No Name for Now

The Charlotte 500, Laps 87 - 90: Of Beef & Buns

2012-01-22T23:21:00.001-06:00

My favorite way of exploring my adopted hometown is working my way through the various "best of" lists that appear in newspapers and on the internet. The Charlotte Observer runs a food related Sweet 16 every year during March Madness. Sixteen restaurants known for a specific food item - wings, pizza, burgers, fries - are selected for the competition, and the field is narrowed weekly by on line voting until a winner is crowned the Best of Charlotte. In 2011, the competition was all about burgers, divided between old school and new school. In the end, the two schools of burger proved to be so vastly different the Observer opted to crown co-champs. Before I turn the intro into a post of its own....

Lap 87: Brooks' Sandwich House (2710 N Brevard St, just off North Davidson, NoDa) was the winner of the old school bracket of the Observer's burger challenge. Brooks' isn't much to look at - a dirty old shack, with a semi trailer parked (abandoned?) in back, and a large gravel lot in an old neighborhood...you don't go to Brooks' because you happen to be driving by, you have to know it's there. I expected something great, but left decidedly disappointed in the food. I had the cheeseburger "all the way" (because that's what you're supposed to get at Brooks'), the classic Carolina style. I was lucky enough to visit Brooks' Sandwich House on a gorgeously sunny and warm November day with a great friend who happens to have a truck with a tailgate, which proved an ideal place to eat our burgers and fries while naming the biting flies that attempted to impose themselves on our meal - that made the experience one of the happiest days I've had in a long time. The tailgate was also perfectly suited for people watching the diverse group of patrons that came to Brooks' for lunch. Due to the glowing reviews of Brooks' I will definitely return to see if my burger let-down was a fluke.

Lap 88: The Liberty (1812 South Blvd, South End) was the new school burger champ, a decision hard to argue. While there are other reasons to visit the Liberty - great food and a fine beer list among them - the burger is truly delicious. Nice and meaty, wonderfully juicy without being greasy...well worth a taste or two. Or three. The blue cheese potato chips are also outstanding.

Lap 89: Zack's Hamburgers (4009 South Blvd, at Scaleybark) is what McDonalds claims to be: simple, old fashioned burgers and fries. Order the Zack's Special - two beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a toasted bun (has a familiar ring, doesn't it?) served with fries - and you won't be disappointed. I can't wait to go back!

Lap 90: Pinky's Westside Grill (1600 W Morehead St) serves up a fun mix of burgers with an unusual variety of toppings, including hummus, sauerkraut, and artichokes. One of the more interesting burgers is the Ding Dong style burger which is topped with crunchy peanut butter, honey-cilantro slaw, and hot sriracha sauce. Mine was a tad dry (virtually mandated by state law) but the flavors were wonderful. The fried pickle chips are a nice warm up for the burger. If nothing else, it's a fun trip just to see the patriotic Volkswagen on the roof.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 86: Lift Off - The Overlook

2012-01-17T23:29:00.004-06:00

Airplanes taking off. Yes, that seems a good way to get the 500 soaring again.

Charlotte-Douglas International Airport is one of the few airports in the nation to designate a public viewing area - called the Overlook - nearly underneath the runways where you can watch airplanes take off into the wild blue. Having grown up in a home with as close, if not a closer, view of the jets leaving O'Hare Airport, the thrill of liftoff wasn't nearly as exciting for me as it was for others, but, nonetheless, the Overlook is a fun way to enjoy a couple hours with friends. My only recommendation is to choose a calm day...these pictures of blue, sunny skies belie the persistenly chilly wind blowing across the open spaces to make the day somewhat uncomfortable.

The Charlotte skyline in the distance.

2011 Reading List

2012-01-07T22:40:00.000-06:00

Since I'm having a difficult time refiring my writing engine, I thought I'd do something quick and simple by reviewing my reading for 2011. This was, after all, intended to be a blog mainly about books when I first started. Maybe some day I'll even post the two years I skipped. Long gone are the years of reading 50 or more books; this year I managed only these 12:

1) Alexis de Tocqueville - Democracy in America - Much more interesting than it sounds, but much too long to keep me interested.
2) Johann David Wyss - The Swiss Family Robinson - When Mr Rogers Neighborhood meets Survivor... I nearly gagged on the optimism.
3) Stephen King - Duma Key - Enjoyable but not especially memorable.
4) Harry Sievers - Benjamin Harrison: Hoosier Warrior
5) Harry Sievers - Benjamin Harrison: Hoosier Statesman
6) Harry Sievers - Benjamin Harrison: Hoosier President - A very up and down biography; at times great, at times mediocre. Sievers seemed more a cheerleader for a dead president than a historian.
7) Stephen King - Under the Dome - King's best in a long time. Still, he has a knack for building up these wonderful worlds, then having no way to escape them without a decisive and sudden conclusion that is nearly always a disappointment.
8) Daniel Keyes - Flowers for Algernon - I liked the idea much more than the book.
9) Richard Hough - Captain James Cook, A Biography - Interesting, but really all Cook did was sail around the world making charts, which hardly makes for scintillating reading. The most engrossing section was the narrative of Cook's death at the hands of the Hawaiians.
10) Pat Conroy - The Prince of Tides - I have been unnecessarily avoiding this book for years, but it was outstanding, and I'm glad to have read it on the suggestion of a friend.
11) Joseph J Ellis - Founding Brothers - Excellent history clearly written.
12) Jane Austen - Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen writes the same thing over and over, chapter after chapter, book after book. A true one-trick pony. It's a great trick, but....

My book of the year, narrowly edging out Founding Brothers. It got a boost in my mind for being recommended by a wonderful friend with whom I was able to discuss the book, which always makes reading more valuable and fun.

Flying

2011-10-23T22:25:00.001-05:00

Well, well, well....it's been about a month since I posted an entry declaring I had started writing again. Clearly, I am off to a slow start. The last month has been very busy. And when I haven't been busy, I have been monumentally lazy. I'll get my stuff back in order - I have all kinds of ideas, which I am sure the world is waiting to not read on this blog. That's all I'm going to say now; really this is just a few lines to take up some space to make it look like I'm actually doing something. Did it work?

Honey, I'm Home....

2011-09-24T22:00:00.002-05:00

Life has certainly taken unexpected, and unhappy, turns over the last couple years, and it has become impossible, it seems, to write, to put my thoughts out in a public place, although I know very few people ever read my blog. After only a couple entries over the last two years, I'm sure all my readers have disappeared. Still, I retain this blog hoping my ability to write is somehow resurrected.

I miss writing, even when it's something silly, because it seems like it's what I am supposed to do. What I miss most, though, are those few posts where I was able to let something out from deep inside. What has been inside the last couple years is not pretty; it's confused, scared, sad, even ugly, so I have tried to bottle it up, an effort, maybe, to make it die. Recently, though, a wise friend challenged me to face what's in the bottle, to make it my friend, to get used to its company. I can't, after all, change what it is; it has happened, it is real history, it cannot die. It will forever be part of who I am.

So here I am on an absolutely gorgeous Saturday night sitting in front of my computer when I'd rather be hiding outside or watching the final moments of whatever college football game is airing on tv. It feels good; it is easy to get lost in words. And that's how I feel when I write - I get lost in the words and then, when I come out of the woods, I love to look back and see what spilled out.

And I want to keep at it, because I know it's good for me. If anyone reads this, I hope you nag me to keep going. Even if I write something meaningless or foolish, I want to keep going, because I know that eventually something really good is going to come out.

A Long Time Ago, In a Land Far, Far Away

2010-07-20T19:43:00.005-05:00

My fifteen minutes? I hope not.

I must have dropped an animal cracker.

Random Pictures

2010-07-01T18:35:00.005-05:00

Just because I haven't posted in a long time - I can't let an entire year pass without throwing something out here, never mind if I'm the only who sees it. Let's see if I still know how to do this....

Neck Rd, Huntersville

Old barn at the end of Neck Rd

Same old barn, different colors.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 85: Cajun Yarddog

2009-08-03T19:19:00.005-05:00

Located in the Arboretum shopping center, the Cajun Yard Dog is one of my new favorites. Unfortunately, it's on the opposite side of Charlotte from my home. Fortunately, Charlotte really isn't that big - an oversized Mayberry, I've heard it called. The Yard Dog features the best blackened catfish poor boys this side of Chicago's Goose Island Brewpub. And since, lamentably, Goose has discontinued their poor boy, that would make the Yard Dog's version the best I've ever had (as Pete Townshend would say). In addition to the poor boy, the Cajun Yard Dog has a nice beer list, including New Orleans's Dixie and several selections from NC's own Boone Brewing, and a wide variety of sides for those of us who prefer something other than fries to accompany our sandwiches (although they did offer sweet potato fries, always a nice treat). For dessert, it was a chocolate pecan pie, possibly the best slice of pie I've ever eaten. Best of all was the company - some things will never change.

The Great Blizzard of 2009

2009-03-03T21:45:00.004-06:00

I still can't get used to how a bit of snow can paralyze an entire region, even if it is something that doesn't even happen every winter. Just seems silly. That being said, I had nearly forgotten how beautiful the snow can be. It was especially nice to see the snow cradled in the tops of those tall pines that are so common in this area. Anyway, I got these two pictures on my phone and regret not having my camera or the space (they don't like it when you stop in the middle of the freeway to take pictures) necessary to capture more images of our late winter snow, the biggest news event of the winter.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 83 & 84: Asian Corner Mall

2009-03-01T15:30:00.001-06:00

You can read a bit of the history of the Asian Corner Mall, formerly Tryon Mall, at Dead Malls dot Com. Who knew such a website existed??

I don't have any pictures of the mall itself - there really wasn't much to get pictures of. Maneuvering through the parking lot would have been easier in a Moon Rover; I don't think it's been maintained since the original pavement was laid decades ago. And the mall itself was dirty and run down. Still, there are a couple stops worth making.
Lap 83: Rolls at Hong Kong BBQ - These large, soft rolls, which taste like Hawaiian bread, are stuffed with various Chinese "things" (the appropriate word escapes me at the moment), such as Chinese bbq, chicken curry, peanut, and coconut. The coconut roll, which made a tasty breakfast the next morning, is pictured, but they all look the same, as you might expect. Very appetizing, once you get past the carcasses of roasted pigs and ducks and various other critters hanging on hooks, or, even, sitting on one of the dining tables. Carry out might be the best option.

Lap 84: International Market - Featuring a wide array of ethnic groceries, mainly Asian, this is a fascinating market to walk through. It's crowded and chaotic, but the food and drink options are astounding, and sometimes kinda gross.

Nothing, Really

2009-02-05T20:55:00.003-06:00

There's just too much going on to say much. Sure, there are many things I'd like to say, but there's so much else to do and think about. Maybe, some day soon, I'll post something useful, or semi-interesting, again. Keep checking back.

We Proved 'em Wrong

2009-01-28T19:44:00.001-06:00

The Charlotte 500, Lap 82: The Horse Lap

2009-01-28T19:25:00.003-06:00

I forgot one thing from Tryon Street that I meant to include with the last post. There are actually a number of things on Tryon that will eventually be added, but this is the one I've got the pictures for right now. It kinda speaks for itself - you hop in the carriage, the horses start walking...I think you get it.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 79 - 81: Tryon Street History

2009-01-27T20:03:00.007-06:00

Tryon Street is the main drag of Uptown Charlotte. Actually, Tryon runs through the entire city from southwest to northeast, and might be the only road of such length that doesn't change names four times on its way through town.

Anyway, in Uptown, there are three points of historical interest memorialized on Tryon Street that make up the next three laps on my list.

Lap 79: Every now and then, an event so momentous occurs that everyone knows exactly where they were when they heard the news. I imagine that every American, North or South, alive in April 1865 forever remembered when they heard about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Thanks to this marker in the sidewalk outside McCormick and Schmick's, you can stand where Jefferson David stood when he learned the news.

Lap 80: The Final Surrender. Just down the street, there is another marker identifying the location of the final meeting place of the Confederate cabinet, where Joe Johnston's surrender of the last major rebel army was authorized.

Lap 81: Charlotte was Country when Country wasn't..., well, when Country just wasn't: Some histories say the modern Country music and Bluegrass movements began in Charlotte. Of course, most major cities south of the Mason-Dixon line probably make the same claim. There is no denying, though, that the father of Blugrass, Bill Monroe, began his recording career in the Southern Radio Corporation offices on Tryon Street in 1936. We've got this marker to prove it!

2008 Reading List

2009-01-15T21:03:00.009-06:00

When I started this blog, I intended to post reviews of all the books I read. That lasted for approximately one book, with a few more reviews scattered over the months. So, to make up for that I thought I'd post a list of all the books I read in 2008, with my recommendations or criticisms included. And even this is late, since I intended to post it while watching football on New Years Day. Oh well...life gets in the way sometimes, but here's what I read in 2008.

1) Isak Dinesen - Out of Africa - Boring
2) William C. Davis - Look Away: A History of the Confederate States of America - I'm not sure the author's analyses were always backed up by the facts, but this was a very educational book.
3) Omar Khayyam - The Rubaiyat - Don't know why this is a classic.
4) E. B. White - Stuart Little
5) Eugene O'Neill - Long Day's Journey Into Night - Repetitive and not very interesting.
6) Edmond Rostand - Cyrano de Bergerac - Silly.
7) Thornton Wilder - Our Town - I don't remember a thing about this book.
8) Cait Murphy - Crazy '08 - Great book, capped by the Cubs (the Cubs!!) winning the World Series. And, it's a true story!!!!!!!!!!!!
9) Theodore Dreiser - An American Tragedy - Very long, but very good.
10) Maureen Ogle - Ambitious Brew: The Story of American Beer - Informative and fun look at the American beer industry, tilted a bit too heavily, at times, toward Anheuser-Busch.
11) Edward Steers, Jr - Blood on the Moon: The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln - Just the right amount of detail about a story I thought I knew.
12) Bill O'Reilly - Who's Looking Out For You - Typical conservative trash. O'Reilly can do better than this.
13) Kemp P. Battle - Great American Folklore - Much too long.
14) Joel Chandler Harris - Uncle Remus: His Songs and Sayings - Most disappointing book of the year. I thought I would like this, but it wore thin really fast.
15) Patrick F. McManus - They Shoot Canoes, Don't They? - Not very funny, which for a book of humor is not good.
16) Louis L'Amour - Last of the Breed - Horrible writing, stupid characterizations, awful book.
17) John Koessler - Names of Israel - Surprise book of the year - every section taught some good lessons.
18) Charles Frazier - Cold Mountain - Great story, but with arrogant writing.
19) John S. Carbone - The Civil War In Coastal North Carolina - I don't normally like topical history with such a narrow scope, but this was okay.
20) Jay Winik - April 1865 - Excellent history.
21) Thomas Keneally - American Scoundrel - Disappointing. Good, but disappointing.
22) Shel Silverstein - Where the Sidewalk Ends
23) Fred Saberhagen - The Lost Swords: The First Triad - Typical fantasy, these three books have been on my shelf for about half my lifetime and now I can finally get rid of them.
24) Fred Saberhagen - The Lost Swords: The Second Triad
25) Fred Saberhagen - The Lost Swords: Endgame
26) Booker T. Washington - Up From Slavery - Good stuff and easy to read.
27) Richard Bachman - Blaze - From Stephen King's alter ego, this book was surprisingly great.
28) Alexander Solzhenitsyn - One Day In the Life of Ivan Denisovich - Outstanding. I can see why this is a classic.

