Sunday, May 18, 2008
THIS IS PROBABLY SOMEWHAT POLITICALLY INCORRECT, BUT...
Alfonso Soriano of the Chicago Cubs is a fine baseball player. Lately he's been on a tear, which the Cubs needed, badly. He's been carrying the team lately.
Good for him.
But I just saw him interviewed on WGN before today's Cubs game, and people, Alfonso Soriano is the 21st century version of "Chico Escuela."
For those of you who don't remember Chico, he was a character developed by Garret Morris on Saturday Night Live about the time the Alfonso was two, so he obviously comes by this honestly. But the fact that Soriano clearly does not consider English his first language becomes obvious quickly.
And like Chico, whose catch phrase was "Beisbol bin berry berry good to me," Alfonso was stuck answering admittedly time-filling questions with answers like:
"No question. When you swing at de strikes and don't swing at the balls, you got berry good chance of getting on base."
This is funnier when you consider that one of his companions in the outfield every day is a guy named Kosuke Fukudome. You have to wonder what the between-batter chatter sounds like out there.
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This past week, I was able to spend some time with an old Wisconsin junior high and high school schoolmate of mine, Chris Tenaglia, and his wife Carol and daughter Tiffany. Chris was here for some training classes that his company sprung for, so he brought the family along. We met for dinner on Mothers Day at La Casa Vieja -- very good and nicely priced, I must say. Then I met up with them again on Tuesday night when they showed up to watch me play at an open mic.
Daughter Tiffany is quite an artist, and she drew a quick sketch of most of the player that evening. I'll have to scan mine and get it up here in the next few days.
Anyway, here are some pics, in no particular order (I think you can figure it out): Me and Chris, Carol and my wife Jan, my boys, Adam and Brendan, with Tiff. If you print all the pics and cut them into threes, you can make a set of those silly cards we all had as kids where you put one person's head on another torso, etc...
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Jan returns tonight from what I'm assuming is another successful trip to Sebastopol with her troupe for Tribal Fest.
Good thing, too. Five days without my wife is enough.
------
Spent a pleasant evening last night at Alwun House. I caught Kara Kay's last gig in town on her western tour (she and bandmate Daniel Albertini -- DAMN that guy can play -- are headed to Telemagica in Jacumba, CA this week). I've known Kara now for 10 years and if it's creative, I don't think she CAN'T do it. Remarkable songwriter, incredible dancer, poet, model, you name it.
Drive safe, you guys!
TT
Alfonso Soriano of the Chicago Cubs is a fine baseball player. Lately he's been on a tear, which the Cubs needed, badly. He's been carrying the team lately.
Good for him.
But I just saw him interviewed on WGN before today's Cubs game, and people, Alfonso Soriano is the 21st century version of "Chico Escuela."
For those of you who don't remember Chico, he was a character developed by Garret Morris on Saturday Night Live about the time the Alfonso was two, so he obviously comes by this honestly. But the fact that Soriano clearly does not consider English his first language becomes obvious quickly.
And like Chico, whose catch phrase was "Beisbol bin berry berry good to me," Alfonso was stuck answering admittedly time-filling questions with answers like:
"No question. When you swing at de strikes and don't swing at the balls, you got berry good chance of getting on base."
This is funnier when you consider that one of his companions in the outfield every day is a guy named Kosuke Fukudome. You have to wonder what the between-batter chatter sounds like out there.
------
This past week, I was able to spend some time with an old Wisconsin junior high and high school schoolmate of mine, Chris Tenaglia, and his wife Carol and daughter Tiffany. Chris was here for some training classes that his company sprung for, so he brought the family along. We met for dinner on Mothers Day at La Casa Vieja -- very good and nicely priced, I must say. Then I met up with them again on Tuesday night when they showed up to watch me play at an open mic.
Daughter Tiffany is quite an artist, and she drew a quick sketch of most of the player that evening. I'll have to scan mine and get it up here in the next few days.
Anyway, here are some pics, in no particular order (I think you can figure it out): Me and Chris, Carol and my wife Jan, my boys, Adam and Brendan, with Tiff. If you print all the pics and cut them into threes, you can make a set of those silly cards we all had as kids where you put one person's head on another torso, etc...
------
Jan returns tonight from what I'm assuming is another successful trip to Sebastopol with her troupe for Tribal Fest.
Good thing, too. Five days without my wife is enough.
