Chris Rodell's Blog, page 38
April 28, 2017
Drummers & getting our arms around rock economy
(770 words)
I was in an otherwise good mood talking with a drummer friend when another drummer sat right beside him and ruined the whole thing.
I so can’t stand the idea of bands with two drummers in them I object to bars with two drummers, too.
Who knew Latrobe had so many drinking drummers?
The one guy’s an old buddy of mine and keeps the beat in a popular local cover band. He
I was in an otherwise good mood talking with a drummer friend when another drummer sat right beside him and ruined the whole thing.
I so can’t stand the idea of bands with two drummers in them I object to bars with two drummers, too.
Who knew Latrobe had so many drinking drummers?
The one guy’s an old buddy of mine and keeps the beat in a popular local cover band. He
April 27, 2017
Forever trying to prove my cool through my music
(657 words)
I had to correct a friend who was introducing me to his buddies last week when we were having drinks in Flappers, the beguiling second floor bar here in the Tin Lizzy.
“Chris works here up on the third floor,” he said.
Not true. I don’t work on the third floor.
I sit there.
I sometimes type, which no one who really works would consider real work. And I often play
I had to correct a friend who was introducing me to his buddies last week when we were having drinks in Flappers, the beguiling second floor bar here in the Tin Lizzy.
“Chris works here up on the third floor,” he said.
Not true. I don’t work on the third floor.
I sit there.
I sometimes type, which no one who really works would consider real work. And I often play
April 25, 2017
Vote Rostraver for Hockeyville! Me & Flyer great Hextall would want you to
(657 words)
I disappointed a lot of readers by not returning from last month’s Philadelphia visit with even one story about how Philly was full of Pitttsburgh-hating jerks.
Sorry, but everyone I met was perfectly sweet so I defend Philly.
Maybe it’s because I once defended arguably one of the biggest Philly jerks of all time.
Yes, at one time I defended Ron Hextall.
And he had
I disappointed a lot of readers by not returning from last month’s Philadelphia visit with even one story about how Philly was full of Pitttsburgh-hating jerks.
Sorry, but everyone I met was perfectly sweet so I defend Philly.
Maybe it’s because I once defended arguably one of the biggest Philly jerks of all time.
Yes, at one time I defended Ron Hextall.
And he had
April 24, 2017
Teaching daughter, 16, illicit thrills of movie hopping
(653 words)
Enjoyed a great father-daughter bonding experience Saturday with Josie, 16. It wasn’t scholarly, athletic or crafty in nature.
More like retail theft.
I exposed her to the joys of movie hopping, paying to see one film and staying for free for another.
She and I saw “The Zookeeper’s Wife” at 1 p.m. and then snuck down the hall just in time to catch the 3:10 showing of “
Enjoyed a great father-daughter bonding experience Saturday with Josie, 16. It wasn’t scholarly, athletic or crafty in nature.
More like retail theft.
I exposed her to the joys of movie hopping, paying to see one film and staying for free for another.
She and I saw “The Zookeeper’s Wife” at 1 p.m. and then snuck down the hall just in time to catch the 3:10 showing of “
April 21, 2017
The curse of living in interesting times
(570 words)
I don’t remember the first time anyone said it to me or, really, if anyone ever did say it to me or if I’m just imagining it. But I’m always startled whenever I hear it said with the such sunny affirmation.
“May you live during interesting times.”
Its origins are obscure. One debunked theory is it isn’t a well-wish at all, but is actually an ancient Chinese curse.mFake
I don’t remember the first time anyone said it to me or, really, if anyone ever did say it to me or if I’m just imagining it. But I’m always startled whenever I hear it said with the such sunny affirmation.
“May you live during interesting times.”
Its origins are obscure. One debunked theory is it isn’t a well-wish at all, but is actually an ancient Chinese curse.mFake
April 18, 2017
Rent empty weekend White House to boost revenue
(603 words)
The Washington Post is today reporting President Trump has spent one out of every five minutes of his young presidency at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.
And, oh, what a gleeful moment it must have been for Post reporter Philip Bump when the math worked out so precisely.
He’d uncovered what I call a “brain barnacle,” a fact so nifty and easy to understand a nautical
The Washington Post is today reporting President Trump has spent one out of every five minutes of his young presidency at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida.
And, oh, what a gleeful moment it must have been for Post reporter Philip Bump when the math worked out so precisely.
He’d uncovered what I call a “brain barnacle,” a fact so nifty and easy to understand a nautical
April 14, 2017
Last Easter Mom nearly choked in church
(735 words)
On this weekend of deaths and resurrections, I’d like to talk about the one that got away.
Jesus lives!
And so does my Mom!
Last Easter, for the latter the matter seemed in doubt.
It was a moment I’ll never forget. She nearly died the most perfect Christian death. And I was right there rooting for it. Praying, actually.
Many will think me callous, sacrilegious,
On this weekend of deaths and resurrections, I’d like to talk about the one that got away.
Jesus lives!
And so does my Mom!
Last Easter, for the latter the matter seemed in doubt.
It was a moment I’ll never forget. She nearly died the most perfect Christian death. And I was right there rooting for it. Praying, actually.
Many will think me callous, sacrilegious,
April 13, 2017
Ways to improve commercial flights & why I love trains
(774 words)
Of all the cheap suggestions I’ve offered to improve commercial air travel — hold hands with seatmates, pipe in polka music, designate at least one passenger to dress like a nun — only one stands out for being both controversial and prophetic.
It’s the one where I suggest we convert airplanes into slave ships.
Understand, I’m not talking about the historically murderous
Of all the cheap suggestions I’ve offered to improve commercial air travel — hold hands with seatmates, pipe in polka music, designate at least one passenger to dress like a nun — only one stands out for being both controversial and prophetic.
It’s the one where I suggest we convert airplanes into slave ships.
Understand, I’m not talking about the historically murderous
April 11, 2017
Dogs, cats & when pets turn animal
(971 words)
I have a tasteless question I like to ask dog owners whenever they start gushing about the unbreakable bond between humans and their four-legged heartbeats:
“If you die undetected in your home, how many days will pass before your hungry dog begins to eat you?”
With Snickers and me, I figure it’d be about two days.
I think about it a lot because I worry the little yip
I have a tasteless question I like to ask dog owners whenever they start gushing about the unbreakable bond between humans and their four-legged heartbeats:
“If you die undetected in your home, how many days will pass before your hungry dog begins to eat you?”
With Snickers and me, I figure it’d be about two days.
I think about it a lot because I worry the little yip
April 10, 2017
PBS & the missile that missed
(530 words)
The op-ed, published in the NY Times two days before President Trump ordered the missile attack on Syria, made me want to locate the author and bestow a big, wet sloppy kiss. The headline: “Save PBS. It makes us safer.”
The essay reads: “As our leaders in Washington confront tough decisions about our budget priorities, I urge them to continue federal funding for public
The op-ed, published in the NY Times two days before President Trump ordered the missile attack on Syria, made me want to locate the author and bestow a big, wet sloppy kiss. The headline: “Save PBS. It makes us safer.”
The essay reads: “As our leaders in Washington confront tough decisions about our budget priorities, I urge them to continue federal funding for public