Walking Soundtrack # 12

2009-01-11T10:18:00.005-06:00

1) Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain - Willie Nelson: Willie Nelson wrote a lot of great songs, but he didn't write this one, which was his first #1, and, in my opinion, the best song he's ever sung.
2) Tear Stained Letter - Johnny Cash: Forgettable song.
3) Stages - ZZ Top: My favorite song by ZZ Top, it really gets me fired up, so it is good for walking.
4) Heaven and Hell - John Entwistle: Live recording of one of Entwistle's Who songs. Too bad he never answered these questions for himself.
5) Where the Soul Never Dies - Willie Nelson: Interesting how these last two songs were shuffled together. I'm sure there's some great spiritual analysis to be done, but I'm not up to it.
6) I'm One - The Who with Eddie Vedder: One of the Who's best songs, it sounds like it could have been written for Vedder.
7) Top Jimmy - Van Halen: Great song to get you moving. It cooks and swings, just like Top Jimmy.
8) Death of a Clown - The Kinks: I'm almost afraid to know what this song is about, but it's one of my favorites, so it helps me keep up a good pace when I exercise. Otherwise, it's not exactly a working out kinda song.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 78: eeZ Fusion Grille & Sushi Bar

2009-01-08T20:53:00.003-06:00

We don't do sushi, but we will definitely go back to eeZ Fusion for the other delicious selections on their menu. The Spicy Thai Cucumbers we had as an appetizer were incredibly good, and apparently healthy as well! The Cashew Chicken and the Mongolian Beef were both excellent, and many of the other choices sounded like they'd be fun to sample on our next visit. Located in Birkdale Village in Huntersville, eeZ is an easy walk to the movie theater, a couple ice cream shops, a Starbucks, and all kinds of other things that would make it a convenient date spot. We will be back to eeZ, and we recommend it to anyone passing near Birkdale.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 77: Cafe Monte

2009-01-08T19:57:00.003-06:00

Cafe Monte on Fairview Rd in Charlotte is part bakery and part restaurant. We visited on New Year's Eve, arriving just in time to toast the New Year in Paris (6PM local time). While the highlight of the meal was the soup - I had an amazing Tomato Bisque, while Tiff went with the French Onion - the entire meal was outstanding. We both went with our French favorite, Steak Bearnais with pommes frites (french fries) for the main course, and we both were both were far too stuffed to even think about dessert. But we weren't too full to hope for a return visit, some time very soon, to try something else from the menu - crepes, quiche, sandwiches, even pizza. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Cafe Monte is arguable the best restaurant we've found in Charlotte so far. And you gotta try the soup!!!

Meaningless 2009 Firsts

2009-01-01T13:35:00.010-06:00

New Year's Day is a day for being lazy, getting fat on high-cholestorol foods (Scottish eggs and bacon-wrapped water chestnuts, for example), while watching a lot of football (this year we get the added bonus of a great NHL matchup between the Blackhawks and Red Wings). In other words, I'm sitting around doing almost nothing, so I might as well post some mindless observations while I'm at it. The first thing that came to mind was to post a few 2009 firsts, so here are ten of my firsts for the new year.

1) First thing I read in 2009: The January 1st page on my Page-a-Day calendar.
2) First TV: Iowa stomping South Carolina in the Outback Bowl.

3) First song listened to: "There's a Tear in My Beer" by Hank Williams.

4) First drink, other than water: Orange-Tangerine juice (Tropicana, I think).

5) First meal: Butterscotch chocolate chip pancakes.

6) First book read from: The Virginian by Owen Wister.

7) First potty break: Approximately 3:30 AM.

8) First noise heard after waking up: Meeeooowwwwww at the closed bedroom door.

9) First e-mail received: Monster job updates (I'm not looking, by they way).

10) First phone call: Hasn't happened yet.

Walking Soundtrack # 11

2008-12-29T20:56:00.004-06:00

1) I Don't Want To Wait - Paula Cole: This is one of those girl power songs, rock version, from the mid to late 90s. I don't really know what the message was, but I'm sure it was something important.
2) I'm Crying - Stevie Ray Vaughn: Standard blues from Stevie Ray, this song has exactly the same tune as "Pride and Joy" which is the most famous song from SRV's most famous album.
3) I'm Free -The Who, live in 1989: From the Tommy 2oth anniversary tour in 1989. It's hard to believe 20 more years have gone by.
4) Radar Love - Golden Earring: This song, along with Twilight Zone, are, I'm willing to bet, the only two songs from Golden Earring that 99% of music fans can name. Both are great songs, but I don't know of any others from this band.
5) Father and Son - Johnny Cash, with Fiona Apple: You probably couldn't pick two more disparate personalities to sing a song, and, appropriately, it sounds like they're singing two completely different songs. I can't decide if I like it or not.
6) Song For My Sons - Sara Groves: I can't quite identify with this song, so, even though it has an upbeat rhythm that is ideal for walking, it kinda drags me down.
7) Cryin' Game - Sara Evans: This song is pretty standard "girl country" (my name) - it's not a bad song, but not all that great.
8) Waterloo Sunset - The Kinks: The best song, in my opinion, from the Kinks in their long and distinguished history. I once read that this song was "impossibly perfect" and that seems an appropriate description.
9) Nightmare # 71 - Larry Norman: One of the best songs from "The Father of Christian Rock."
10) Eminence Front - The Who, live in 1989: One of the Who's last hit songs, Eminence Front has a funky beat that is perfect for a nice brisk walk.

Walking Soundtrack # 10

2008-12-29T17:53:00.002-06:00

1) Under My Car - Mazzy Star: "Saw you laying under my car" - that's the first line of the song and one of the only lines I can understand. A lazy, sleepy song, but I like it, so it's good for walking.
2) See Me, Feel Me - The Who: Part of the big finale to "Tommy" with lots of repetition, which helps keep a good pace.
3) The Time of My Life - David Cook: Last year's American Idol winner, David Cook released, or was forced to release, this song, which is really just a string of cliches set to music. What can I say, it was free.
4) Dedicated Follower of Fashion - The Kinks: This is one of those weird '60s songs that you just can't help liking.
5) Viva Las Vegas - Elvis Presley: Umm, not much to say about this one.
6) Boy Who Wouldn't How Corn - Alison Krauss & Union Station: This is a great piece of Americana music, with a great story and some wonderful instrumental work by Union Station.
7) Fallen Angel - John Entwistle: A song about how society tears down the idols it sets up, I think. Being politically-minded, it makes you wonder how far our next president will fall in the public mind over the next few years.
8) Goin' Mobile - The Who: This is one of the best of the obscure Who songs, from Who's Next.
9) Why Can't This Be Love - Van Halen: Possibly the ultimate power ballad of the '80s, this song helped cement Van Halen's reclassification from Heavy Metal to Hard Rock. Any band that released this kind of song can't be considered heavy metal, can it?
10) Who Are You - Stereophonics: A cover of what has become the Who's theme song. The vocals are a bit strained, but otherwise it's not a bad effort.
11) I Shall Not be Moved - Johnny Cash: This hymn was appropriated by the civil rights movement, and it's politicization has caused it to lose some of its strength. Still, not a bad song.

Walking Soundtrack # 9

2008-12-12T13:52:00.005-06:00

This one is short. From inside I could see the beautiful sun, warm and inviting, but I couldn't see the wind blowing 30 miles an hour from all four directions at once. I just couldn't complete my full walk, which proves, I think, that you can take the boy out of Chicago and take the Chicago out of the boy.

1) Into the Great Wide Open - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers: I know it's not original to this song, but the line "rebel without a clue" has always made me smile.
2) South Australia - The Pogues: Festive and raucous, this song is a good one for exercise, even in the wind. Is it punk, is it traditional Irish? I don't know - sometimes they seem like they could be the same thing.
3) Feels So Good - Chuck Mangione: One of the most appropriately named songs of all time. I remember driving down Forest Hills Rd, an old fire road in the Nicolet National Forest, with my sister Barb when she put this cassette in the radio. Even on the most blustery days, this song will always remind me of blue sky, warm, fresh air blowing through the open windows, and those beautiful Wisconsin trees.
4) Stages - ZZ Top: Just good old fashioned, but not too old, rock and roll from one of my favorite bands. They just let it rip on this song.
5) Naked Eye - The Who, live at the Isle of Wight 1970: This is, in my 'umble opinion, one of the 'oos best songs. They never quite got it right in the studio, but this is one time they nailed it on stage. It's kind of a rambling song about something or other.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 76: The Mecklenburg Declaration

2008-12-10T09:45:00.009-06:00

Also called, annoyingly, the Meck-Dec, the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence was, well, declared, in May 1775, in part of what is now eastern Huntersville. There's not much to the site - a sign, lots of trees, and swarms of biting bugs that'll leave you itching for days (a winter visit might be best). The history of the Mecklenburg Declaration is debated. Of course, people from this area will claim it helped spur the country toward the actual Declaration of Independence, but the facts seem to indicate its influence didn't reach very far, either inside or outside North Carolina. Either way, the Mecklenburg Declaration does give you a sense of the excitement of the Spirit of '76, even if it was a year early.

Walking Soundtrack # 8

2008-12-07T21:41:00.003-06:00

1) Everything a Heart Could Ever Want (Willow) - Roger Daltrey: A decent pop tune, quite opposite of the hard rock sound he became famous for as part of the Who, this one is a good representation of Daltrey's solo career - easy to listen to, and enjoyable, but eminently forgettable.
2) When Johnny Strikes Up the Band - Warren Zevon: Like the above, a fairly typical song from the artist's career. The problem with Zevon, for me, is that when he wasn't great, he wasn't much at all.
3) Watch What You're Doing - Larry Norman: Also a typical song from the artist's catalog. Not much here to get excited about.
4) Behind Blue Eyes - The Who: One of the Who's best, in the popular mind, at least, this song is three minutes of introspection, followed by thirty seconds of pounding anger. That type of song became somewhat popular among metal bands in the '80s, so, in that sense, it's kinda groundbreaking.
5, 6, 7) Medley of Join Together, Road Runner, and My Generation Blues - The Who: From the soundtrack to "The Kids Are Alright" this medley starts of with an annoying, screeching version of one of the Who's greatest songs (Join Together), but quickly evolves into one of the brilliant jams that made them the greatest live band in the world. My Generation Blues is a curious and way cool twist on the song that put the band on the map.
8) Can't Get You Off My Mind - The Lonesome River Band: Cool bluegrass tune, with an upbeat tempo to help you walk briskly.
9) (Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman - The Kinks: See my previous post. Shuffle?????
10) Less Like Scars - Sarah Groves: I know Sarah is singing some powerfully true stuff in this song, but, quite honestly, I'm just not in the mood to hear it these days. I will say, though, that Sarah's songs are incredibly, but simply, profound. She has a way of speaking to every day life like no one I've ever heard before.

Walking Soundtrack # 7

2008-12-07T21:13:00.003-06:00

1) So Sad About Us - The Who: Very early Who song, and it just might be my favorite. It's a song about a break-up featuring a restrained thunder of guitars, bass, and drums.
2) Guitar and Pen - The Who: Another of my favorite, but obscure, Who songs. I think it's about the frustrations of being a song writer.
3) Who Are You - Stereophonics: Cover of a late Who song that has probably become their representative song. It doesn't measure up to the original - the vocals strain too hard to be angry - but it's not bad.
4) Dublin In Vigo - The Chieftains: Medley of songs recorded in Havana, I believe, for the Chieftains musical study of the Celtic relations between the Irish and the Spanish. From the fantastic and beautiful album "Santiago."
5) I Am Weary, Let Me Rest - The Cox Family: From the "O Brother, Where Art Thou" soundtrack, this is a tough song to walk to, what with all the weariness and resting.
6) Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone) - Johnny Cash: This one is a kind of love song about being anywhere, even the most miserable places, with your love. It's a nice sentiment, but the song is just okay and slows my pace down a bit when I'm walking.
7) Fly, Fly, Fly - Larry Norman: This is a Beatle-esque Larry Norman song. That is, it's upbeat and catchy, but not very deep or meaningful. Still, I like this song - it's one of my favorite Larry songs.
8) (Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman - The Kinks: This is a great hard-driving but wonderfully humorous song about the desire to be great, but with the self-awareness of knowing you just don't measure up. The beginning of the song about the embarassment he feels looking in the mirror after stepping out of the shower is brilliant. Later, after listing some of the ugly things going on in the world, the singer laments, "I'm so weak, I'm so thin. I'd like to fly, but I can't even swim. I wish I could be like Superman." A perfect song for all of humanity, I think. I love it.

Walking Soundtrack # 6

2008-12-07T12:54:00.004-06:00

I've fallen a bit behind so, in an effort to catch up, I'll bore you all today with the music I listened to on my last few walks.

