus bow out quickly, although it is not her surface to be fair and she is getting very “tennis old” now.
  • I didn’t really care to see that Kerber lost, to be honest.
  • Wozniacki lost, meaning with Rory losing, my Brooke Shields/ Andre Agassi joke is out the window (there is proof that they always hit highs and lows at opposite times in their career-look it up).
  • Serena might be looked down on for pushing the envelope in tennis attire (again this year), but she is probably the best all-time, has a clothing line, tennis is boring in fashion, and I have no problem in her doing what she wants on the court.
  • Now Pliskova is gone.
  • Now, Serena is not only gone, but gone in straight sets.
  • The big three on the men’s side looks pretty solid overall.
  • Now Osaka is out.  She will retain her #1 ranking no matter who wins though.
• Kevin Na doesn’t win a heck of a lot on the PGA Tour, but pretty cool (and opposite of Matt Kuchar) that he promised the classic car prize to his caddie (a car fan) on the practice putting green before the final round if they won.
• Hank Haney actually said “probably some girl from Korea” when asked who he thought would win the US Open.  HOW is someone who has dealt with the famous people he has dealt with, say something THAT stupid.  Please tell me he was drunk at least.
• Rick Pitino DOES know that people smoke more across the pond, right?  Now, I get that I wouldn’t want to watch a hoops game breathing second-hand smoke, but considering his alleged wrongdoings at his last gig, I think he should just inhale and relax.
• It is not a Major, but the Memorial still would be a pretty cool thing to see Tiger make a move at on the final day.
• Cantlay won it, as a 64 in the final round doesn’t suck.  Adam Scott fails again.
• Heavyweight boxing isn’t what it was like, coverage-wise, as it was in the Tyson-Holyfield-Lewis days.  So, people won’t be able to understand that Ruiz was a 11-1 underdog against Joshua, and that was a really, really big upset.  Shame is this.  In a diluted sport, Ruiz winning doesn’t help things.  It hurts things.  We need a dominant guy and then a serious contender for people to care at all again.
• You think other sports have playoff problems?  You think the BCS was a total failure?  You are questioning how many teams get into the NHL and NBA playoffs?  Well, the National Spelling Bee just had EIGHT “winners.”  Sounds like they need a couple of tiebreakers or something.  Adorable though.  Like that chick watching the race in Seinfeld said, “you’re ALL winners!!!”

THIS AND THAT (pop culture, Fillerbuster thoughts):

• Just to let you know the hilarity of the guy I sit across from at work, Anthony, here is a snippet (yes, we track his comments).  I call him the “lifeguard” because he is basically sitting on an imaginary lifeguard stand at work, and then when a situation arise (such as any conversation about movies or shows), he blows his imaginary whistle and then comes in with the most hilarious tidbits or opinions or facts on that subject.

