Music misc.

Mick and stubs
Originally uploaded by busterp.

My Christmas shopping is almost done. I hate Christmas shopping. The only good thing is when I buy gift certificates at Circuit City I usually get myself a CD. This time I got the new White Stripes with Walking with a Ghost on it. Excellent cover of a fairly new Tegan and Sara song.

Instead of an amusing shopping anecdote, (Mainly since nothing noteworthy happens when I shop; I go in stores and spend money - period) why not something about music? Just watched Big Fish. Feel wordy for some reason.

Here's a picture of some of my rock related stuff I've saved over the years. Old ticket stubs, magazines, etc. Mick without wrinkles. Can't believe the prices in those days. A concert 6.00 to 15.00 dollars? You could afford to go to one almost every night. For a few years we almost did.

Majestic Hills (ski hill) - Lake Geneva Wis. had live music two or three times a week. Groups like the Who (pre Tommy), Mountain, Beach Boys, Guess Who, Deep Purple, Youngbloods, Cheap Trick, Jethro Tull, Eric Burton and the Animals, and whomever else was popular in those days. Unfortunately I didn't save any ticket stubs in those days. I only have my membership card with my name and address carefully filled in. It was pretty much out in the sticks so we also were able to get away with underage drinking in the parking lot. Single beers sold out a trunk went for a buck. The other drink of choice was Ripple. Do they even make that anymore?

I still add to my collection but at a much slower rate. Maybe one or two stubs a year.

Now, Alpine Valley north of Lake Geneva is the place to go. It's near by and they pull in major acts. Last summer (2004) I won two tickets (from WXRT) to see the remaining Grateful Dead. A meet and greet and then seats ON STAGE. I brought Clint. We sat / stood just on the other side of the wall of speakers - about 20 feet from the band. I took some pictures but most of them were too dark.

Alpine seating is mostly going up the slope of a big hill. (it's another ski place) It was cool looking out at 30,000 people as the sun slowly set. Beautiful place. Sad that a lot of people remember it as the place Stevie Ray Vaughan died in a helicopter crash.

Bent.

Bent
Originally uploaded by busterp.

Nice picture of a barn twisted around a silo.

I desperately needed to get past my last picture. A Seinfield. Anyway, keep posting and the old ones will eventually disappear off the page. Kind of like keeping talking after saying something stupid. Eventually no one will notice or remember it.

Thanksgiving totally uneventful. Lots of good food and drinks. My cheese and crackers were as usual a hit and a good tradeoff for all the leftovers I brought home.

Got the icicle lights out. It's going to be warm this weekend. I hate starting to decorate for christmas so early but would rather do it now compared with freezing my flesh to the old Arrow T50 later. That part of my plan was working; until until I found 4 out of 5 strings of light didn't work. Damn. Do I risk a sunday trip to Menards for ten dollars worth of lights this black shopping weekend? With all the crazy shoppers out this weekend? Or do I put it off? I don't even know myself.

Happy holidays. In fact, screw that. Merry Christmas instead.

I live for January 2nd.

Miss the light.

Yes, this is a dismal picture, but it conveys the moment.
Originally uploaded by busterp.

Come home from work. Make a drink. Put the 500 watt workbench light in the lawn chair. Get the softball and bat.

Hit softballs into the yard for Cubbie. It's much brighter than it looks from here.

How long is it till spring again?

Fall flower.

Fall flower
Originally uploaded by busterp.

Happy birthday Leah!!

One of my favorite nieces. Nice party. Bears won, Packers improbably won too as did the Lions and Vikings. Yes, my picks sucked. Got 2 of 4 right.

It also was one of the last nice days of fall. All the leaves so carefully piled along the street on saturday were blown back into everyone's yards on sunday. What a waste of time!

Personally, I don't rake because my neighbor has a leaf vacuum. He always ends up doing my yard - because if he didn't my leaves would eventually blow into his yard.

Stick figures in peril.

Park
Originally uploaded by busterp.

Woodstock city park. Nice fall day. Nothing special. Lunch hour.