------
Spent a pleasant evening last night at Alwun House. I caught Kara Kay's last gig in town on her western tour (she and bandmate Daniel Albertini -- DAMN that guy can play -- are headed to Telemagica in Jacumba, CA this week). I've known Kara now for 10 years and if it's creative, I don't think she CAN'T do it. Remarkable songwriter, incredible dancer, poet, model, you name it.
Drive safe, you guys!
TT
Friday, May 09, 2008
FRIDAY MUSINGS...
Actually overheard in a Yoshi's Japanese restaurant:
"UNO YAKISOBA!!!"
It struck me as funny.
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If you remember Cracked magazine you probably remember it as the weak sister to MAD. Well, Cracked has gone online and it now resembles something closer to the National Lampoon. (Not quite though.)
Anyway, this made me laugh: It's a column about words and phrases that Shakespeare apparently made up.
http://www.cracked.com/article_15859_10-words-phrases-you-wont-believe-shakespeare-invented.html
The author's "translations" are a riot.
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My wife is getting ready to go to northern California with her troupe for their annual trip to this big tribal bellydance fiesta that I can NEVER REMEMBER THE NAME OF. I think it's Tribal Fest. If you're in or near Sebastopol, California next week between Tuesday and Saturday, stop by Tribal Fest and surprise the shit out of Jan. You can't miss her; she's the one dressed like a tribal bellydancer...
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When the D-backs play the Cubs, like they are this weekend, I don't care who wins. All is good with the world. At least in baseball.
------
Who's letting gasoline get so expensive? Stop it!
TT
Actually overheard in a Yoshi's Japanese restaurant:
"UNO YAKISOBA!!!"
It struck me as funny.
------
If you remember Cracked magazine you probably remember it as the weak sister to MAD. Well, Cracked has gone online and it now resembles something closer to the National Lampoon. (Not quite though.)
Anyway, this made me laugh: It's a column about words and phrases that Shakespeare apparently made up.
http://www.cracked.com/article_15859_10-words-phrases-you-wont-believe-shakespeare-invented.html
The author's "translations" are a riot.
------
My wife is getting ready to go to northern California with her troupe for their annual trip to this big tribal bellydance fiesta that I can NEVER REMEMBER THE NAME OF. I think it's Tribal Fest. If you're in or near Sebastopol, California next week between Tuesday and Saturday, stop by Tribal Fest and surprise the shit out of Jan. You can't miss her; she's the one dressed like a tribal bellydancer...
------
When the D-backs play the Cubs, like they are this weekend, I don't care who wins. All is good with the world. At least in baseball.
------
Who's letting gasoline get so expensive? Stop it!
TT
Thursday, May 08, 2008
FORGET ABOUT OBAMA'S WHACK JOB PREACHER...
Why is nobody coming down on McCain for associating himself with this guy, who can't tell the diff between Islam, the religion, and Muslim terrorists?
Funny, but I don't remember ANY of the founding fathers having a problem with Islam...or even knowing or caring much about it.
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If you're looking for something to do on Tuesday nights, check out the open mic at the BEAUTIFUL Grand Avenue Tavern at 24th Drive and Grand. Just look for the big metal sign or the even BIGGER poster that quietly and unassumingly states that RENEE BOUGHT THE GRAND!
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Jan and I went down to the Grand on Tuesday and we had fun. Not too many players showed up so we all ended up jamming at the end of the night -- mostly old fart songs, 'cause that's what we are. We sounded pretty good!
TT
Why is nobody coming down on McCain for associating himself with this guy, who can't tell the diff between Islam, the religion, and Muslim terrorists?
Funny, but I don't remember ANY of the founding fathers having a problem with Islam...or even knowing or caring much about it.
------
If you're looking for something to do on Tuesday nights, check out the open mic at the BEAUTIFUL Grand Avenue Tavern at 24th Drive and Grand. Just look for the big metal sign or the even BIGGER poster that quietly and unassumingly states that RENEE BOUGHT THE GRAND!
------
Jan and I went down to the Grand on Tuesday and we had fun. Not too many players showed up so we all ended up jamming at the end of the night -- mostly old fart songs, 'cause that's what we are. We sounded pretty good!
TT
Sunday, May 04, 2008
SHAMELESS ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT
Tickets are now available for this year's first installment of Romantasy Cabaret, which played so often and so well at the Paper Heart last year. Well, the Heart went to see Jesus so this year, the show will be at the SETS, a bar at Southern and Mill in Tempe.