• There are so many people waiting to climb up and down Everest that they are using the term “traffic jams.”  Scary not only how many people are dying, but most deaths are occurring on the way DOWN.  Imagine culminating your life with the ultimate achievement and then trip on the way down.
• Wait.  There is a new Star Trek?  I was initially offended, but then realize they have to do something to combat our existence of living and dying with Star Wars going on the WHOLE time.
• Do you think, once we are in space and all, that Star Wars will still be a thing?
• If it weren’t for the stupid Ewoks, I think that Return of the Jedi could be one of the better movies out there.
• Have you seen this company Mimesys?  They were in the news on LinkedIn the other day, and they basically, to break it down simply, are the company about to go big with the Princess Leia-R2 lifelike imaging for meetings.
• In case you don’t know if you are angry or sad or happy in a day, Amazon now has a mood watch to clear things up for you.
• Facebook has removed 2.2 billion fake accounts.  I don’t even have time to go on there and update my status, let alone make a fake account.
• If you live in the Highlands area of Denver, and have a pet, and don’t want to board your pets, I highly suggest contacting the Denver Pet Sitters at 32^nd and Lowell.  Our first test was a success, and our friends are now temporarily off the hook when Lindsey and I travel.  Also, when we get a dog, we will be a long-time client.
• Adam Levine is leaving The Voice.  Sad and he loses a whole $30k for breaking the contract of the millions he makes, but he wasn’t winning a lot (NO finalists this past time) and he has to focus on his other new show…oh…and that band thing.  I hear they are pretty popular.
• Before we went out of town last week, I was the last person out of the house.  I have just enough OCD to make it take about 15 minutes for me to doublecheck all lights, locks, water, etc.
• My buddy and colleague, Cerk, lives up in Winter Park these days.  Literally, every time I am up his way or traveling somewhere, he is in Denver.  And, when I am in Denver, he is in Winter Park or traveling.  Like seven times now.  Top Gun.  Our schedules are inverted.  The bird.
• Not to dive into personal nuts and bolts, but when couples travel, how come there isn’t a travel size nice smelling spray in those travel bins?  Toothpaste, mouthwash, deodorant, shampoo…spray.  There isn’t always a restroom in the lobby.
• Apparently, Moby had to apologize for saying he dated Natalie Portman in his new book.  This is a layered problem.  He must have written it expecting no one to read it and word wouldn’t get back.  The good layer is that it has sold enough that it DID get back to her.
• Ten people shot at a neighborhood gathering.  Eleven people dead after a municipal employee went nuts.  Where does it end?  Scary that ANY situation you are in, the person next to you could be the next kamikaze…
• A shark attack made news in Maui.  Sad story, but why are we so surprised when the animal that rules their part of the world gets frisky?  You swim, and you take a chance.  It is their world and we are just passing through it.  When I am stupid and swim out too far in unchartered waters, I go with the expectation that something could clamp down on my leg.  Plus, I would consider that a cool way to die, which is most important to me.
• I have “Allstate guy Wick” written on my list and don’t really know what I meant by that, but I bet it was funny.  Must be someone in the new Wick from the Allstate commercial.
• I didn’t like the song at first when I heard it on The Voice, but now I love it.  I feel like God’s Country, by Blake Shelton, has some old school Charlie Daniels sound in it.
• This has been a few week span in just United States weather where I might be more willing to listen to those “end of the world” signs.
• Denver had a thunderstorm last week where I heard thunder at midnight, and thunder still at 4am.  That is one long thunderstorm.
• I didn’t open the article, but a man visited all 419 United States parks in honor of his dad.  What dad would want anyone to visit all 419 parks in the country?  So random.
• I am presently in a true Seinfeld joke.  Our internet is down presently.  When I called, I was given two windows as choices.  1-5pm, and 845am-715pm.  I chose the latter in case it could be earlier, but who gives the window of 845am-715pm?  That is not a window.  That is a DAY.
• (more concerned about internet for my air bnb guest than us-they are only visiting for a weekend and if it was me, I would think it totally sucks)
• In my mission to be fluent in Spanish by the time we go to Cabo on June 28^th, I am logging in about 30 minutes a day on Dualingo.  At this rate, I am going to succeed.
• Lindsey’s car broke down the other day, continuing her run of bad car stuff occurring.  Her car was right.  It gave her an alert.  It wasn’t the starter, it was the battery.  But, what I want to know is this.  If her A4 car is so smart to tell her that it is the battery, then how come it isn’t smart enough to tell her the battery is dying?  Plus, in an A4, the battery is in the trunk oddly, and when your battery dies, so does your key lock, and therefore the trunk opener.  And how come they have a battery that no normal folk can replace?  You have to take it to the shop.  Even my non-fixing self could probably have a shot at changing out a normal battery.