I thought I would take a couple of pictures of the ducks and trees and pond. I also took a picture of this no swimming sign. Once again, just an ordinary picture.

Later browsing around in Flickr, I found a group to put this picture in:

Stick figures in peril

Perfect. Plus, there are many funny and strange pictures from all over the world.

Forest through the trees.

Forest through the trees
Originally uploaded by busterp.

Sunday cruise into Wisconsin.

Once you hit the state line, Illinois' flatland turns into a hilly countryside. I went out about 3:00 after it stopped raining and the sun came out.

Window - back of garage.

Window
Originally uploaded by busterp.

Fall back. I lose an hour of sunlight.

After getting home from work I turn on the radio in the garage and stick a lamp up to the window so I can better see the softballs I'll be hitting for Amy's chocolate lab - Cubbie. Usually lasts about 1/2 hour, 45 minutes.

I celebrate the first day of winter knowing each day from then on will start getting longer. But even then it is a couple of months before it benefits me enough that I don't need extra lights.

Halloween.

Amy 3
Originally uploaded by busterp.

little red riding hood.

One of Amy's favorite holidays. No, that's not her real hair. That's Alias hair.

Dye singles in the winning run.

Thanks to Chicago Tribune.

Series MVP Jermaine Dye singled home the only run of the game in the 8th inning. This gave the Sox a 1 to 0 lead. That run held up leading to a 4 - 0 sweep of Houston and the World Series!!

Uribe comes thru in 9th.

Juan Uribe catches foul in 9th. (Chicago Tribune)

Good defense. Uribe also made the last play of the game, throwing out Orlando Palmeiro at first on a very close play.

World Series Champs - White Sox 2005!!

World Series Champs 2005!! (Chicago Tribune)

Congrats.

Game 3 of World Series. Win 7 - 5!!

14th inning. Chicago Tribune.

Geoff Blum, in his first Series at-bat, hit a home run off reliever Ezequiel Astacio with two out in the 14th inning to vault the Sox a 7-5 victory before a stunned sellout crowd of 42,848 fans at Minute Maid Park.

Also, might I add it was a little after 1:00 AM? And he was one of the few players left on the bench? Records were set for length of time (5 hr. 41 minutes) , innings (14), players (43), pitchers (17) and (though not kept by major league baseball) the number of times Houston should have scored and won. Losers. Scrap Iron is pissed.

It's starting to seem like it's our year, but as a dual Chicago team fan (Cubs) I don't want to jinx anything. So, one more to go.

Geoff Blum homers in 14th inning.

Geoff Blum homers in 14th. Chicago Tribune.

Blum, who was acquired in a July 31 deadline deal with San Diego, had hit only one home run in 95 regular-season at-bats with the Sox and had batted only once in the post-season before lining a 2-0 pitch over the right field fence.

"It's been a blessing and an interesting year," Blum said. "I had about 100 of these at-bats in my backyard with my brother."

Lucky guy. Free drinks anywhere on the south side for the rest of his life.

Windmill and sheds.

Windmill and sheds.
Originally uploaded by busterp.

World series going on but you still need to shop. Saturday on the way to the grocery store in Wis.

Sox win with homers!!

Grand slam in 7th. Chicago Tribune.

Paul Konerko comes thru in 7th to give the Sox a 6 to 4 lead. After a shaky outing by Jenks and having the game tied, this homer was followed up by one from Scott Podsednik in the bottom of the ninth. One grand slam and one walk off!! Most dramatic. Chicago is doing it right!

Leading best of seven series 2 to 0.

Walk off wins Game 2!!

Scott Podsednik homers. Chicago Tribune.

First the White Sox needed a grand slam from Paul Konerko to pull ahead in the 7th inning. Then after the score went back to a tie, Podsednik hit his second homer of the post season in the bottom of the 9th to win game 2.

Go Sox!!

Game 1 of World Series. Sox 5 -3 winners.

Closing pitcher Bobby Jenks celebrates after defeating the Houston Astros in Game 1.(Getty photo by Jed Jacobsohn)Posted October 22, 2005 (Chicago Tribune)

Playground on Sunday.