Here's the blurb for it (my wife designed it! Neat, huh?):
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I was the volunteer at Fidds last night and wound up playing a set when the third act didn't show up. Highlight of the night was my old friend Kara Kay, who came through town with an amazing guitar player in tow named Daniel. Good stuff.
TT
Tickets are now available for this year's first installment of Romantasy Cabaret, which played so often and so well at the Paper Heart last year. Well, the Heart went to see Jesus so this year, the show will be at the SETS, a bar at Southern and Mill in Tempe.
Here's the blurb for it (my wife designed it! Neat, huh?):
------
I was the volunteer at Fidds last night and wound up playing a set when the third act didn't show up. Highlight of the night was my old friend Kara Kay, who came through town with an amazing guitar player in tow named Daniel. Good stuff.
TT
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
JUST BECAUSE IT'S AN ELECTION YEAR...
...I decided to pull this photo out. That's me on the top right. No, I'm not holding an apple; that's an old Kodak Brownie camera that my mom gave me to take pictures while I was on this trip. I think she was hoping I'd lose it. I didn't. But it didn't take very good photos. I don't think that either I or my mom has any of them from the trip anymore.
One of the highlights of this trip was when our tour bus passed the Watergate Hotel, which at the time was JUST BECOMING SOMETHING. I remember the bus driver pointing it out and saying (in all sincerity) that it was the hotel "that's getting some headlines recently." Little did he know.
What's really scary about this picture is that after 35 years I can still name most of the people in it. (Come to think of it, I remember that the driver of our tour bus was named C.D. Ragsdale. It's hard to forget a name like that!) Two of the three adults are teachers who were nuts enough to accompany 30 ninth graders from Brookfield, WI to Washington, D.C. for spring break, a Miss Carpenter and Mr. Paul Pelnar, who was my history teacher that year. The other guy who looks like Nixon was our representative at the time, Glenn Davis.
Okay, I'm gonna try and tell you who most of these people are, so if you Google yourself and end up here, send me a note and tell me that you found the picture! (My e-mail is ttuerff@aol.com) If you click on the picture it gets big, by the way...
THE GUYS: Unknown (He was a senior who missed out on a previous trip), Pete Pintar, Tim Philosophos, Jim Gunst, Mike "Bud" Geracie (yes, THAT Bud Geracie, renowned sports columnist for the San Jose Mercury News), Steve Sonderman, Steve Schumacher, Tim Peters, Dwayne Wagenknecht, Bob McLaughlin and me!
THE GIRLS (in descending rows): Mary Sandstrom, Missy Jeske, Kathy Lassack, Cathy Clancy, ?,?,?, Laurie Wrobbel, Darcy Wendorf, Sue Teeter, Bonnie Mundt, Sue Galli, Ann Miller, Laura Jenzake, Donna Torreano, Ann Baker, ?, ?, ?, Mary Sullivan.
Not bad -- 23 out of 30!
------
I played a gig last weekend at the SETS in Tempe and made a new low in paid gig money; $5.
Do I even have to report that on my taxes?
TT
...I decided to pull this photo out. That's me on the top right. No, I'm not holding an apple; that's an old Kodak Brownie camera that my mom gave me to take pictures while I was on this trip. I think she was hoping I'd lose it. I didn't. But it didn't take very good photos. I don't think that either I or my mom has any of them from the trip anymore.
One of the highlights of this trip was when our tour bus passed the Watergate Hotel, which at the time was JUST BECOMING SOMETHING. I remember the bus driver pointing it out and saying (in all sincerity) that it was the hotel "that's getting some headlines recently." Little did he know.
What's really scary about this picture is that after 35 years I can still name most of the people in it. (Come to think of it, I remember that the driver of our tour bus was named C.D. Ragsdale. It's hard to forget a name like that!) Two of the three adults are teachers who were nuts enough to accompany 30 ninth graders from Brookfield, WI to Washington, D.C. for spring break, a Miss Carpenter and Mr. Paul Pelnar, who was my history teacher that year. The other guy who looks like Nixon was our representative at the time, Glenn Davis.
Okay, I'm gonna try and tell you who most of these people are, so if you Google yourself and end up here, send me a note and tell me that you found the picture! (My e-mail is ttuerff@aol.com) If you click on the picture it gets big, by the way...