• This Billions season is all about Wendy, and her struggle will dictate where the show goes in the final episodes.  Based on the last show, it appears to me that Lara had good reason to be worried about Axe and Wendy, as the groundwork was laid that they have a little flame evidently.  This last episode was all about the moment.  Axe told her the moment he knew her loyalty existed and when he wanted to be on her side the rest of time.  Of course, she asked Chuck when was the moment when he knew he would marry her and he had no answer.  Chuck…you didn’t know that was the turning point?  You are a master of BS.  Just make up something.
• Are they making more Matthew M.-Lincoln commercials because they KNOW we make fun of them and hate them, or is there someone in the marketing room who actually thinks they are good?
• When Ozzy Osbourne says, after a fall, that he is not on painkillers and only CBD, I assume it is a LOT of CBD but a valiant effort at staying “natural.”
• I respect Ozzy Osbourne, but kind of hate most of his songs. 
• Kit Harrington, Jon Snow, checked into rehab right after the final shooting in Game of Thrones.  I get this.  It was painful to watch his indecisiveness for eight seasons, until the final episode, the whole series, so I get using painkillers.
• Or maybe he should have just gone over Ozzy’s house after.
• I am trying to stay up on non-sports news, but CNN makes it tough.  Five Things To Know is very sporadic or very late in its release.
• Lindsey’s sister got me a thermos for work.  I admittedly JUST started using it.  I needed one because the hole on mine is too small and I have to beat up the ice to make it smaller.  Someone misplaced the metal scoop at work, and therefore I couldn’t break up the ice.  So, I FINALLY, started using this Corkcicle thermos thing she got me.  Thing is AMAZING.  With an open top, it still has ice in it the next DAY.  I fill it with ice in the morning, and I have to add WATER, and not ice, during the day.  It is like space-age stuff.  Highly recommend (if you are like me and need ice in your water).  Thank you, Avery.
• Might as well just book the next two blog themes as Rocketman and Secret Life of Pets…top two on our movie list.
• As much as I liked the first Twenty One Pilots song I heard years ago, I have decided that their songs just sound…the same.  Chlorine sounds very repetitive.
• Rudy didn’t make our Omaha reunion.  Could be the final one.  We tried to overcome the lack of sarcasm during the pool games, but Rudy really brings the MJ element to that game.  See you in 2020 (inside joke).
• Shame about his life, but a cellmate in Milwaukee got his water turned off by the jailer and staff, he died of dehydration, and his family just got paid $6.75 million in damages.  I assume it was an expensive, fancy funeral.
• A millennial at my work said to another millennial that she needed a label maker.  I almost lost my shit.  Not because of the random conversation, but because she didn’t know she had walked into a big Seinfeld joke.  I said the words “he regifted his way into a Super Bowl sex romp,” but it went on hollow ears.
• Our new VP of Sales/Chief Revenue Officer just introduced himself to the company and he sounds like my type of dude.  Non-Italian Philly guy who is into all of the Philly sports teams, plays hoops and rugby, did stand-up comedy as a side gig, lived at the Jersey Shore, and busted out a Denver-mushroom joke in his intro.  His only downfall is that he didn’t do a comedy bit when I asked him during the Q&A.  If you show a full PPT slide of your comedy background, my feeling is that you owe us a bit.
• There are similarities between R. Kelly and Richie Incognito.  You can’t keep up with their counts, incidents, and arrests.  Pretty sure I read that Mr. Kelly did some more bad stuff, but not sure if that is new stuff or developments on old stuff.
• During our Omaha Reunion (work pod where the other two guys don’t work there anymore and one guy, Rudy, didn’t make it), Ralph and I played three hours of pool.  I lost a total of five games, and three were when I attempted bank shots on the eight ball and either scratched or made it off a ball.  Ralph said the iconic words “Historians won’t care if a loss was an 8-Ball scratch.”  God Bless that dude.  He is heading to Austin in a couple of weeks and will be missed.  Historians won’t care got fourth in the blog theme rankings.
• Losing the last game of pool against him was painful enough, but getting into an Uber who was playing Adele really was insult to injury.
• It is drivers like that that are losing Uber money in Q1 of 2019.
• I have made a realization.  Ordering everything with cream cheese on it is cool.  But, if I order pizza, and just have cream cheese IN MY HOUSE to put on it, that is more efficient and I won’t be as mad about how much they put on.