Playground.
Originally uploaded by busterp.

Lets play.




-- from Lazy B - (?)

Mirrors Lazy B's picture. One from Spain and one from a northern Illinois park. His is nicer. Anyway, I'm still thinking baseball. Let's play - Houston up next on Saturday.

golden idyll.

golden idyll
Originally uploaded by Liisa.

Fall is here.
Thanks Liisa from Flickr. Baseball is taking a break (for the White Sox). I needed a pretty fall picture. Done.

This fall has been warmer than normal. The trees in Northern Illinois / Southern Wisconsin are just starting to change. I plan on trying to take some of my own pictures this weekend. Of course, the projected weather is much cooler and rainy. Which will suck the colors out of the pictures and knock down most of the leaves. I'll try to be optimistic.

White Sox winners 6 - 3!!

Any doubts? American League Champs 2005. Chicago Tribune.

Fourth complete game in a row. This time Joe Crede get offensive honors. Paul Konerco gets MVP. (His stats almost the same a Crede's.) A.J. get into another controversy running to first base. (Missed tag. Again.) World Series starts Saturday.

One more to go.

Thanks as usual to the Chicago Tribune.

Led by the pitching of Freddy Garcia and the timely hitting of Paul Konerko, Carl Everett and Joe Crede, the Sox cruised to a 8-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels in Game 4 of the American League. (tribune)

I couldn't say it any better. It's strange having a Chicago baseball team STILL in the playoffs. Keep it up!!

Jon Garland - complete game. 5 -2 win!!

White Sox Paul Konerko is greeted at the plate by teammates Jermaine Dye and Carl Everett after Konerko's two-run home run in the first inning.(Tribune family photo by Gina Ferazzi)Posted October 14, 2005.

Sox scored early to take the crowd and home field advantage away. Another complete game by the Sox pitching staff. They are starting to look like they did at the beginning of the season. Sox lead series 2 to 1.

White Sox bounce by Angels 2 -1.

A.J. Pierzynski's dropped-third-strike that led to the winning run.
(Tribune photo by Scott Strazzante) October 12, 2005

Bizarre but we'll take it. Breaks go both ways. The ball probably didn't hit the ground but it was smart base running by A.J. I've heard many different versions and one is that the home umpire signaled the third strike but not the third out. Meaning he, (the umpire), thought it might have hit the ground. Luckily the third base umpire wasn't on top of the play. Whatever, one stolen base and a double later the series was tied 1 to 1.

By the way, we lost game one 3 to 2. Couldn't execute a sacrifice bunt (a little like the north side neighbors, the Cubs.) Anyway, game three is on Friday from the west coast.

Yankees lose.

Too bad big spenders.

I hate the Yankees. 200+ million payroll. Watch the rest of the playoffs and World Series on TV you losers.


Letterman's top 10 list via Chicago Sun Times:

• The ''Late Show With David Letterman'' top 10 list of New York Yankees excuses for losing their American League Division Series to the Angels:
• 10. Angels have developed a secret pitch that curves.
• 9. Players left logy by clubhouse paella.
• 8. Aren't used to rat-free outfield.
• 7. Average player age is 52.
• 6 . Didn't know if they were playing California Angels, Anaheim Angels or Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
• 5. Acid reflux.
• 4. How are you supposed to field a competitive team on $200 million?
• 3. Due to typo in latest memo, Steinbrenner demanded players give 10 percent.
• 2. Giambi lost his lucky syringe.
• 1. Who can concentrate on baseball when hockey is back?
  
  
  

Beautiful Sunday afternoon.

Sunday was too nice for watching football.

Sox are waiting to find out their next opponent and the Bears lost again. They're rebuilding a year after rebuilding.

My nephew Alex played today and his team won. Stateline Raiders are in the playoffs!!! I heard he played an excellent game. I should have gone to that game. Damn.

Instead I mowed the lawn, did Cubbie yard cleanup, laundry, NPR and read a little Lucas Davenport.