THE GUYS: Unknown (He was a senior who missed out on a previous trip), Pete Pintar, Tim Philosophos, Jim Gunst, Mike "Bud" Geracie (yes, THAT Bud Geracie, renowned sports columnist for the San Jose Mercury News), Steve Sonderman, Steve Schumacher, Tim Peters, Dwayne Wagenknecht, Bob McLaughlin and me!
THE GIRLS (in descending rows): Mary Sandstrom, Missy Jeske, Kathy Lassack, Cathy Clancy, ?,?,?, Laurie Wrobbel, Darcy Wendorf, Sue Teeter, Bonnie Mundt, Sue Galli, Ann Miller, Laura Jenzake, Donna Torreano, Ann Baker, ?, ?, ?, Mary Sullivan.
Not bad -- 23 out of 30!
------
I played a gig last weekend at the SETS in Tempe and made a new low in paid gig money; $5.
Do I even have to report that on my taxes?
TT
Thursday, April 17, 2008
OBSERVATIONS
Last night after the Suns game, Amare Stoudemire was interviewed. He looks like he has his face finely chiseled. I bet he gets shaved with a straight razor. Hats off to his barber.
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My wife's troupe is selling advance tickets for their debut of Romantasy Cabaret at the Sets in Tempe on June 7. You'll save money if you buy tickets now: http://trashcityentertainment.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=29&osCsid=600413774204d7eaba754b27b59344fa
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Speaking of the Sets, I'm playing there a week from Sunday with a few other acts starting at 6:30. You can buy tickets from ME for that and save yourself $2.
Call me!
TT
Last night after the Suns game, Amare Stoudemire was interviewed. He looks like he has his face finely chiseled. I bet he gets shaved with a straight razor. Hats off to his barber.
------
My wife's troupe is selling advance tickets for their debut of Romantasy Cabaret at the Sets in Tempe on June 7. You'll save money if you buy tickets now: http://trashcityentertainment.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=29&osCsid=600413774204d7eaba754b27b59344fa
------
Speaking of the Sets, I'm playing there a week from Sunday with a few other acts starting at 6:30. You can buy tickets from ME for that and save yourself $2.
Call me!
TT
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
WHEN I AM KING:
- I will absolutely FORBID, on pain of death, any professional athlete from recording a local radio commercial without first learning how to read like an announcer.
I'msosickofhearingradiocommercialsthatsoundlikethisbecausenobodyhastheballstotellaguywho'salreadymaking20,000,000dollarsasecondthathesoundsboringandrushedandnobody'sgoingtobelievehimmuchlessevenrememberwhatthefuckhe'stalkingaboutohGODthispissesmeofftonoend...
- There will be no more reality TV "contests." Your king (me) has determined that this stuff is bad for you. If you won't stop watching it voluntarily, I will force it upon you for your own good.
- Phoenix will have clothing optional parks and pools. If a guy can walk around shirtless with tits, women should be able to do it, too. (This is already legal in New York state, where you only really WANT to be topless about three months out of the year.)
- Your king will legalize marijuana, even though your king has never smoked it. I will then tax the shit out of it and we'll all be happy because your king will use the proceeds to balance the budget, set up clothing-optional parks, make TV better and pursue athletes posing as announcers.
Your king has spoken. Peel me a grape.
TT
- I will absolutely FORBID, on pain of death, any professional athlete from recording a local radio commercial without first learning how to read like an announcer.
I'msosickofhearingradiocommercialsthatsoundlikethisbecausenobodyhastheballstotellaguywho'salreadymaking20,000,000dollarsasecondthathesoundsboringandrushedandnobody'sgoingtobelievehimmuchlessevenrememberwhatthefuckhe'stalkingaboutohGODthispissesmeofftonoend...
- There will be no more reality TV "contests." Your king (me) has determined that this stuff is bad for you. If you won't stop watching it voluntarily, I will force it upon you for your own good.
- Phoenix will have clothing optional parks and pools. If a guy can walk around shirtless with tits, women should be able to do it, too. (This is already legal in New York state, where you only really WANT to be topless about three months out of the year.)
- Your king will legalize marijuana, even though your king has never smoked it. I will then tax the shit out of it and we'll all be happy because your king will use the proceeds to balance the budget, set up clothing-optional parks, make TV better and pursue athletes posing as announcers.
Your king has spoken. Peel me a grape.
TT