1) Cocaine Blues - Johnny Cash, live at Folsom Prison: Great song with a lively beat to keep your feet moving
2) Long Black Veil - Johnny Cash, live at Folsom Prison: Why do they call my iPod the Shuffle? Out of the 2300 songs, I get two songs that are separated by about six minutes from the same album to start my walk. But that's okay, this is another great song - I've got several versions lost somewhere in my collection. Great story, too, packed into such a short song.
3) Mirror Door - The Who: From their last album, it's kind of a tribute to the artists that influenced them the most, including Johnny Cash, Eddie Cochrane and Elvis, among others.
4) Closing Time - Semisonic: When Tiffany and I decided to move to Charlotte back in 1998, this song was all over the airwaves. We drove to Charlotte via Oklahoma City and Vicksburg, so we heard this song dozens of times as we crossed Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, and all the way back home to Chicago. Ever since, this has been the "Charlotte Song."
5) Mr Bassman - John Entwistle: It's a bit goofy - kind of a tribute to the old be-bop music - but it's appropriate coming from the Who's bass player, called by many the best there ever was.
6) Let's See Action - Pete Townshend: From Pete's first solo album ("Who Came First"), it has a raw sound suspiciously like a high-quality demo.
7) Leave It Up To God To Handle - Larry Norman: I think this is a tradition gospel song, and I really like this bluesy-rock version from the self-proclaimed poster child for Jesus Rock.
8) Rocky Road to Dublin - Gaelin Storm: A near perfect song for exercise, it's fast and fun.
9) Tupelo Honey - Van Morrison: A slow, dreamy song, not the best for walking, but, as I mentioned before, if it's a good song it gets me moving, no matter how slow the beat.
10) Free Me - Roger Daltrey, live in Boston in 1989: It's screamers like this, performed over the course of many years, that caused Daltrey's voice to age long before it should have. Free Me is an obscure song from the movie McVicar.
11) Revolution - The Beatles: Fantastic rock and roll song; one of the best ever, in my opinion. Too bad all those old hippies sold out.
12) Lawyers, Guns, and Money - Warren Zevon: I'll have to pay closer attention to this one, because I really have never listened to what it's about. It sounds pretty good, though.

The Charlotte 500, Laps 71 - 75: Daytrip to Winston-Salem

2008-11-27T09:28:00.018-06:00

Winston-Salem is less than 90 minutes north, and slightly east, of Charlotte, the perfect distance to discover some new things without the expense of hotels or too much gas.

Lap 71: Reynolda Gardens - Now part of Wake Forest University, Reynolda Gardens is located on the grounds of what used to be the Reynolds (as in RJ) family farm. The gardens are a quiet, peaceful island in the middle of a fairly large city, with, as you probably guessed, lots of flowers, trees, and vegetables. There are also a few shops and restaurants on the grounds, but they are designed so as not to ruin the atmosphere.

Lap 72: Foothills Brewing Company - Located in downtown Winston-Salem, Foothills offers up the usual pub grub, but with some different twists. You can get the beef and chicken, but you can also have buffalo and ostrich. The chips were pretty good, too. I won't say it was outstanding, but it was pretty good and convenient to downtown. Plus, if the weather's nice, you can eat outside.

Lap 73: Mayberry Ice Cream & Sandwich Shoppe - One of the shops located at Reynolda Gardens (there are other locations, too), Mayberry makes the list because it is ice cream and ice cream is good!

Lap 74: Wake Forest University - Although it wasn't long before classes started again, the Wake Forest campus was pretty much a ghost town so we didn't get to see much but the outside of the buildings, which is usually the most interesting part anyway. The campus seemed to be spread out, and it was very clean, with many trees and extensive green space.

Lap 75: Warthogs Baseball - Professional baseball in Winston-Salem dates from 1905, with the current franchise operating since 1945. The Warthogs, Class High-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox, played their games at Ernie Short Field in Winston-Salem. They'll be moving to a new stadium closer to downtown in 2009. The team will also be playing with a new name and mascot. Too bad, I liked Wally Warthog.

Top Ten: Sad Songs

2008-11-23T13:37:00.004-06:00

I haven't done a top ten list in a long time, which is surprising to me because I love to make lists. Being that I'm in a pensive, waiting-for-the-world-to-end kind of mood, I thought this would be a good time to share the ten saddest songs in my iTunes play lists...just to help brighten your day. The lyrics of these songs aren't necessarily sad, though some are, but these songs all make my heart ache for one reason or another.

10) On the Evening Train - Johnny Cash: The death of a loved one
9) Our Town - Iris DeMent: The death of a town and a person's history
8) She's Too Good For Me - Warren Zevon: Letting go of something/someone you don't want to let go of
7) He Went to Paris - Jimmy Buffett: Guess I never paid attention to the story behind this song, but it makes me sad anyway
6) If You Could Read My Mind - Johnny Cash, covering Gordon Lightfoot: This one is more the lonesome, dying voice than the song
5) Blue Eyes Crying In the Rain - Willie Nelson: When he's on, Willie Nelson could make "Happy Birthday" sound like a lamentation
4) The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down - The Band: I guess this is about the death of an ideal
3) Some Day Never Comes - Credence Clearwater Revival: Always makes me feel hopeless
2) Days That Used to Be - Neil Young: Nostalgia, and that's all, for the greener fields of yesterday
1) Last Thing I Needed First Thing This Morning - Willie Nelson: A crushing song, especially when you listen when you're on your own; "Excuse me for looking like I just lost my best friend"

Walking Soundtrack # 5

2008-11-15T22:12:00.002-06:00

1) Waltzing Matilda - The Pogues: One of the best war songs ever recorded, describing the horrors of war and the usually idiotic reasons we humans kill and maim eachother.
2) Gotta Dance - The Who, live in 1964 while the band was still known as the High Numbers: A Holland-Dozier-Holland tune, originally recorded by the Miracles (later known as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles), it's a typical early Who cover of great Motown music.
3) Let the Mystery Be - Iris DeMent: I'm not sure how to take this song - satire, serious, who knows? I also can't decide if I really like it or not.
4) I'm Still a Guy - Brad Paisley: This one's from the Tiffany collection and is the usual catchy and funny song with semi-serious undertones from Brad Paisley, one of the most clever writers around today.
5) Fast As You - Dwight Yoakam: One of the best country-rock songs ever. The first time I really noticed this song was when it was cranked to 10 (or 11, if you prefer) on the sound system at a Chicago Wolves game. Perfect for getting the blood flowing, whether walking or not.
6) I Am Afraid - Pete Townshend: From Pete's last solo album, it's a decent pop song, with a methodic beat that's good for walking.
7) The Long Defeat - Sara Groves: I know I like this song, but I can't remember anything about it.
8) Sinner Man - Nina Simone: Long, haunting spiritual jazz song. It's one of my favorite songs, and might be the only jazz song I like.
9) I'm Coming Back (But I Don't Know When) - The Lonesome River Band: Great bluegrass music, which is always good to keep up a good walking pace.

The Charlotte 500, Laps 65-70: Pizza Search

2008-11-15T20:43:00.009-06:00

After 15 months, we still haven't found a pizza place in Charlotte that rises to the level of those we've found in Chicago and New York. With all the New Yorkers who've moved to Charlotte, there is an abundance of pizzerias claiming to serve New York pizza (none have measured up) and the only place claiming to serve Chicago style is Charlotte's Pizzeria Uno (good pizza, but who are they kidding??). And, really, we haven't found any place that serves the type of thin crust pizza you can get in Chicago. Anyway...Here's a review of a few we've tried recently.

Lap 65: Taste of Buffalo Pizzeria, Huntersville - Who knew Buffalo had their own style of pizza? Wings I knew about, but pizza? I wasn't very confident about Taste of Buffalo, but it was a nice surprise. Served in a rectangular pan (or box, if you carry out), and featuring a thicker-than-thin-but-not-quite-thick, soft, chewy crust, Buffalo pizza is actually a nice treat.

Lap 66: Bullzeye Pizza, Huntersville (and Cornelius) - Bullzeye is one of the best thin-crust, non-New York style, pizzas we've found. The more ingredient you load it with (brocolli, spinach, garlic, tomato, onion, and pepperoni is very good), the better it holds up.

Lap 67: Donatos Pizza, Huntersville (and various other locations) - Donatos is a national chain, but I include it on my list because their thin crust ranks with Bullzeye as the best we've had, and because it is the only place I've ever seen that offers almonds as a topping, which add a surprisingly wonderful nutty flavor and crispy texture.

Lap 68: Pizza Peel, Myers Park/Cotswold, Charlotte - A very nice thin crust, pseudo-New York pizza restaurant, known as much for its beer menu as its pizza. Lots of kids, so if that's not your thing, then this ain't the place for you.

Lap 69: Brooklyn Boys Pizza, Mooresville - The people around here seem to love it, but, to me, the crust is way to chewy (not even close to true New York pizza), and the ingredients are laid on way too thin.

Lap 70: Fox's Den, Huntersville (and various other locations) - Not bad for a light, snack type pizza, along the lines of Dominos, Fox's Den offers a thin, cracker like crust with just the right amount of ingredients. Not really a meal, but still pretty good.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 64: Tony's Ice Cream, Gastonia

2008-11-09T21:38:00.004-06:00

Since moving to Charlotte, I've rediscovered the joys of ice cream (speaking of which, we've got a couple quarts in the freezer...I'll be right back.)

Not that I ever lost touch with the joy of ice cream, but we've definitely dug in with greater verve than ever before. Gastonia, 20 miles or so west of downtown Charlotte, is home to Tony's Ice Cream. We both ordered a couple scoops of some really tasty ice cream - one of my scoops was coconut, which, I'm sure, will be the daily special in heaven. However, as we ate our ice cream and watched what everyone else was ordering, we decided the shakes must be the house special. Also, judging from the line at the grill, the food must be pretty durn good, too. We'll have to head back to Tony's in order to investigate those observations.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 63: Bill Spoon's Barbecue

2008-11-09T21:27:00.006-06:00

Located south of downtown, and even south of the South End for that matter, Bill Spoon's has been around for nearly half a century. I picture it as once having been on the outer edges of Charlotte, but the city has since grown up and surrounded the restaurant. Quick service, great bbq, and some of the best hush puppies we've yet found, Bill Spoon's is a worthwhile step back in time to the Charlotte of yesteryear.

Walking Soundtrack # 4

2008-11-09T20:31:00.011-06:00

I think my iPod was trying to sabotage my efforts at a healthy lifestyle this time - you'll see why below. I had set a rule for myself that I wouldn't forward over any song so that I would, over time, really listen to my entire library of songs. However, after this walk, that rule might be revised.

1) Polly Gone Home - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss: Overall, not a bad song, but horrible for the purposes of exercise. Slow, slow, slow...

2) Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain - Willie Nelson: Wille's first #1 song, and, maybe, the best he ever sang (he didn't write this one). It is a pensive song, but it's so good it's works for walking.

3) Molly Ban - The Chieftains with Alison Krauss: Typically sad, and long, Irish song - it's great, but it makes you want to bury your head and cry rather than be physically fit.

4) Carrickfergus - The Chieftains with Alison Moorer: Another typically sad, and very long, Irish lament, chock full of phrasing like "marble cliffs" and "salt sea" and references to Kilkenny. By this point in my walk, the only thing stopping from sagging to the sidewalk in tears is the thought of what my neighbors would think.

5) Water - The Who, live at London's Young Vic in 1970-1: Ahh, the 'orrible 'oo, my favorite band. But this isn't just their most annoying song, it might be the worst ever written by anyone. But still, it's got thundering guitars and pounding drums - enough to quicken my steps and lift me form the morass of Irish dirges.

6) The Highwayman - Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson: Ahh, now we're getting somewhere. Cheesy concept, cheesy lyrics, but still a wonderful song. I can walk a bit quicker to this.

7) Tired of Waiting - The Kinks: My theme song, or, rather, the theme song for those who have had to live or work with me over the years. Punctuality isn't my best quality. Actually, it isn't one of my qualities at all, no matter how hard I try.

8) Fade Into You - Mazzy Starr: Another slow tune, but this one's dreamily brilliant and it won't slow down my pace. This one always makes me miss Peter & Lauri, the first neighbors I ever had while living on my own, who made this song their first dance when they got married.

9) Travelin' Band - Credence Clearwater Revival: While listening this time around, I realized this song was a cheap grab at selling records rather than a serious effort at making music. It annoyed me so much, I deleted the song from my play list.

10) The Old Man Down the Road - John Fogerty: It makes me dizzy to realize it, but I remember when the video for this song came out nearly a quarter century ago. I'm not supposed to remember things from so long ago! Some day much too soon this song might be about me. But, for the time being, it's a great tune to move to, so I'll just be happy I got through this walk without those depressing Irish tunesmiths causing me to jump in front of a truck.

Cat Nap

2008-11-08T21:43:00.008-06:00

Not having kids, we take more pictures of our cat, Tigger, than is probably normal. After taking the picures, though, we don't do anything with them, so I thought I'd post a few here. It will help me feel better about having taken all these pictures.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 59-62: Daytrip to Hickory

2008-10-31T18:31:00.010-05:00

Lap 59: Downtown Hickory. Neslted in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Hickory is a large town, or small city, although "city" is a bit too big of a word for Hickory. But, at about an hour from Charlotte, there's just enough to do in Hickory to make it worth a trip for a day. Downtown Hickory looks like an old downtown should look, with just enough shopping and food/drink/sweets to keep everyone happy. And if you get there early enough on Saturdays, there's a large farmer's market right next to the train station.

Lap 60: Olde Hickory Brewery. If you're in downtown, you might as well walk down to the Olde Hickory Brewery. If someone is there, they'll probably be willing to give you a quick tour. The brewery is tied to the Olde Hickory Taproom, on the downtown square, so, if you're into that type of thing, you can sample their brews while enjoying some really good pub grub on the square.

Lap 61: Amos Howard's. This place on the edge of town, also tied to Olde Hickory Brewery, gets a separate post, not because you can sit inside the giant barrels while you eat, but because of the Aviemore Burger. Supposedly Scottish in origin, the burger is topped with egg, beet, and cheese - sounds a bit odd, but it is a beautiful thing.

Lap 62: Hickory Crawdads. Beginning in 2009, the Class A Crawdads will be an affiliate of the Texas Rangers, ending a ten year association with the Pittsburgh Pirates (previously, they were in the Chicago White Sox organization). Major league alumni of the Crawdads include Carlos Lee and Maglio Ordonez. Members of the South Atlantic League, the Crawdads play their home games at LP Frans stadium.