• I am not sure of LaCroix’s big competitors, but apparently they either exist or people are drinking less club soda.  Their sales are evidently in a freefall.
• An Air Force pilot just got busted for drawing a penis in the sky with his plane.  That is like a Top Gun move.  Except that he is in the Air Force and not the Navy.  I am damn proud if I am that guy.
• Our Sales Enablement guru, Maggie, always says she is SO excited to do this and how this thing is SO awesome because of this.  I feel like she reminds me of a cross between Hank from Barry and Tim Tebow.  SUCH nice guys.  SO excited to be here.
• By the time you read this, it will be too late, but you should have gone to the Chalk Art Festival in Denver.  It is really cool to see the geniuses who draw extraordinary stuff on the pavement.  You just have to hope it doesn’t rain, because that just doesn’t work very well.
• (my wife went while I wrote this-it kind of rained)
• My colleague, Hayley, is organizing birthday lunches now for all team members.  Another Seinfeld joke.  Get well, get well soon.  Too many get togethers.
• My work does “power hours” now twice a week, which I translate as “let’s focus twice a week on something that you should be doing all other hours of the week anyway.”  It is actually backfiring though.  The younger sales reps get done the “power hour” of calling, and go to a long lunch after because they are spent.  I just keep doing my job and calling people.
• A good friend of mine got engaged this week.  Travis asked Kristin.  We kind of knew this would happen, as they both saw it way ahead of time.  Travis is a Philly guy, and Kristin is someone I approached years ago at a friend’s wedding, asking for booze when the lights were out at the hotel (hence my nickname “Cooler”), and now she is happily engaged after coming to Denver.  Both are incredible people.
• Bar shootings.  School shootings.  Now, another government shooting in VA Beach.  It is downright scary that wherever you are in life, you are at a possible incident.  Really, really sad.
• So, now for this Cabo trip at the end of June, I am missing Widespread Panic, some festival with Great White, Vixen, Queensryche, and Steel Heart, and not the Top Gun showing at Red Rocks.  Insult to injury.  Top Gun is a movie at Red Rocks I once had to buy scalper tickets for.  But, I am missing my hippy part of me, my glam rock part of me, and my Top Gun part of me (because everyone should have that part of them)
• William & Graham is a treat I just discovered.  LOVE speak-easy’s.  Love walking into a paint shop or bookstore or ice cream shop with a secret door behind the paints, books, or cooler door.
• High Lonesome.  Dive bar with a pool table and now on my list of places I would agree to go to anytime.
• Hunger Games is still our compromise go-to couple movie.  Any of them.  If it is on, we are watching it (if no sports are on).
• We have cats.  We own a cat pointer.  I still feel a little rude playing the game.  I like to have closure at the end of the rude game, and have the red light go out the door or something.
• I did yardwork today, so it was a productive day.  Yesterday, the debate was this.  I looked over the yard and was thinking about what I would tackle first, and my wife says “want to go to a pool party in Golden?”  Guess what won.
• Ohana’s Grille is a place I have never heard of, but will definitely go back to.  Great view of Sloan’s Lake, and a Spam egg sandwich to die for.
• And we ended up hanging out with my buddy, Rob, for the evening.  New house to show us.  I don’t have a lot of friends, and I scared away a lot of them due to being a dumbass in my previous life, but Rob fought through it all.  I even got to see him DJ for a bit.  I always used to walk into his apartment while he was spinning, and then I would tap him on the shoulder and ask him to get me out of the video game dilemma I was in.  I am bad at video games.
• (I think I am the only person who didn’t realize that Spam was Hawaiian)
• Ralph cancelled on golf this weekend.  It would have ruined my productive day, so good all around, except that he is leaving for Austin very, very soon.  I am going to miss Two-Beer Ralph SO much.
• There is a GOT cruise ship offering?  I hope to not find out any more information on this.
• Newark recently got nominated as the worst airport in the United States.  That sounds about right.  And the city won’t be making any best city rankings any time soon either.  Makes sense their airport sucks too.
• Senor Bear in the Highlands was a place we went to a while back, and their food wasn’t great.  We have tried it twice since for brunch.  They must have changed chef’s, changed ownership, or we ordered some bad things that day, because the last two outings have been spectacular.  Highly would recommend it.
• It is really disturbing that I watch Family Guy with my wife all the time, and we have seen FOUR episodes in the last three weeks that were new to us.  We are TRYING.
• My buddy, John, texted me that he busted out “face guy” in a conversation.  Sigma Pi at UVA used that term regularly.  Sorry to cuss, but the definition of a “face guy” (we had 1-2 of them) is “you can only fuck up the hook-up by speaking.”  It means you are very good-looking.