I had played golf in Richmond Illinois a couple months ago. There was this great looking old bridge on one of the last holes. I saw there was a park in the background and thought I could get a picture of it later from that park. Today I took a road trip and found the park but there was no access to a picture. In fact for a beautiful fall day, there was no one in the park. Anyway, I took a picture of this bridge instead.

White Sox finish off Red Sox 5 - 3!!

Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez strikes out Johnny Damon with bases loaded to end the 6th inning. (Chicago Tribune)

Thanks to tv network favoritism towards the Yankees, this series ending game featuring last year's World Series winner and a surprizing White Sox team was scheduled to start during a friday afternoon. A work day.

As luck would have it, I was able to pick up the game in the 6th inning on the ride home. Of course by then the Red Sox had loaded the bases with no outs against an aging pitcher and all was going to fall apart. (I'm a Cubs fan too and way too pessimistic). Guess what. The White Sox got out of the inning and actually won the game. Amazing!! Swept the Red Sox 3 - 0.

White Sox win 5 - 4!!

Thanks Chicago Tribune.

Three run homer by Tadahito Iguchi.

Shades of Bill Buckner: Ex-White Sox Tony Graffanino made a costly one-out error opening the gates for a five run fifth inning. Final, 5 - 4.

2 - 0 in best of five divisional series.

Sox win 14 - 2!!

A.J. hitting first (3 run) of two homers. (Chicago Tribune - thanks).

10-4-2005. Perfect start to the playoffs. Only bad thing - the game
wasn't on in prime time. 3:00 afternoon start. Damn Fox. They love the Yankees.

Anyway, the Sox showed some power with five home runs:
Paul Konerko
Scott Podsednik,
A.J. Pierzynski (2)
Juan Uribe.

1 - 0 in the best of 5 division series. Go White Sox!

White Sox win AL Central - 2005.

Picture from Chicago Trib. Sox win 2005 A.L.Central Division!!

Congrats. It was scary for a while. Next up Boston or Yankees.

Finn Gabriel.

Nice name. (I'm sure I'll have a picture later. He'll send lots of pictures.)

My best friend from years ago stopped by (from Seattle). Gary. Traveling without Nancy. Anyway, this is his third or fourth grandkid. Finn Gabriel. Strange name but I like it.

Names might be strange at first but they eventually fit the person. This is Tracy's. I remember her singing "It's only rock and roll but I like it" years ago. A very young Tracy.

Bears and Packers. Six games this season. I am 0 - 6 picking them.

White Sox choking but will probably survive. Them vs Indians and Boston, Yankees should good baseball this weekend though I usually don't watch baseball games because they don't mean anything. Is that ironic?

TV: Taped Arrested Development. Again. I haven't seen it this season. Should be on Sunday. Watched Prison Break. Like it. Watched tape of D. Housewives. Like it - though I always did. Looking forward to G. Girls tomorrow. Will tape House and split time between Supernatural and Amazing Race. Skipping woman President show. Might have been good but too bad. I've made my decision. Sorry Geena. You're too smart to be President anyway.

Time to watch the end of Monday Night Football. Missed that pick too. Anyway, I needed to post something using that totally unique name. Finn Gabriel. Have to Google it sometime.

House is back.

house
Originally uploaded by monkeyc.net.

Tuesday on TV. House was even better this week than last week's premiere. Emotional show. He's such a suffering soul.

The Gilmores were in a sort of bizarro world with their relationships.

Not bragging but my prediction JD won Rockstar INXS. For final songs, Mig did Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody", JD sang the Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and Marty finished with Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here." I like all those songs. Much different compared to the drivel A.I. has their contestants sing.

To top it off, I still have Bones and Supernatural on tape. I don't know what I'm going to do when Amazing Race starts. ???? Get another VCR? Maybe watch less? Bones would be the first one dropped. Time will tell - maybe low ratings for some of these shows will make the decision for me.

Garage and glories.

Garage and glories
Originally uploaded by busterp.

Beautiful and the white background adds to it.


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