Presidential Thoughts

2008-10-30T22:21:00.004-05:00

Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost. John Quincy Adams

The wasted vote syndrome is an offensive joke, an idea forwarded by Republicrats to make sure you vote for their own. Don't waste your vote - vote for what you really believe, not for what you hate or what you fear.

A Lousy Month So Far # 2

2008-10-16T19:59:00.003-05:00

Tiffany said the last post was too much of a downer and that I should post something happier.

A Lousy Month So Far

2008-10-15T20:33:00.003-05:00

As a Chicago baseball fan, I'm used to depressing Octobers. October 2008 was doubly worse from the baseball standpoint. Now the Blackhawks - such promise - off to an 0-3 start. The Republicrats continue to deny us truly free elections, offering up their lame choices for president. Our once free country continues to be sold off to the highest bidder, and the public goes happily along, falling for the same old lies of disaster and terror. It's all so depressing.

I better get some good candy on Halloween.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 58: Furniture in Hickory

2008-10-11T22:02:00.006-05:00

No pictures here, because you've all seen furniture and it really isn't that interesting. However, the Hickory area, one of the major furniture-making regions in the country, is the place to go for good furniture at really good prices. If you're patient, you can really save a ton of money on furniture in Hickory. Of course, there are also a lot of places that don't have very good deals, so you need to keep looking to find the right price.

Walking Soundtrack #3

2008-10-10T21:36:00.001-05:00

1) And She Was - The Talking Heads: Not much to say about this one. I've always like it, though.

2) Bandera - Willie Nelson: Instrumental interlude from Red Headed Stranger, not very interesting apart from the rest of the album.

3) A Pirate Looks at Forty - Jimmy Buffett: My sometime favorite song. Great lyrics, very funny, about being made for a different time and place. Like a great western, it makes you (almost) long to be an outlaw.

4) Black Widow's Eyes - The Who: From 2006, it's one of their newer songs and also one of their best. As usual, I have no idea what Pete Townshend is writing about, but it sounds important.

5) Hand in My Pocket - Alanis Morisette: She comes across as a whiny brat, but Alanis sometimes made a nice racket.

6) Down to the River to Pray - Alison Krauss: I don't want to sound too sensitive or girly, but I could listen to her sing all day.

7) Dusty Miller - Alison Krauss: From one of her first albums, closer to true bluegrass than her latest work, Dusty Miller is a good one to walk to.

8) She Walked Away - Barlow Girl: I saw Barlow Girl at a mini-concert, and, even if they are girls, they make a nice big, noisy sound. I think this one is supposed to be kinda motivational, but I'm not really sure. And it doesn't really matter.

9) I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow - Alison Krauss and Union Station: From their Live album, this song from O Brother Where Art Thou is the one everyone knows.

10) All My Loving - The Beatles: Fun, shallow, 60s pop. A good song for walking.

11) Hold On Beauty - Cameron McGill & the Quarter Offensive: I got this song from 312Tunes.com, a website that highlights Chicago music but which I'm not sure exists any longer. Reminds me of "Come on Eileen" from the early 80s. One of my newer favorite songs.

12) Turn the Page - Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band: Standard Bob Seger - good, not great, but doesn't disappoint.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 57: Vidalia Onions

2008-10-07T20:57:00.005-05:00

You can probably get Vidalia onions just about anywhere, but somehow these sweet onions seem more tasty when bought from one of those cute little road-side stands pictured here. Don't remember exactly where this was, but I do remember the guy liked to talk politics, and since he agreed with me, I thought he was pretty smart. Anyway...just drive south into South Carolina or Georgia and these farm stands are all over the place. We've discovered that Vidalias are best sliced into large pieces, covered with olive oil, and cooked up on the charcoal (I've learned not to call it barbecue) grill.

Walking Soundtrack # 2

2008-10-01T19:47:00.004-05:00

1) Baba O'Riley - The Who: One of the best rock songs ever written, with the funky jig-like crescendo at the finish, Baba O'Riley is probably more popular now than at any time since it was released in 1971. No one really knows what it's about, but, really, isn't that true of most rock music? Great for exercise.
2) I'll Fall In Love Again - Sammy Hagar: Sammy was huge back in the early-to-mid '80s. This song is one of those hard-rock sorta/kinda love songs (not quite a power ballad) that were so big back then.
3) Fireball Mail - The Lonesome River Band: From my favorite bluegrass album, this isn't the best song from LRB, but it's still a good one to move to.
4) Poor, Poor, Pitiful Me - Warren Zevon: My favorite Zevon song, it's all about, I think, falling in love with the wrong type of woman.
5) Get Up - Van Halen: From 5150, the first Sammy Hagar Van Halen album. Not a great song, but it's got a fast, hard pace that's good for walking.
6) Who Are You - Pete Townshend live in 1991, at a Roger Daltrey concert: This is an unusual version of Who Are You - mostly acoustic, kind of a bebop vibe. One of my favorite versions.
7) Behind Blue Eyes - Sheryl Crow: Cover of The Who's classic is well suited to Crow's style, but the bubbling sound in the background is kinda distracting.
8) Cowgirl in the Sand - Neil Young: A quiet, rambling song that, due to the clangily-loud guitars, feels like it's about to explode at any second. It never does, but that feel makes it move along nonetheless.
9) Empty Glass - Pete Townshend: Title song from Townshend's best solo album. A little bit of rock and, surprisingly at the time, a little bit of pop - quite a change from his Who records.
10) Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin' - Journey: Typical 80s rock, but just a bit more catchy. Journey was never deep, but they always seemed to put songs together that everyone likes to hear.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 56: Soiree

2008-10-01T19:17:00.008-05:00

Soiree, in downtown Mooresville, is one of the few French restaurants in the Charlotte area. It's a neat little place in an old building in Mooresville, perfect for a special occasion, such as a 13th anniversary. I like the external look of the building, and, for the most part, the decor inside measures up. The food was very good, especially the spinach salad and the salmon, and was presented in such a way that it was a shame to ruin it by digging in. Soiree is not a place you'd dine regularly if you live on a budget, but it's a great place to go for those days that call for a celebration.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 55: The Pit

2008-09-25T19:48:00.005-05:00

The Pit, located on NC Hwy 150 in Mooresville, is one of the largest and fastest go-kart tracks around. Housed in a former textile factory, The Pit gives you an opportunity to drive cars that are a lot bigger and with much more horse-power than the usual go-kart track. It is a bit pricy, but if you go with a friend, or, as in our case, with a neighbor who has a son that's turning 13, you can go just to watch. Decor and warmth are not a concern at The Pit, it's all about the racing. So if you're in the mood to feel the wind blowing through your hair, or across your scalp, if that's your follicular condition, then The Pit is the place to go.

The Charlotte 500, Laps 52-54: Lexington Day Trip

2008-09-24T17:53:00.013-05:00

Lexington, NC, is, as the sign says, The Bar-B-Q Capital. I hate it when people can't just call it "barbecue" but Lexington has the right to spell it how they want as they are the only town I know that has lent its name to a specific style of barbecue.
Lexington barbecue, also known as Western North Carolina style, uses only the dark, fatty meat of the pork shoulder and adds ketchup to the sauce. Also, the accompanying cole slaw is usually a tomato-vinegar based slaw (my favorite), rather than a mustard-based slaw (also excellent), or that awful mayo-based junk you find in the rest of the country. If for no other reason, North Carolina living is great because I actually eat those little sides of cole slaw that come with the meal rather than throwing them away. But, I'm off the track a bit. Those are the basic rules of Eastern versus Western NC barbecue, although the cole slaw rules don't seem to be hard and fast.

Anyway...the next three laps of the Charlotte 500 all revolve around the city of Lexington, about an hour or so northeast of Charlotte on Interstate 85.

Lap 52: Childress Vineyards. North Carolina has become a wine-lovers (which we are not) haven, with a number of vineyards popping up across the piedmont. We chose to go to Childress Vineyards not because of its reputation as wine-maker (to be honest, I don't even know how they rate with the wine snobs), but because it is owned by Richard Childress, NASCAR team owner. We went in the spring, before the grapes had begun to grow, so we didn't see much in the fields beyond bare grape vines, which look rather sickly when they're naked (as most of us do, I'm sure). The tour was very interesting and educational, at least for people like me who only knew that making wine had something to do with grapes. As for the tasting, we both felt the Scupperdine Red, a twist on Scuppernong, the classic poor-man's wine of the South, was great. I also enjoyed the sweet dessert wines - Polar and Starbound (made with blueberries). Even if your not big on wine, Childress is beautifully situated and worth a visit. And the in-house restaurant serves up some nice, unique but simple sandwiches.

Lap 53: Lexington Barbecue. We chose to have dinner at Lexington Barbecue - it's the name of the town, it's the name of the style of barbecue, so we had to eat at the bbq joint that also carries the name. So far, after numerous samplings, Lexington Barbecue, founded in 1962, is my favorite. The meat was hickory smoked, and the taste came through wonderfully. Also, the hush puppies were among the best, with a nice corn meal flavor. The slaw was a bit on the vinegary side, but still good.

Lap 54: Monty's Ice Cream. Just outside the entrance to Childress Vineyards, Monty's carries on the NASCAR theme. The ice cream is wonderful. I don't normally like the overly sweet flavors like cotton candy but Monty's version is fantastic. The owner also was very friendly and we had a nice long conversation covering myriad topics, as it wasn't busy at all (since the rest of the businesses in the complex had yet to open their doors).

All in all, a great day, especially as the sky was deep blue and the temperatures were in the 70s.

Walking Soundtrack

2008-09-22T23:00:00.001-05:00

I like lists and I like music, so, if only to entertain myself, I thought I'd provide some highly intellectual commentary/criticism on the songs that came up on my Shuffle while I was walking the neighborhood. Some days I walk with Tiff, so I don't listen to music, but when I'm on my own I normally try to do ten songs - that's a good number to fit in for a nice walk - but sometimes the songs are so short, or long, that I don't always do ten. Anyway, here are the songs that came up on my walk the first time I thought about doing this, which was about a week ago.

1) Run-Around - Blues Traveler: Great mid-90s song that has stood the test of years.

2) Crazy - Willie Nelson: Made famous by Patsy Cline, this song, written by Willie, wouldn't be considered exercise-worthy by most people, but to me, if it's good, it'll help you get through a workout, even if it is a slower tune.

3) My Generation - The Who: The first step, arguably, on the road from rock & roll to punk and heavy metal, and a song that gets your heart moving.

4) Graceland - Willie Nelson: Cover of, and, in my opinion, superior to, Paul Simon's famous mid-80s hit; it sounds natural coming from Willie's lips.

5) You Better, You Bet - The Who live in Chicago, actually Hoffman Estates, IL, 3/5/07. Some songs weren't meant to be played live, and this is one. However, this particular version sounds very good, the only live version of this song I like. And I was there to see it in person.

6) Cluck Old Hen - Alison Krauss & Union Station: Awesomely spirited bluegrass instrumental.

7) From Me to You - The Beatles: Classic pop from a highly over-rated band. Did I say that out loud??

8) Roll Me Away - Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band: Bob Seger is the musical version of Cal Ripken - he's been around forever and you never really noticed he was there. Then, one day, you suddenly wake up to the fact that he's built himself a solid career with a boatload of wonderful and noteworthy accomplishments.

9) For What It's Worth - Buffalo Springfield: Great 60s protest song, not like the hateful junk we hear today. This is the type of song, and attitude, we could use more of in today's USA.

10) The Sea Refuses No River - Roger Daltrey, recorded live, with full orchestra, in 1994 during a tour paying tribute to the songs of Pete Townshend (as if he'd died). Surprisingly, the orchestral stuff really works, and this is a thoughtful, well-written, though not radio-friendly, song.

11) Greyhound Girl - The Who live at Lyon, France, 2006. The only widely available version of this song, included on a live bonus disc with some versions of the Who's 2006 album, Endless Wire. Not a great song, but as a fan, it's a nice curiosity piece.

12) Octopus's Garden - The Beatles: Whatever, dude.

13) Let's Go - The Cars: A fun summer song.

14) Ocean's Away - Roger Daltrey: This ballad is one of the few great (and I use the term generously) songs from Roger Daltrey's solo career.

15) Kody - Matchbox Twenty: Another mid-90s classic that has stood the test of time.

Unspectacular!

2008-09-20T19:49:00.005-05:00

Whenever I hear the word "spectacular" I think of Marv "YES!" Albert announcing the 1991 NBA Finals.

But Marv has nothing to do with this post. I have been tagged by Kelli and Linda to list six unspectacular things about myself, things that make me just like most everyone else. Since everyone I know of who reads this blog has already participated in this exercise, there is no reason for me to explain further. Also, don't be offended if I don't tag anyone else - like I said, if you're reading this, I'm pretty sure you've already been tagged.

1) I blog. Not very often. And not as with much care as I have in the past, which fits the profile of 99% of all the other bloggers out there.

2) I am a passionate sports fan and thank God that's something that only brings distraction and entertainment rather than fulfilment and peace. In my lifetime, my favorite teams have never won the World Series, the Stanley Cup, the NCAA tournament, the Rose Bowl (or any bowl of any kind for that matter), etc. And the Bears, the supposed dynasty of the mid-80s managed to fade away after a single Super Bowl. Since only one team at a time can win a championship, I suppose all that disappointment is shared by a great majority of sports fans around the world.

3) I like to walk. Yes indeed.

4) I love music, but get very little out of it other than enjoyment and entertainment. Music rarely inspires or moves me. Sometimes it gets me moving (not dancing, just moving), but that's usually because I'm in an active mood anyway.

5) My first job for which I got paid was at a place off Howard St and Wolf Rd in Des Plaines that did catering for the ground crews at O'Hare Airport. I mopped the floor and took out the garbage, and cleaned the grease trap, which, in its way, was, in fact, spectacular. I couldn't eat or drink for a day after performing that task because the rancid stench became so embedded in my senses that everything, even water, tasted and smelled foul.

6) I have difficulty narrowing down the final selections when I put together lists like this.

Blowing off some steam!!!!!!

2008-09-13T13:07:00.003-05:00

In this election season, there have been many things to get worked up about - two lousy candidates whose parties pass rules to insure that our elections aren't truly free, rising gas prices and inflated currency, hurricanes, silly wars, the Cubs trying to choke away a division title...the list goes on and on.

So how come the one thing I can't get out of my mind is that Jeopardy changed the music on their theme song!! Sacrilege!