SANTA FE/ TAOS:

My wife and I got in my car (not hers, because her A4 has had a bad two weeks), and headed south to New Mexico.  My thoughts:

• Taos and Santa Fe were fun, but know that if you don’t like art, they are cool, but if you do like art, they are off the hook.
• We are not art people really.
• If I wasn’t in love with my 4Runner before the trip, I definitely am more so now.  Handled the long trek like a champ.
• It is a flaw that I don’t have Sirius Music, or at least remembered to pack some CD’s.  Some long stretches without radio stations at ALL.  But, I think that makes it more fun.  My tolerance of bad songs levels out.
• Oddly, I had never been south of Colorado Springs before this trip.
• I see now why no one has pushed me to go to Pueblo.  Nothing to see here.
• South of Pueblo, it was beautiful driving for hours seeing a DIFFERENT range of mountains than the Rockies.
• Please just shut down I-25 fully for a week and finish the ridiculous construction that hinders you from Castle Rock to Monument.
• If you go to Taos, get there before 11pm, because I can tell you that we got there at 11pm on a Friday, and everything was closed.
• Stay at the El Pueblo if you like frisbee golf and horseshoes, and their free breakfast is worth the price of admission alone.  Not heavenly, but well above your typical free warm breakfast.
• (VERY nice horseshoe pits-thanks, Dad, for making me so good at that random sport)
• Go see old school Taos, The Pueblo, where people still live apparently, and everything is made of that mud stuff.  They use cool ladders for the second-floor places.
• My wife has a secret ability of finding Family Guy on any TV in any hotel.
• The plaza in Taos is homely and really cool.  We caught a farmer’s market and bluegrass band.
• Go to Lamberts, the fine dining place that is also open for lunch.  Great food, and sit outside on the cool patio.
• On your way out, plan a few minutes to see the Rio Grande Gorge bridge.  We have a lot of them in Colorado, but I was surprised by how flat everything was before you got to the random gorge in the earth.  Don’t wear a hat.  It will blow away.  Wind on the bridge was ridiculous.
• Go see the Earth Ships on the way out, but know you don’t have to pay.  Just go to the parking lot and you can see at least 3 of them.
• Go see art galleries in Taos and Santa Fe.  Or don’t.  They are every other door whether you go or not.
• Take the time to spend a few hours at Ojo Caliente, a quick detour and longer way between Taos and Santa Fe.  Linds and I have been to a LOT of hot springs during our tenure, and this one was the nicest.  Take extra time to mud it up.  Special pool to cover yourself in mud and lay in the sun.  I didn’t know that was a thing.  It is.  It brought back memories of Woodstock 1994, when I was a mud person.
• Enjoy the roads with no life in between all of these places.  Make sure your car is full of gas and doesn’t break down.
• Stay at the Drury Inn and Hotel in Santa Fe.  Close to the action, free soda and popcorn, free large meals served at all times, and three drinks during happy hour.  Rooms were awesome, and rooftop pool was nice (except for the wind).
• Actually, you would never leave the hotel, but then you remember you are in a new city, and should probably go look at clay and have some green chili.
• I thought New Mexico was a few high spots with sea level stuff in between.  Not the case.  Everywhere you drive, you are elevated.  I didn’t know that.  Elevations that rival CO.
• When you listen to radio in New Mexico, know this.  They must have special permissions or something.  They played the big-name present and past artists.  I felt like they played the B-side non-released songs from all of those artists.  I even heard some random Led Zeppelin song I had only heard once or twice before.
• Everything, including McDonald’s, is built in that mud and straw stuff.
• Seriously, the wind was constant.
• The town of Santa Fe is small streets and walkable.  It reminded me of a mud-built Newport, RI, without the ocean.
• We didn’t have a burger there, but the Burger Stand was a cool place in Santa Fe.  Their hashtag was #burgerstandbyme, which I find clever.  I like plays on words.
• LOTS of motorcycles there.  Not sure if that is usual, or whether they were all in town for Lita Ford and Warrant (yes, I missed that show).
• When driving in New Mexico, don’t be the person who drives around at less than a quarter tank.  Stock up while you can.
• We went to the Crow Bar, which is your standard place with some live music, a short bar, and pool table.  I recommend it.
• Then, go across the street to Evangelo’s (something like that), a great live music place.  We caught a Southern Rock band.  They played your typical classic rock stuff.  They played me some Allman Brothers, but didn’t know who Widespread Panic was.  Bummer.
• Put chili on EVERYTHING when you go to Santa Fe.
• If you like beads, you will be in a good spot there.  I am proud to say I fought off buying anything.  AND they have Native American vendors in front of the Palace of the Governors on weekend mornings.  I felt like Chris Rock in New Jack City.
• There was a festival outside of our hotel on Saturday and Sunday.  It was…an arts festival.
• We didn’t really track down a go-to brunch spot.
• Take an Uber.  Drive yourself.  But, do go to Meow Wolf.  Go when people aren’t there (early or late in day).  It is like a mini-trip without the acid.  It is a playground for children and adults.  Reserve a time, and don’t chance stand-by.  Pay the $1 extra for the 3D glasses.
• The next two stops for Meow Wolf are Denver and Las Vegas.  Vegas will be perfect for obvious reasons, and people in Denver will smoke up or do the now legal mushrooms and go in there and chill out for hours.  Love Denver.
• Go to the Palacio Café.  It felt local, is right by the Drury Inn, and the food was excellent.  They have normal sandwiches, but we went with the vibe and did Mexican.
• We didn’t go to a museum because we are not museum people, but there are about 100 of them you can go to.  Have at it.
• The Coyote Cantina was a pretty cool place.  Rooftop perch.
• The Draft Station is another cool spot to hit.
• We found a small stairwell between Palace and San Francisco that was a dive bar called The Matador.  Not on our phone maps, mind you.  Great spot.  Locals.
• You are wandering in the right place if you are on Palace or San Francisco.  Don’t forget to spend a few minutes on Waters though.
• We noticed on the way out that we missed some more underground spots.  Look closely when wandering around.
• Have a margarita with green chile in it.
• Try to find a perch to watch the sunset there.  Pretty stellar.
• We needed a good dinner, and decided to change it up and go Italian since it was last minute.  HIGHLY recommend Trattoria A Mano.  I had the carbonara.  It was the best carbonara I had ever had.  Eggs and/or cream cheese should be on every single dish.
• We never made it to Low Rider, but it was next on our list.  The dive bar interrupted that trip.
• Only downfall of Drury is the parking.  $23 a night with lots of tax in that state.
• I didn’t know they had a new casino in Santa Fe.  So, if you need to gamble, you are heading to Buffalo Thunder, the old standby, or Tesuque Casino, the new one.
• Why does all of Europe check you out with a tablet at your table, but in the States, they still have to go back to the computer?
• I successfully went to the oldest trading post in New Mexico and didn’t buy anything.  Well, we got some hot sauce.  Linds got other stuff.
• I really liked Santa Fe, but it is a little too artsy for me, and when we left, it was under the understanding that we probably wouldn’t be back.
• Stop by Cavillos for lunch in Alamosa on your way back.  GREAT lunch buffet.  Hadn’t ever heard of it, but will stop there any time in the area.
• The Sand Dunes were mind-blowing to me.  I had heard of them, but never imagined they would be so magnificent.  Kind of surreal.  Pictures don’t do it justice.  It is literally the Sahara at the foot of a snow-capped mountain.  With a creek at the foot of it.  And you can see them 30 minutes before you get to them.  Where else would you find that?  Another Colorado treasure.
• We left when the wind made us feel like we WERE in the Sahara. 
• 285 is such a pretty road.  We hit a part before Buena Vista that I hadn’t been on before.  Flat land with magical peaks capped with snow all around.  Awesome driving.
• We drove past that alien campground I had heard about.  Literally a short stretch with alien signs and a campground with devices and such to talk to the aliens.
• I didn’t have time to swing by the café in Buena Vista with my favorite cookie ever.  I have had Lindsey tell friends to get me the cookie if they drive through Buena Vista.
• During our whole trip, we noticed that no matter how small of Colorado town it was, each had at least a post office and pot store.  Love Colorado.
• Man, those curves at the end of 285 will make non-mountain drivers cringe.
• I own a truck fridge.  I haven’t installed it.  I just missed the perfect trip to use that thing.  Whoops.