The Charlotte 500, Lap 51: Metrolina Greenhouses

2008-08-30T16:59:00.008-05:00

While you can't shop there, Metrolina Greenhouses is still an impressive place to see. A huge complex on the eastern edge of Huntersville, Metrolina's 4.4 million square feet of greenhouses look like something out of a science fiction novel. They are one of largest growers of poinsettias, including painted poinsettias, which you can learn about through a video on their website.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 50: Matt's Chicago Dog

2008-08-30T13:21:00.010-05:00

It's been over a year, and I'm finally hitting # 50 on my list of 500 things to do in Charlotte. You could say I'm dogging it, but that would be a downright awful pun since this post features Matt's Chicago Dog on Catawba Avenue in Cornelius. Chicagoans are used to seeing places like Matt's - hot dogs, burgers, italian beef, pizza puffs - at every strip mall, but in Charlotte, they are few and far between. And, in this land of barbecue, it's nearly impossible to find Vienna beef, aka Real Hot Dog. Of course they carry the Carolina Dog (cole slaw and chili), which seems to be a rule here, but they also have a very good Chicago Dog and great fries. We will definitely be back to Matt's.

Baseball History!

2008-08-26T19:46:00.006-05:00

Baseball history was made last Saturday night at Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium, home of the Kannapolis Intimidators, Class A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. In the first inning of the Intimidators' 8-2 victory over the Greensboro Grasshoppers, I caught my first ever foul ball at a baseball game.

Seated in the third seat of the second row on the outfield end of the third base dugout, I bare-handed a screaming one-hopper off the bat of some guy from one of the teams (the thrill of victory forced all the finer details from my mind). Not only did I get the ball, but I discovered something possibly more important to a baseball fan - the secret of snagging those elusive rawhide spheres. What you need to do, when you see a screamer headed your way, is: 1) close your eyes; 2) duck hastily, as though your life (or your front teeth) depended on it; 3) let the ball carom off the ankle of the guy next to you; 4) open your eyes; and 5) wrap your hand around the ball as it rolls lazily under your seat.

It helps (your ego) immensely if you can concoct a story to make it sound as if you made the play of the game. And you don't even have to lie to make it sound heroic. For example, while the details in my five-step plan for catching a foul ball are, in fact, the way it really happened, I did snag the ball with one bare hand. And it really was a blistering one-hopper, the likes of which cause even a flower-tongued soul like myself to exclaim, "Oh $%#&!!" Of course, I would never say anything like that out loud, unless I'm behind the wheel, but something along those lines did cross my mind as I saw the ball whistling in my direction. It's at moments like those that I wish I had bought the cheap seats.

So, maybe it wasn't one of those amazing grabs that earns a highlight on Sports Center, but for me it was something I'll always remember - my first real foul ball! It certainly beats the story I've been leaning on the last 27 years, in which the Andy Frain usher in the left field bleachers at Wrigley Field handed me a ball he had retrieved during batting practice of a game against those stinking Mets. That occurred at the first game back after the players' strike of 1981 (which brings up much more disturbing thoughts about actually being able to remember, vividly, things that happened soooo long ago). After nearly three decades, it's nice to have a different story to tell, even if I have to polish it up to make it sound good. Plus, you can't really count on impressing people for long with stories about how some old guy handed you a ball simply because you were the cutest kid to stroll through the ballpark gates.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 49: Fuel Pizza

2008-08-19T20:42:00.005-05:00

Fuel Pizza looks pretty cool - like one of those old small town diners you'd see in Mayberry, except it serves pizza rather than meatloaf and spare ribs. The pizza was supposedly New York style, but, in my opinion, didn't quite measure up. We ate in at the South End (located at the south end of downtown, oddly enough) location and picked up at the Davidson location. I don't know if it was a difference in kitchens, but the eat-in pizza wasn't too bad, but the pick-up pizza was a big disappointment. Fuel is popular around Charlotte, so it makes my list.
The picture is of the South End location, but it's another one of those corners where I can't seem to get a red light in order to take a good picture.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 48: Dilworth Starbucks

2008-08-10T18:35:00.002-05:00

Yeah, I know, Starbucks isn't all that exciting, but the location in Charlotte's Dilworth neighborhood is the coolest one I've seen. Unfortunately, I was only able to get a picture from the car - and wouldn't you know I've never gotten a red light at that corner. The porch is giant, for a coffee shop, and it's a great area to watch people and enjoy the weather. And your coffee, of course.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 47: Berry Brook Farms

2008-08-08T19:14:00.005-05:00

Berrybrook Farm in the Dilworth neighborhood, just south of Uptown (downtown) Charlotte, is a health food/drink/vitamin store that's been around since 1972. Its trademark feature is the old wagon out front (of course I didn't get a picture of that). The small store includes all kinds of groceries, a juice bar, and a sandwich "shop".

The sandwich shop has only a few selections, such as tofu hot dogs (Tiffany wasn't thrilled) and a veggie wrap that was very good. After you buy your sandwich, you can eat out on the front porch. At the juice bar, you can get juice made of numerous fruits and veggies, or you can do as I did and get the Everything Juice, which pretty much includes everything - carrots, garlic, ginger, cilantro, etc. That was an awesome juice. As for groceries, you can get everything from breakfast (I got some great puffed kashi and millet) to dessert. They also carry organic sodas and energy drinks.

Berrybrook Farm is a cool place, a smaller, more home-y version of chains like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. I wish it was a bit closer to home.

Four weeks!!

2008-08-02T15:16:00.004-05:00

Four weeks from today is opening Saturday for the college football season. In my opinion, it's the most exciting day in sports, until, that is, the Cubs win the World Series about seven weeks later. I can't wait! A whole day of football! Kickoff is usually around 11AM in the East and, if Hawaii is at home, the last seconds don't tick off until two or three hours after midnight. Sixteen straight hours and it's still not enough. Just don't call me that day.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 46: Davidson Family Cemetery

2008-07-30T19:48:00.007-05:00

The Davidson family is one of the most important families in Mecklenburg County, if not North Carolina, history. Namesake of the town of Davidson, the family plantation and burying ground is located, of course, in...Huntersville, on Neck Road. Unfortunately, the last surviving members of the Davidson family are all childless, so this historic family will soon come to an end.

The family cemetery is worth a visit because it gives you a chance to drive Neck Rd (featured in a previous post) and is enclosed by one of the most beautiful rock walls I've ever scene. Among those buried in the cemetery are a signor of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, veterans of the Revolutionary War, the Mexican War, and the Civil War (on the Confederate side, of course), and the first doctor in North Carolina to successfully remove the gall bladder.

In addition, a step from a building that served as Cornwallis's headquarters when he occupied Charlotte is located in the cemetery. (One of the Davidsons owned the downtown Charlotte building in the early 1900s and decided to remove the step to the family home as a historic momento.)

The Cat in the Hat

2008-07-29T21:45:00.002-05:00

Tigger had surgery a couple weeks ago to remove a couple benign, but very ugly, tumors. He had to wear one of those torture collars to stop from biting at his wounds. After watching him run into chairs, walls, and boxes over the last couple weeks, I think he would have been better off biting at his scars. The conehead came off today and he finally looks relaxed, even if he does seem a bit stoned from the drugs.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 44-45: King's Mountain

2008-07-25T16:45:00.007-05:00

This one counts twice because it's two great places in one. First, and the main reason I wanted to visit, is it was the site of an important Revolution War battle, which you can read about here. Second, its location in a very woody spur of mountains, the park contains some great trails, camp sites, etc. Even better, the mountains aren't that big, so the trails are accessible to anyone in reasonably good health.

I'm Back...

2008-07-25T16:41:00.002-05:00

...But we'll see how long. Seems like there's to many other things I'd rather do than keep up to date on my blog. I like doing it, but it just gets squeezed. We've done a lot of stuff and I've written up a lot of notes for things I want to post, so maybe I'll be a bit more active.

We'll see. I don't want my readers - both of you - to be disappointed.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 43: Boardwalk Billy's

2008-06-15T20:32:00.004-05:00

Location, location, location...

Not that Boardwalk Billy's is a bad restaurant - they've got good food, good service, a good menu - but their location is the real reason why Boardwalk Billy's is a fun place to go. Located in the University area, on a somewhat large man-made pond/lake, with an eating area that sits on a dock, Boardwalk Billy's is a cool place to hang out when the weather is warm. To be honest, I don't remember exactly what I ate, but I remember it was good but not great. I do remember that they put a big bucket of peanuts on each table, but, unfortunately, you can't toss the shells wherever you want.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 42: I-85 from Petersburg

2008-06-03T20:39:00.007-05:00

This is the last entry for the Washington road trip - driving I-85 from just south of Petersburg, Virginia, toward the North Carolina border. Lined for miles and miles with those wonderful Southern pines, it's just a cool place to drive. I was sick as a dog, but this drive was good for the soul. (Please pay no mind to the dirty windshield!)

The Charlotte 500, Lap 35 - 41: More Capitol Stuff

2008-05-26T20:40:00.015-05:00

Lap 35: The Willard Hotel - This is hardly a great photo, but it's the garage entrance to the Willard Hotel, which was the premiere hotel in Washington during the Civil War era, at least it hosted lots of famous people, including General Grant, who probably didn't park his horse in this garage when he arrived to take control of the Union armies in 1864. Really, I don't even know how much of the current hotel is "authentic" or how much has been rebuilt, but as a history buff, it was cool to see the name on the sign.

Lap 36: The Capitol. Our day in Washington was dark and wet, but even in the gloomy weather, this is still an impressive building to see in person.

Lap 37: The Washington Monument - It's hard to get a good picture of this thing, but this'll do. You all know what it looks like, anyway.

Lap 38: The Lincoln Memorial - On such an ugly day, there weren't many people in town, but I think half of those that were in town were crammed into the Lincoln Memorial, showing how compelling Lincoln is, even after 140 years.

Lap 39: The World War II Memorial - Another site that's hard to capture without a million dollar camera. I didn't get a good image of the fountains in the middle, so if you picture water spouting skyward just to the right of this picture, you'll get an idea of what it looks like.

Lap 40: Ford's Theater - Closed for renovations on our visit, all I have is this picture from the sidewalk across the street, which is approximately in front of the Petersen house, where President Lincoln was taken after being shot in Ford's Theater.

Lap 41: The Petersen house - This tiny room is where Abraham Lincoln died the morning after after being shot in Ford's Theater. It's not a very clear image, but that's probably okay since, from what I understand, most of the items in the room are reproductions, etc. Still, it was an eerie feeling to be in the room where Lincoln died.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 29 - 34: Washington - The President's Front Yard

2008-05-12T21:42:00.003-05:00

Okay, this might really be cheating, but I'm going to count each site as one item on my list, because 500 really is a big number. This first set from Washington includes a few of the things you can see right outside (give or take a few hundred yards) the president's front and back doors.
Lap 29: The White House - Maybe, some day, the place will actually have an occupant who understands the concept of freedom.

Lap 30: LaFayette Square - Even the birds enjoy a nice rest in the park across from the White House.

Lap 31: Starbucks - Just west of the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue, this was the only place open on a holiday weekend to warm up with some coffee and use the rest room.

Lap 32: The national Christmas Tree - The train was kinda cool, but the tree was just big and boring (in my opinion, but Christmas trees really aren't my thing).

Lap 33: I don't remember what this is, but it's an impressive building right next to the White House.

Lap 34: The Blair House - Across the street from the White House, the Blair House is significant for several reasons, which you might be able to read on the pictured tablets.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 28: Driving the Shenandoah Valley

2008-05-10T21:26:00.004-05:00

Interstate 77 north from Charlotte will bring you to Virginia and the southern Shenandoah Valley in less than two hours. It was dark when we drove the Shenandoah Valley, so I don't have any pictures, but I am including it on my list because of the history of the valley. Anyone interested in the Civil War will recognize nearly every town along the way - Staunton, Winchester, New Market, Luray, and Cedar Creek, site of Sheridan's famous ride. Charlottesville and Monticello, among many others, add even more romance to the drive up the Shenandoah. Aside from that, it's just a beautiful place.

The Charlotte 500, Road Trip # 1: DC

2008-05-10T21:08:00.003-05:00

One of the many reasons Tiffany and I came to Charlotte was that it is located within reasonable weekend driving distance of a lot of interesting places - mountains, beach, cities, history. So, while it may seem like cheating in order to more quickly reach my goal of documenting 500 things to do in and around Charlotte, I think it's fair that I include our road trips. It is my list after all.

So, my next few posts will be about our trip to Washington, DC, over New Year's weekend (yes, I'm a bit behind posting some of the things we've done).

The Charlotte 500, Lap 27: Charlotte Checkers

2008-04-19T20:48:00.002-05:00

Affiliated with the New York Rangers, the Charlotte Checkers play their home games at Bobcats Arena (soon to be renamed after Bank of America or Wachovia or some other big bank). The Checkers drew a good crowd and put on a good show, lobbing lots of souvenir t-shirts and such into the crowd during intermissions. The game we went to see was unique in that two penalty shots were awarded, one for each team - some teams go an entire season without seeing a single penalty shot.

Hockey has a surprisingly rich history in Charlotte. It's not quite Montreal, or Chicago for that matter, but there is a fairly extensive history of minor league hockey in the Queen City. The Checkers are worth the price and the arena is easily accessible from all parts of town, plus it's within walking distance of the best parts of uptown Charlotte.

The Charlotte 500, Laps 25-26: Maddi's Southern Bistro

2008-04-19T20:37:00.003-05:00

Maddi's counts as two entries because it is one part art gallery and one part restaurant. I believe the art gallery came first. So you can enjoy Maddi's for art or food, whatever suits your mood.

The art collection consists of everything from painting to pottery and the gallery is small enough to be a quick trip - it's not a museum, after all.

Maddi's Bistro cooks up some great southern food. The fried chicken was the best I've ever had, and I also loved the roasted butternut squash and granny smith apple soup, which contained apple chips and pumpkin seeds. Also, the sweet vidalia onion and thyme hush puppies were excellent. The service was very good and the dining room was light and cheery. It also helped our mood that we had a $25 gift card!

Maddi's is good stuff; I think I'll be back.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 24: Joel's Asian Grill

2008-04-19T20:24:00.002-05:00

I've fallen a bit behind on my posts, partly due to time going so fast and partly due to the fact I keep forgetting the camera. So, in order to move things along, I'm going to due a few posts without pictures.

Tiffany and I went to Joel's Asian Grill off Williamson Rd in Mooresville to celebrate her 34th birthday. Joel's specialty is sushi, which neither of us have had the courage to try, but they also have a decent menu of pan-Asian dishes. The Mongolian Beef was excellent - spicy, as you'd expect, with a strong touch of ginger. Joel's outdoor eating area was perfect for the 75 degree weather and we enjoyed a nice dinner, even with all the kids running around (and that was the only drawback - it seemed like a playground at times).

If you're in the mood for Asian food, Joel's is a good choice.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 23: Bert and Gert's

2008-03-09T13:42:00.000-05:00

It seems like most of what I've put on my list has to do with eating, but I've been sitting on this one for a few months because I forgot all about it. Bert and Gert's in North Charlotte off US21 is Tiffany's favorite BBQ. It may not be my favorite, but that's because of what I ordered rather than the quality of the food - I just had to try the fried squash, which was disappointing. And I've learned, when it comes to BBQ, don't order the sandwiches. The thick bread required to keep the pork together fills you up unnecessarily and doesn't add anything to the experience.

The best part, in my opinion, is the decor, which consists entirely of classic rock album covers stuck on the wall, with bands including Lynyrd Skynyrd, Journey, the Doors, and many more.

Christmas Music Review

2008-03-09T13:15:00.002-05:00

One of the recent developments in the entertainment industry that bothers me the most is the demise of the CD industry, and, along with it, the likely end of the album as a means of delivering music to the public. Listening to a good album is like reading a good novel - it's entertaining, fulfilling, maybe even moving if it pushes beyond good and reaches great. It's not all about the quality of each song, but involves such things as theme, organization, structure, sequence - all those terms they teach in English 101. Anyway...with even such stores as Borders ditching their CD inventory, I put a lot of music on my Christmas wish list in hopes the generous people in my life would give me the gift of music. So, now that I've finally used all my gift cards, rewards, and holiday discounts, here is a review of the music most recently added to my library, not that anyone asked.

1) The Pogues - Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash: The Pogues are what happens when the boys who've been at the pub all night watching the band, pints of Beamish or Guiness in hand, find themselves on the stage rather than at the bar. A wonderful ruckus, blending punk, folk, and traditional Irish, The Pogues are a tremendous lot of fun. Great songwriting, with a few traditionals thrown into the mix, and you've got what could be the greatest musical story-telling treat this side of Johnny Cash. Rum, Sodomy, and the Last, named after a quote never actually spoken by Winston Churchill, is one of two albums considered to be The Pogues best. My favorites on this album are "Sally MacLennane", "Dirty Old Town", and one of the best war songs of all time "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda."

2) The Pogues - If I Should Fall From Grace With God - I think this is the best Pogues album and its hard to pick out my favorites, but "Fiesta", "Sketches of Spain", and "Turkish Song of the Damned" are always fun. "Fairy Tale of New York" is an off-kilter, hilarious Christmas song, sung as a dialogue between a man and a woman whose relationship has seen better days.

3) Elvis Presley - The Essential Elvis - Not really an album, but I figured that anyone who likes rock and roll has to have some Elvis on the shelf, and, as the title says, these are the essential tunes.

4) Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - Raising Sand - Interesting collaboration between a man accused of being a heavy metal pioneer and a woman who is probably the most recognized name in bluegrass. I like "Killing the Blues" (now being used in a JC Penney commercial) and "Gone, Gone, Gone (Done Moved On)" which won a grammy.

5) Merle Haggard - Chicago Wind - The lyrics are a bit hamhanded, but I still like the album, which, surprisingly, contains an Iraq war protest song, as well as a libertarian-sounding song that protests against our government in general.

6) Willie Nelson - Phases and Stages - 1974 concept album about the break-up of a marriage. "Bloody Mary Morning" is the best, and most famous, song.

7) Willie Nelson - Yesterday's Wine - 1972 concept album about one man's life from birth to death. The title song and "Me and Paul" are the best songs.

8) Johnny Cash - Live at San Quentin - "Wreck of the Old '97" is my favorite on the lively (pun not quite intended) number one album from 1968. Also features June Carter Cash, the Statler Brothers, and some other people I can't remember at the moment.
9) Sara Groves - Tell Me What You Know - This one sounds best in the car at high volume, not what you'd normally say about Sara Groves. No particular song stands out, but the whole package works fairly well.

10) Iris DeMent - Infamous Angel - Iris DeMent has a unique voice that you'll only find in folk music. "Our Town" - a brilliant song about the decay of a small town - is one of my favorite ever.

11) Alison Krauss and Union Station - New Favorite - This album is a fairly standard AKUS record. "The Boy Who Wouldn't Hoe Corn" and "The Lucky One" are probably the best songs, but it depends on my mood.

12) The Lonesome River Band - Carrying the Tradition - The best bluegrass in my collection. The Lonesome River Band was the home of Dan Tyminski before he joined Alison Krauss and Union Station.

Top Ten New Things I've Done In NC

2008-02-25T21:40:00.002-06:00

Not long ago, Tiff and I hit our six month mark as residents of North Carolina and it got me thinking of how the experience has changed me. The answer to that is, it really hasn't changed me much, but I have done some things I haven't done before, or have done rarely. So, here are my ten best "new" experiences, followed by my rating of the experience. Sorry, no pictures - it's getting late and I gotta get some reading in before going to bed.

1. Ate lunch on the front porch on Super Bowl Sunday. In a t-shirt. And bare feet. 10. Oh, and I should mention I was wearing sweats, too, lest you think I've picked up some weird habits.

2. Look forward to getting to work. 9 (could be a 10, but it's still work and I'd rather be at home)

3. Ate fried green tomatoes. Pretty good, but definitely not good for you. 7.

4. Put my winter coat away in January. Could have used it in February, but I refuse to take it off the hanger. 9.

5. Refer to various locations using their interstate exit number, something I told myself I wouldn't do, but that's just the way it's done here so I guess I'll go along. 3.

6. Spend time - quality time - with our neighbors on a regular basis. This was probably our main prayer leading up to our move, proving once again that God's really cool, even to fools like us. 10.

7. Ate collard greens. For some reason, this is something I've always wanted to do, so I rate the experience an 8. But the taste was a 3. I wasn't impressed.

8. Ate wilted kale. Yum! Better than spinach. 9.

9. Ate rutebaga mash. Yum again! I liked it. 10.

10. Ate tons of ice cream! Okay, eating ice cream isn't a new thing, but the quantity we've eaten far surpasses any other time in my life, with the exception of the first few months after I got my ice cream maker. Possibly the greatest discovery we've made about moving south is that, with warm weather lasting longer, a year-round ice cream shop is a viable business option for someone other than large corporate chains, so we've got lots of cool choices when it comes to ice cream. And ice cream is always a 10!

The Charlotte 500, Lap 22: Hotel Charlotte

2008-02-17T19:13:00.004-06:00

Hotel Charlotte is not actually a hotel. It's a restaurant with a focus on cajun, seafood and beer. I won't say much else other than that the food was okay - I had salmon and Tiffany had chopped steak - not great, just okay. The service was slow and weird. Over the course of a long race, not every lap is going to be all that exciting. So it is with lap 22 on my list - not bad, not great, just kinda there, though there was a train that ran overhead on a track suspended from the ceiling. It's like one of those laps that are run during a commercial break, which is a good description for Hotel Charlotte since I don't have a picture for you!

The 2008 Bob Miller Memorial Super Bowl Eat-O Festival

2008-02-02T21:13:00.001-06:00

The Super Bowl - the first major food holiday on the calendar after New Years Day - has arrived, and, with it, one of our Chicago traditions I'll miss the most.

The first time I really paid close attention to the Super Bowl was the Bears victory in 1986. I remember that I got out of bed about a half hour before kick-off, just in time for a breakfast of frozen pizza, Totino's I believe, which was, in those days, the greatest treat imaginable. Since then, I have taken part in a number of what were intended to be annual Super Bowl traditions. First was watching the game at a sister's house. That lasted two years. Then it was with a group from Des Plaines Bible Church - one year. Then a co-worker's house - one year, but it would have been two were it not for a last-minute trip to Houston from which I came home feeling a little groggy.

Finally, one of our traditions stuck - watching the game, and eating way too much, at my brother-in-law Bob's house in Fox Lake. Every Super Bowl Sunday since 2001, when the Ravens beat the Giants, Tiffany and I made the long, usually cold, trek up Illinois 59 to watch the big game, and eat, with Bob and my sister Rene, who also lives up in the far reaches of Lake County. Although I'm not a big eater, it just isn't the Super Bowl if you don't have a food injury by half time. And Bob is the best host for that kind of party, providing a wide array of snacks, including crackers, cheese and sausage, fruit, nuts, shrimp, and, of course, every kind of eat-o you can think of - Doritos, Cheetos, Fritos, etc. Oh, and don't forget the Diet Pepsi!

Sadly, the tradition comes to an end tomorrow. Although we won't be spending this Super Bowl Sunday at Bob's, we made a special trip to Bi-Lo to ensure he and Rene would be foremost in our minds as the Patriots and Giants square off in Arizona. We've even gotten a head start, a warm-up, so to speak, for the big day tomorrow, finishing off a bag of Bugles as we watched Notting Hill. So, in memory of the great Bob Miller Super Bowl Eat-O Festival, keep the Mylanta and the Pepto near at hand, and go Bears!

Tax Cuts and the End of Conservatism

2008-02-02T15:01:00.000-06:00

It's fun, in a twisted way, to watch so-called conservatives squirming over the recent surge by John McCain. While watching tv as I work out at the gym, reading the papers, and surfing the web, it seems there's a concerted effort by people posing as real conservatives to get behind Mitt Romney, and the buzzword seems to be tax-cuts. And, related to that, is how our great president has done wonders with his tax cuts. I don't have much to say about Romney, but the Bush tax-cuts are not the economic wonder that these alleged conservatives are making them out to be.

Don't get me wrong, tax cuts are great (tax elimination would be even better, but Republicans, except for one or two, have lost the guts to actually talk about such things), but if there is no corresponding cut in spending, then tax cuts are almost meaningless. Besides, true conservatism isn't about taxes, it's about spending, which is the true reflection of the size of government, which in turn is the true reflection of how much freedom we have. That is to say, more government is less freedom, less government is more freedom. The current president, for all his hype about freedom, has, when evaluated from this standpoint, been the biggest failure in history when it comes to safeguarding liberty. But that's beside my current point...

What I intended to say was that for all the talk of the genius of tax cuts, our overall tax bill has really gone up under President Bush. And that bill must be paid at some point, whether anyone wants to admit it or not. If we don't pay our debts, they will get passed on to the next generation, which is not only irresponsible, but is also taxation without representation, something Americans are supposed to despise. Some have called the debt fiscal or economic child abuse, and I think I like that description.

To make matters worse, our recent administrations have all used the strategy of printing more money to pay our debts. There is nothing magic about money - it is just another commodity and must obey the same economic rules of supply and demand. The more there is on the market, the less it is worth, especially when it's not backed up by anything more meaningful than the full faith and credit of a nearly insolvent government.

So anyway, Tiffany's home and we've got places to go, so, to get back to my point (this post was only supposed to be a sentence or two and is the type of post I usually don't bother posting after writing it all out), today's conservatives can talk all they want about tax cuts, but if they don't do something about our tax bill (like QUIT SPENDING!!!), then they're missing the point of real conservatism and just feeding the monster that is the US government. This issue - spending and printing more money to pay for it - is probably the most crucial issue of the day, including terrorism, and yet, Ron Paul is the only candidate who talks about it. The others either don't get it or don't want to deal it.

Which leads me to another point: I agree that McCain is a bad idea. But he is, at least, talking about cutting spending. But the problem with him is that he says he's concerned about spending, he claims to be a great leader, and he claims to be a powerful senator. But for six years, while his party controlled both houses of Congress and the presidency, he was unable to do anything about cutting spending. So either he doesn't really care about government waste or he isn't the great leader he claims to be. My guess is, it's both. Still, to vote for the lesser evil of Romney doesn't solve any of the problems the country faces, and that's why I say it's funny to listen to the so-called conservatives fretting over McCain and Romney.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 21: Tony's Pizza

2008-01-23T20:35:00.000-06:00

There are a handful of Tony's locations; we picked up at the location in Huntersville. Tony's makes New York style pizza, and based on the people working the shop, I'm guessing the owners are New Yorkers - they just had that attitude. Anyway, there's not much to say other than that we like Tony's and it's one of the most recommended pizzas around. So far, it might be the best pizza we've tried in Charlotte, for what that's worth - Charlotte hasn't proven to be a pizza paradise.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 20: Neck Road

2008-01-14T19:24:00.000-06:00

I stumbled across Neck Rd in Huntersville one weekend when Tiffany had gone back to Chicago for a few days. Being on my own, I drove down Neck Rd in order to find a historic site that is on my local map-book (I didn't find the historic site). The road gets its name from the fact that it winds its way along a neck of land formed by a big bend in the Catawba River. Beginning as a paved road, Neck Rd eventually turns to gravel before ending at a wildlife sanctuary. Along the way, Neck Rd passes a few minor historic sites and some beautiful scenery. The historic sites will eventually have their own place on this list, so here are a few photos of the drive down Neck Rd. On my first trip, I was listening to some of Alison Krauss's more bluegrassy music, which fit brilliantly into the drive until the thought of dueling banjos, and accompanying Hollywood imagery, crossed my mind. Then I got a little creeped out because Neck Rd, while beautiful, is a lonely place.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 19: Birkdale Village Christmas

2008-01-13T21:37:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm a couple weeks late posting this, but that's okay, Christmas will be here again soon enough. Birkdale Village in Huntersville is one of those residential/shopping/business/dining village-type places that have become popular the last few years. The nearest I can think of for those of you in Chicago is The Glen of Glenview. Birkdale puts up a nice, not-too-busy display at Christmas, including a snow machine. Here are a few pictures from our Christmas visit to Birkdale, a night topped off by strolling through the snow, really a bubbly dish soap kinda stuff, puffed out by the snow machine while enjoying ice cream from Cold Stone.
Birkdale's Jewish reindeer

The Charlotte 500, Lap 18: Blenheim Ginger Ale

2008-01-06T21:17:00.000-06:00

Realizing that 500 is a much bigger number than it first appeared, I determined that if ever I wanted to finish this list of 500 things to do in Charlotte, I had better start including some things that may not be completely Charlotte-focused, such as road trips (coming soon) and a few little things, like soda. So, lap 18 (only 472 to go - what have I gotten myself into?), is simply a 12 ounce bottle of spicy hot ginger ale - Blenheim Ginger Ale, to be precise, which, if you look hard enough, can be found in the Charlotte area.