TWEET OF THE WEEK:

THE BEST WORKOUT SONG EVER FOR THIS WEEK:

No change.  I am due for an update in about two weeks.

I listen to Bow Down about 10 times during every workout, with the other songs layered in here and there.

1. Bow Down-I Prevail
2. Get Up-Shinedown
3. My Name-From Ashes To New
4. Save Yourself-Breaking Benjamin
5. Aftermath-Royal Tusk
6. Defying Gravity-The Veer Union
7. Running-Creed 2 (especially now that I am shadow boxing again during workouts)
8. Tourniquet-Breaking Benjamin
9. Monsters-Shinedown
10. Not sure why I stopped at 9, but that is what I did.  My blog.  My lists.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

“Anyone can build momentum going downhill.  It is the people who build it uphill who are truly special.”

Mark Filler, during a workout the other day

“To everybody who doubted
Get on your knees and bow down”

I Prevail-Bow Down

(I have just done something over the last two years, and not saying I want people to bow down, but I did make believers that people can change dramatically.  Dramatically.  Always believe.  Always be open to change.)

“I don’t lie to myself, and I don’t hold on to a loser.” 

Billions

LINKS TO SAVE YOU TIME IN LIFE:

BY THE NUMBERS:

(still reconfiguring this-lack of time)

THIS WEEK’S LIST:

It was either going to be a list of “moments,” given the Billions episode last week, but that takes a lot of time I don’t have to create.  So, instead, since I am missing Widespread Panic at Red Rocks for Cabo, let’s do, off the cuff, my favorite ten or fifteen Widespread Panic songs.

1. Pilgrims
2. Porch Song
3. Hatfield
4. Steven’s Ca