Blenheim ranks with Glendale, Wisconsin's Sprecher Ginger Ale (note: Sprecher also makes the greatest cream soda in the world) as my favorite real ginger ale, which I define as a ginger ale that actually has the spicy-hotness of ginger root, rather than the more common watered-down variety, such as that produced by Canada Dry. A friend told me about Blenheim, and after five months I finally found it at a dirty old gas station in Mooresville on my way home from work. Blenheim is manufactured in the town of Hamer in northeast South Carolina. Apparently, Blenheim Ginger Ale has gained quite a following; if you want to read more about it, click here. If you like ginger ale, and if you plan on visiting us, give me advance warning and I'll make sure we stock the refrigerator.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 17: Poppa's Hot Dogs

2008-01-02T20:12:00.000-06:00

While we haven't found a single pizzeria that offers Chicago-style pizza (there is an Uno's Bar and Grill in uptown, but that hardly qualifies as Chicago pizza), the towns north of Charlotte are home to a couple places that serve up Chicago style hot dogs, including Poppa's Hot Dogs of Mooresville.

Opened by a friendly Chicago native, who started chatting with Tiffany when he noticed my Northwestern Wildcats t-shirt, Poppa's offers all the sandwiches you'd expect in a hot dog stand - Italian beef, bratwurst, etc. - to go along with enough hot dog varieties to please all the transplants from Chicago and New York as well as the locals. My personal favorite is the Chicago dog, with the New Yorker (sauerkraut and mustard) and the Carolina dog (chili and cole slaw) tied for second. Poppa's also offers a Comiskey dog, which, as you'd expect of backwards White Sox fans, or my lovely wife, is the only hot dog that includes that heretical condiment, ketchup. Poppa's french fries are of the crinkly variety and are very good, but not quite great.

The decor consists entirely of Chicago or racing related artifacts. One wall is covered with photos of the local NASCAR drivers who have eaten at Poppa's, including Dale Earnhardt, Jr. My favorite item is a framed carry-out bag from Ditka Dogs. I'm not sure if that was ever a real place, but it's cool anyway - it's Ditka. There is also a large Scooby-Doo near the counter, which may or may not be a tribute to the semi-famous Scooby's Red Hots of Chicago (or one of the countless other hot dog stands that carry Scooby's name).

Located on Highway 150 (River Highway), just off I77 in Mooresville, has quickly become one of our favorites. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, it is a just a little too far to go just for hot dogs.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 16: Lancaster's BBQ of Huntersville

2007-12-23T12:44:00.000-06:00

The original Lancaster's BBQ in Mooresville is one of the most famous restaurants in the Charlotte area, both for its food and because it's a favorite hangout of NASCAR drivers. For that reason, the original Lancaster's will be the subject of a future post once we have actually eaten there. Lancaster has recently opened a couple new locations, including one on Beattie's Ford Road in Huntersville.

Serving up delicious Eastern North Carolina BBQ, mustard-based slaw, and some very tasty hush puppies, all at decent prices, Lancaster's of Huntersville is highly recommended. In addition to BBQ, Lancaster's also offers catfish, fried shrimp, chicken, and burgers. But if you're in Carolina, dining at one of the most famous names in Carolina BBQ, you don't need all that - just go with the simple BBQ tray and you can't lose.

Staying true to the region's racing heritage, Lancaster's is decorated with a few items of NASCAR memorabilia and more historic gasoline station signage than I've ever seen. However, they are recreations that look brand new, which takes away some of the old-timey feel I think they were reaching for.

Someone at Lancaster's must have a sense of humor, too. The music playing over the stereo would have done Dr. Demento proud. For all I know, it was the Dr. Demento Christmas special, including songs such as "Walking in My Winter Underwear" and "Christmas on Acid" and another that included the line, "Merry Christmas you louts, it may be your last" or something in that vein. There was nothing offensive about the music - it was funny - but based on the laugher from all the tables, I could tell everyone else was surprised to hear something other than the usual watered-down, bland Christmas-pop piped in at most public places.

Book Review: Prayer by Philip Yancey

2007-12-19T15:31:00.000-06:00

I've been reading Prayer for at least six months and finally finished. I'd read two or three days in a row and then put it aside for a week or three. I didn't mean to do that, but that's how it worked out. And, thinking back, I probably benefitted from reading it this way.

Yancey didn't set out to create a "how-to" book on prayer, but, by not doing so, I think he actually succeeded in creating a how-to book better than the actual how-to books. He doesn't give you any step by step guidelines or Things You Have To Say when praying. He simply examines the issues he has - and they're the issues we all have - with prayer. His conclusions were very helpful to me in understanding prayer and how I go about talking with God. Most of all, I think he helped me overcome the worry that I was doing it all wrong, as if there is a right way to pray that can be laid out for every person and every circumstance.

It helped also to have read the book during a period when many of my prayers were answered in the way I had hoped (which has rarely happened before). Some of those prayers were big, some small, and some were just off-the-wall-can't-be-answered-type prayers God brought to mind while I lay awake at night thinking of everything from work to friends to the Cubs, who are beyond prayer. Maybe that's a sign that I'm finally learning to pray for the right things.

I didn't agree with everything Yancey said. I don't know that I disagreed with anything he said either. It's just that a few things were beyond my comprehension. And that's all right. What I did understand was helpful and, early returns indicate, life changing.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 15: Torrence's Tavern

2007-12-14T22:42:00.000-06:00

Torrence's Tavern was, to be generous, an extremely small skirmish, accorded the briefest of mentions in most histories. Colonel Banister Tarleton's Redcoats, according to the historical marker, "routed" a small group of American militia during a campaign through the Carolina piedmont in 1781. You can read the history of the campaign here.

As for the site itself, the marker is all there is to it. In fact, if you get stopped at the red light, you don't even have to get out of your car to take in the entire site. The Torrence's Tavern historical marker is located along NC Highway 115 near Mount Mourne, a small town - village, really - in southern Iredell County. If you're really bored, you can learn more, but not much more, about the historical marker itself by clicking here.

Christmas Cat

2007-12-14T19:44:00.000-06:00

Since I normally don't get into the Christmas spirit, Tigger is picking up the slack this year. He even got a card from one his pals back in Chicago. He set up the note and pictures next to his food dish so that he can look at them the three times a day he actually wakes up.

One of his favorite places, until gifts got in the way, is under the tree, nose to nose with his namesake, which normally winds up on the floor.

I just hope he bought me something nice.

Book Review: Good to Great by Jim Collins

2007-12-11T15:26:00.000-06:00

I don't normally like reading business books. As a subject, business just isn't that interesting, but Good to Great is one of the exceptions. The reason, I think, is that it deals with more than just business, but also touches a little bit on psychology and relationships, both of which can drive our work.

Jim Collins led a research team seeking to uncover the reason "why some companies make the leap...and others don't," which also happens to be the subtitle of the book. Collins and his team began by identifying 11 companies that, after years of being mediocre or decent companies, became great for a sustained period. I won't bore you with the details of how they defined a great company, since that's not the interesting part of the book. Once they had their great companies, along with a set of comparison companies that failed to become great, the Collins' team conducted extensive research to uncover what the great companies did differently than those that remained simply good (or worse).

The conclusions are best described as brilliantly simple, and, I guess I'm not too surprised to see, they are often principles I've been taught all my life. Very briefly, the concepts practiced by the companies that made the leap boiled down to these: strong but humble leadership that welcomed questions and conflict; getting the right people on board before determining direction; be completely and, if necessary, brutally honest; finding out what you are passionate about and what you can do better than anyone else; having discipline of thought and action; only invest in technology that will set you apart (I know I've phrased that poorly, but it comes down to refusing to chase after every new technology - a company should not be driven by the pursuit of fancy new toys); keep pushing - don't give up - and be positive if you know you're going the right direction. Many of these principles - humility, honesty, discipline, persistence - you might recognize from another old book we've all studied (amazing how that works!).

None of the "good to great" companies had leaders who acted as the savior or who tried to drive the organization with their brilliant ideas - that's the reason they brought the good people on board. None of the companies made excuses about being "second generation" or a bad economy or, in the case of Philip Morris, an increasingly hostile social attitude toward their industry. They simply faced reality.

Collins' writing was easy to understand and his illustrations were interesting and apt. I appreciated that they used quantitative research only to back up the qualitative. That is, they didn't focus on numbers, which can be easily twisted, to conjure up points they wanted to make. They kept the numbers in reserve until they had isolated a concept that was proven by the "good to great" companies.

Good to Great is well worth reading if you are interested in business or if you care about the business for which you work. It was the best book I've read in a long time.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 14: Just Peachy

2007-12-04T13:11:00.001-06:00

Located on Highway 161 in York, SC, Black's Peaches had everything you could want in a farm stand, except peaches - they must have been out of season. This rustic-looking roadside stand/store sold sourdough bread, pecan pie, sweet potato pie, honey, jelly, salsa, ice cream and an array of fruits and vegetables, including the most spectacularly large sweet potatoes I've ever seen.

We happened upon Black's on our way to King's Mountain and decided to stop to buy pumpkins for our fall seasonal decorations. Tiffany didn't like that I picked out a white pumpkin, but I thought it looked kinda cool (and it reminded me of Bunnicula, which you Carp folks might appreciate). You can see my white pumpkin in a previous post entitled "Tiffany's Ride."

If you're anywhere close, Black's Peaches is worth the trip, but it might be a good idea to go during peach season so you can taste what I assume is their specialty. I still regret that we passed on the sweet potato pie; I've never had sweet potato pie, but it seems like my first slice should be from a place like Black's.

Philately is Phun!

2007-11-30T09:38:00.000-06:00

I finally figured out how to use the scanner part of our printer. That is, I finally read the directions.

My first scan is this picture from the Milwaukee Sentinel. My dad framed it and gave it to me as a Christmas gift five or six years ago. It's yours truly, age 6, being a big help, I'm sure, at Milcopex '78. This is one of three times I can remember appearing in the newspaper as a result of being at the stamp shows. I don't have copies of the other two, but I know one was a Milwaukee paper and the other Rockford. I must have been the cutest thing going at the stamp shows. Or maybe I was so popular with the photographers because I was the only non-smoker under the age of 50 who weighed less than 250 pounds. Stamp collecting is not a hobby that's good for your waist-line, especially if it's also how you make your living.

The best thing about the stamp shows was that there was usually free donuts. I also got to travel to exotic places like Whitewater, Janesville, Fort Atkinson, Rockford, and Rolling Meadows. Stamps were also good for learning geography, history, and even vocabulary - before I hit the age of ten, I could amaze my friends by telling them I'd spent the weekend at a bourse, hanging out with philatelists and numismatists.

Thanksgiving

2007-11-25T19:00:00.000-06:00

This was our first Thanksgiving away from the place we'd always called home. And we had our first opportunity to be the hosts. Our friends Steve (aka Porky) and Pam, whom we met through Awana, came over from China Grove, which is not the place the Doobie Brothers sang about, but it's still a cool name for a town.

I've always wanted a different menu on the holidays, but the weight of tradition is heavy, so we stuck with turkey. Our unfortunate bird, most of which is still in the refrigerator, is the one pictured, pre-oven, at the top of this post. Pam makes a sweet potato casserole that is definitely southern style; it tastes a lot like pecan pie and is my new favorite. Other than sweet tea, the rest of our menu was traditional as well - veggies, cranberry sauce, stuffing - but I guess sweet tea is traditional, too; it's just not our tradition, but when in Rome...

I know this is a bit late, but we hope you all had a great Thansgiving. Tigger even woke up long enough to come downstairs to wish you the best as well.

Book(s) Review: The Dark Tower by Stephen King

2007-11-17T22:10:00.000-06:00

Stephen King's fantasy saga The Dark Tower is one of the longest, most ambitious works in a genre that is home to long, ambitious works. Fantasy writers just can't seem to keep their creations to a single volume.

I started the series back in the 1980s but decided to put off reading the entire thing when I learned the extent of King's plans for the story. Beginning in 1982, the first four volumes were released over spans of five, four, and six years; I can't remember the details that long, so I waited 'til I could read it all at once. King finished the series with a flurry, with volumes five through seven all published in 2003 and 2004. I think his near-fatal accident in 1999 (he was hit by a car) caused King to truly get down to business on The Dark Tower, the first line of which he wrote back in 1970. He said he didn't want an Edwin Drood in his catalog.

And, after 3,948 pages, it turns out the first line ("The man in black fled across the desert and the gunslinger followed.") was the best part of the entire series. As King himself wrote, "The rest might have been puff and blow, but, man, that was clean." It also turns out, however, that the author's assessment wasn't entirely correct. The ending was brilliant. But the middle - if you consider the 3,946 pages from the second line to the final two pages the "middle" - really was just puff and blow. The Dark Tower was a promising idea, a western/fantasy hybrid, but it wound up being standard fantasy from an author whose writing talent can't possibly catch up with his imagination (something King himself has admitted, if I interpret his remarks correctly). There were the doorways between worlds, characters with Methuselah-like life spans, magic talismans, and, of course, the strange creatures, both terrible and lovable, that inhabit any fantasy epic worth its salt.

The ending, as I said, was brilliant. It was brilliant because, unlike the rest of the book, it wasn't the typical fantasy. Without going into details, we learn on the final page that Roland, the hero, is doomed both to forget and repeat his history, so his whole quest for the Dark Tower is one he has likely repeated countless times before and one he just might repeat into eternity. King did throw in one hint, one ray of hope, that Roland's next trek to the Dark Tower just might be his last. At first the ending maddened me, but, as it sunk in, I began to realize it was perfect. The ending was almost shocking after investing so much time reading all seven volumes, all the while assuming I knew how it would turn out.

I'm glad I finally read the whole series, but King sure could use an editor to tighten things up. As with all of his work, The Dark Tower could have been much more concise, much more intense. But it's Stephen King. You don't read his books for literary fulfillment.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 13: Brixx

2007-11-17T21:04:00.000-06:00

I don't have very good pictures of Brixx, a small pizza chain that opened their first restaurant in the Dilworth neighborhood of Charlotte, so this post won't be very colorful. Brixx has a handful of locations around Charlotte and they've recently expanded to several other cities in North and South Carolina, including Greensboro, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, and Greenville.

Brixx is known for their excellent brick oven pizza, similar in style to, but much better than, California Pizza Kitchen. My favorites are the wood-roasted vegetable (minus the mushrooms), Hawaiian, and, quite unexpectedly, the gorgonzola pear pizza. Despite being a haven for craft beer fanatics, Brixx is very family friendly. We've been to five Brixx locations, and they all have a bright, cozy, inviting atmosphere. I believe all Brixx restaurants are entirely (and voluntarily) non-smoking. Service is always good, never outstanding, but never bad either. Best of all, the prices are hard to beat, especially since buy-one-get-one coupons are easy to find. But even if you have to pay full price, the pizzas only cost $7.95 to $9.95, and are filling enough to feed two people.

We've not met anyone who doesn't like Brixx. And we've not met anyone who hasn't been there, either. Those are pretty good indications of the quality of their food. Brixx is highly recommended!

Tiffany's Ride

2007-11-09T14:02:00.000-06:00

We were about to walk out the door so I could take Tiffany to work when she started jumping and, in a breathless shout, babbling about Jimmie being here. I had no idea what she meant; she thought I'd arranged for a special ride to work in honor of whatever holiday might be on the calendar.

Apparently, they missed their turn when Gilead Rd makes a surprise right turn, with no signage, and pulled over in front of our house to figure out how they magically appeared on Bud Henderson Rd. Tiffany thinks this is a good omen for the final two races and for the Nextel Cup championship. If you're looking for omens, though, I think a missed turn is not a good indication of a positive outcome to the race. On the other hand, it was a right turn they missed and in NASCAR, it's all about turning left. My guess is that two guys hauling a show car a couple thousand miles away from the racetrack will have little impact on the outcome.

But it did make Tiffany's morning. It is kinda cool that of all the dozens of teams that could have missed a turn and pulled up to our curb that it was the only team that matters in this house.

Pick a Candidate

2007-11-07T22:49:00.001-06:00

Despite my best efforts to stay out of the fray, I have been getting highly agitated about the presidential campaign lately. Too much will happen over the next few months to make it worth the stress. My main frustration is the ease with which the GOP has been taken over by statists of various stripes and the willingness of (alleged) conservatives to cheer on the transition. Principles are nowhere to be found.

But that's all beside the point. I don't want to get into a discussion of politics without taking the time to get my mind and facts straight. All I wanted to post today was a link to a cool feature on Minnesota Public Radio's website that allows you, by answering a set of policy questions, to select the candidate that most closely aligns with your beliefs. I like this site much more than similar sites I have seen, because it includes several possible answers to each question, not just two answers representing the extremes of the issue.

Anyway, here's the link. If you know me, you can probably guess which candidate my poll answers pointed toward.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 12: The Soda Shop, Davidson

2007-11-03T21:12:00.000-05:00

The Soda Shop in Davidson is, I suppose, a step back in time, but I can't say for sure not having been around back in the days of soda shops and Wally and the Beav. In my mind, though, this is the type of place the Cleaver clan went for a treat on Saturday night.

The menu consists of nothing more complex than burgers and sandwiches. My patty melt was excellent, and so were the sweet potato fries (more like chips actually). Although the food was good, you really go to The Soda Shop for dessert - malts, phosphates, flavored cokes, shakes, black cows, or just a scoop or two of ice cream, made by DeLuxe Ice Cream just up the road in Mooresville. My blueberry shake was very good, but Tiff's black and white (vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup) was one of the best shakes I've ever had. On another visit I had a strawberry coke that was perfectly, deliciously blended.

The Soda Shop is at the edge of the Davidson College campus on Main Street, a Main Street which also seems to be right out of 1950s television. Photos of Davidson College Wildcats athletes take up most of the wall space, with a few vintage ice cream ads thrown in for good measure. Musically, The Soda Shop is also right on top of things. The soundtrack of our dinner included Bill Haley, The Chiffons, and, of course, Elvis, who even looks down on diners from behind the counter.

A visit to The Soda Shop, followed by a stroll up and down the block, is highly recommended.

Book Review: The Card by Michael O'Keeffe and Teri Thompson

2007-10-27T15:05:00.000-05:00

The Card, which carries the subtitle, "Collectors, Con Men, and the True Story of History's Most Desired Baseball Card," is about the recent history of the famous 1909 T206 Honus Wagner card. More accurately, The Card is about The Card - the Gretzky T206 Wagner, which was the first, and as far as I know, only, baseball card to sell for more than a million dollars (it sold for $2.35 million earlier this year). The card earned its nickname when hockey great Wayne Gretzky became part owner of the card in 1991.

The Card is a fun, quick book, just over 200 pages long, including appendices. Chapters detailing the history of The Card since its discovery in 1985 are intermingled with chapters about the business and history of baseball cards, players' compensation for use of their image, the history of card collecting, and, of course, Honus Wagner. The authors even make a case for Wagner as the greatest baseball player of all time. While there is some validity to their argument, it would likely be accepted by few fans outside Pittsburgh. Along with Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth, Wagner was one of only three offensive players in the National Baeball Hall of Fame's inaugural class (1936). In fact, Wagner received the same number of votes as Ruth, and more than twice the votes of Cy Young, who failed to make the cut. So while those who saw him play counted Wagner among baseball's greatest legends, very few of today's fans remember him for more than his appearance on an expensive piece of cardboard.

The T206 Wagner, while not the rarest baseball card, is the rarest card in what is probably the most desired set for collectors of vintage cards. Without going into too much detail, the controversy surrounding the card stems from its almost pristine condition. How can a piece of cardboard survive in such great condition for so many decades? Further adding to the debate, there have been questionable practices and conflicts of interest among the original buyer, auction houses, and the company and individual graders that authenticated the card.

O'Keeffe and Thompson attempt to prove that the card has been altered, and, although there is no smoking gun, I think they succeed. My guess is that most people would agree, but it will probably have little impact on the value of the card. The card's recent fame is based partly on the mystery and the controversy and partly on the intriguing cast of characters who have owned it, Wayne Gretzky being the most famous, but not necessarily the most interesting. In fact, Gretzky sold the card to Wal-Mart for use in a give-away promotion. The winner of the promotion was announced on an episode of Larry King Live, featuring a panel that included Tommy Lasorda and Barry Bonds. Other owners of the card have ties (having nothing to do with the card or the controversy) to such people as Rudy Giuliani and George H.W. Bush. All of these things, but especially the controversy, only serve to make The Card more interesting, more collectible, more valuable.

The only problem I had with the book was its National Enquirer-like tone. I shouldn't have been surprised, though, since the authors work for the New York Daily News, which seems to exist for the sole purpose of dredging up dirt on as many people as it can. That tone makes me wonder if they presented the evidence in its entirety or if they are only telling part of the story. On the positive side, the authors spent just the right amount of time on each chapter, providing sufficient information to move the story along without getting bogged down in details. I recommend this book for any fan of baseball history, even those who don't collect cards.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 11: Scattered, Smothered, Covered, or Chunked?

2007-10-19T16:36:00.000-05:00

You'd think that once you've seen one Waffle House, you've seen them all. This Southern institution of the interstate is like McDonalds in that way - they all look the same, inside and out. But, every once in a while, you come across one that's different, and the Waffle House on Catawba Avenue in Cornelius is that one. The inside is all the same; so is the menu. But the exterior is much different - nicer - than the typical Waffle House, and that's why we call this one the Nice Waffle House. Remember, though, before you slip on your wingtips and knot your tie, it is still a Waffle House - good waffles, eggs, sausage (and, now, flavored sodas!! I was so excited, I had a cranberry coke with my All Star Special breakfast) - but not much else in the way of comfort and coziness.

There was also a great selection of music on the jukebox, including some songs about Waffle House, some of which you can buy on-line. Wonderfully enough, the Allman Brothers' "Ramblin' Man" came on during our breakfast. If any song is a Waffle House song, it's "Ramblin' Man."

Before you laugh, check out these fun facts about Waffle House. They really do have some impressive numbers.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 10: The Ride

2007-10-13T14:06:00.000-05:00

It's about this time, after I've driven a few miles, I realize I'm sitting listening to the wind whistle through the windows. Music! I need some music! The best place to turn for music in Charlotte is The Ride, 95.7 FM. The reason it's the best is that it's not the same old stuff you can hear on any number of stations in any city. The Ride is a classic rock station that plays the same artists as anyone else, but not the same songs. Listening to The Ride, you're more likely to hear "Eleanor Rigby" than "All You Need Is Love", "Tupelo Honey" than "Brown Eyed Girl", or "The Ballad of Billy the Kid" than "Piano Man."

The station seems to be especially fond of James Taylor and Thin Lizzy, but that's okay, although Taylor can be a downer if you're looking for something more upbeat.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 9: Pssghetti's

2007-09-30T21:05:00.000-05:00

Pssghetti's, located off Sam Furr Rd (NC 73), in Huntersville was a wonderful surprise. Nestled among the stores, like Blockbuster, you'd expect in a Target/Lowes strip mall, we expected Pssghetti's to be a pseudo fast food Italian restaurant along the lines of Pasta Makers. As soon as we walked in the front door, we knew we had the wrong idea. Beautifully decorated, with loads of copper along the walls and ceiling, Pssghetti's carried a typical Italian menu - chicken parmigiana, ravioli, lasagna, etc. Starting with the bread and butter, continuing with the salad, and through the main entrees, everything was fantastic. Tiffany and I split a plate of chicken scallopini with cuscus, while we both had a taste of her dad's chicken parmigiana. All of it was great. We'll be back soon. Or at least as soon as I have a job. The service, friendly and informative, was just as good as the food. I put both my thumbs up for Pssghetti's.

Pssghetti's also has a location in Blowing Rock, NC, up in the mountains, and is opening soon in Clearwater, FL.

Mostly Furnished

2007-09-28T17:08:00.000-05:00

I'm a little slow in posting this, for those of you who can't wait to see how our home is coming along. We drove up to Hickory, where all the great furniture deals are to be had. It was finally delivered a couple Saturdays ago. The deals were as good as we had heard.
The living room. I couldn't quite get a good picture, but this'll do for now. On the TV, you can see Ball State beating Navy in overtime, just in case you're interested. The rocking chair belonged to Tiffany's grandmother. She got it when Tiffany's dad was born, so it's kinda old. It creaks a lot, even more than Tiffany's dad.

The guest bed. It's one of Tigger's new places to hang out, which is why it's now covered with the blue blanket.

You'd think, with all the new furniture, Tigger would take advantage of all the stuff he can now lie on or under. But an old box (this one has been on our bedroom floor since we moved in) is still the cat's meow.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 8: Hendrick Motor Sports

2007-09-27T21:26:00.001-05:00

Located in Concord, just outside the Charlotte city limits, Hendrick Motor Sports is home to reigning NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson (Tiffany's favorite) and four-time champ Jeff Gordon (if the rules hadn't been changed three years ago, Gordon would be eight races away from his sixth championship). In 2008, Hendrick will also be home to the most popular driver, if not the most popular athlete in the country, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (That will be an interesting combination since Gordon and Earnhardt fans carry on a rivalry that makes Cubs vs. Cards or Yankees vs. Red Sox look like a Quaker picnic, and now they're teammates.) In total, HMS has won over 160 races, including five Daytona 500s, six Winston/Nextel Cup championships, three Craftsman truck championships, and one Busch series championship.

HMS is also the former home of my favorite driver, Kenny Schrader. Schrader has only four career victories, all coming while he drove for Hendrick from 1988-95. Unfortunately, the most attention he gets at the museum is the display of the car he was driving when he was wrecked by Gordon, his teammate, at Talladega in 1995.

Other drivers who have driven for HMS include Darrell Waltrip, Ricky Rudd, and Terry Labonte.

The HMS museum and garages are free to visit, so even if you're not a race fan, you might enjoy a quick visit. If nothing else, it is amazing to see the size of the complex; the major teams easily take up more space than an NFL stadium. The garages are stunningly clean, and you can view the work areas, which was somewhat interesting, even for someone like me who doesn't care much for the mechanical end of the sport. The museum contains a couple dozen cars, hundreds of trophies, pictures, videos, and a gift shop, of course. Here are a few pictures from our recent visit.

And because it's NASCAR, even the landscaping is sponsored.

The Charlotte 500, Lap 7: Sonic

2007-09-27T19:41:00.000-05:00

I know Sonic isn't a Charlotte thing, but I'm including it here for three reasons: 1) It's close to the next stop on the Charlotte 500; 2) They still have a roller skating server, Sheri by name, who delivers your food; 3) I became inordinately excited when I saw they had numerous flavorings to jazz up your soda. Plus, I don't remember ever eating at Sonic before.

We had a coupon for extra long coney dogs, which are hot dogs topped with chili and a cheese whiz type substance, so that's what we ate, along with their version of tater tots. I was pleasantly surprised; it was a tasty, satisfying lunch. I also had a blue-coconut-coke and a chocolate-strawberry-coke. You can get any one, or a combination, of about ten flavorings in any of their soft drinks, so it would take a long time to try every possible variation - over 400 years if you drank one per day, according to the calculation printed on the cup (this is a list it would be wise not to start). Flavored cokes are one of the joys of life, so this discovery was good news indeed. This particular Sonic was only minutes from Lowes Motor Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports, and NASCAR Speedpark (more about those later), and since I'm married to a racing fanatic, I'm sure we'll be back.

Here's an action photo of me slurping the chocolate-strawbery coke.

More Visitors

2007-09-26T23:01:00.000-05:00

I don't like this visitor as much as our other, furrier, friend. We aren't feeding this critter, unless you count the crickets out by our garage. My 13-year-old neighbor, Evan, just happened to be telling me all about snakes, particularly his pet snake, which I'm happy to know lives at his dad's house in Florida, just minutes before this guy came slithering out of the grass. I need to bring Evan these pictures so he can tell me what kind of snake this is. Tiffany hasn't gone outside since.