A Christmas Story 2019

"A toast to my big brother, George. The richest man in town."

Harry Bailey - It's A Wonderful Life


For a child, Christmas Eve is a magical time filled with an overwhelming sense of anticipation. The mystical prospects of the following morning are almost too much to bear. But eventually, the sun comes up and the euphoric journey to the Christmas tree begins.  Overnight, the seeds that were planted under the tree have grown into full blossoms of excitement....

I look back on my childhood Christmas mornings. My parents were far from rich, at least in the monetary sense. But they did their best to put something under the tree that would put a smile on my face. Of course, this was back in the pre-PlayStation age where gifts were a lot cheaper. The most sophisticated electronics game that I ever received was a handheld Mattel football game where the players were represented by a few bright red dashes. Yes, it was primitive by today's standards, but back then it was electronic bliss.

On one particular Christmas morning, I was a bit disappointed to see that some of my gifts seemed to be pre-opened. Upon further inspection, I realized that these were actually second-hand gifts. My Dad used to dabble in flea markets and yard sales, so my assumption was that these items were picked up during his travels. Selfishly, I envisioned all of my friends unwrapping their brand new Christmas presents while I tried to make sense out of my recycled collection. How could my parents give me hand-me-downs for Christmas presents? To be honest, I felt a wee-bit slighted.

But as the day went on, I began to feel guilty. As the dim light bulb in my head began to illuminate, I realized that my parents were doing the best that they could. Whether they ordered my gifts from the beloved Montgomery Ward catalog or picked them up at a yard sale, it didn't really matter. The fact that they made an effort was enough for me. As the evening approached, I remember apologizing to my Mom about the way I felt that morning. But I still carried the guilt for quite some time for ever questioning my parent's love or generosity.

On a side note, I was fortunate enough to go to Cardinal Gibbons High School back in the day. You might question how my parents afforded to send me there. The truth of the matter is that my great-grandmother had always seen something in me that I could never seem to find in myself. And she always had high regards for CGHS. So, it was her wish that I go there. Knowing that my parents could never afford it, she left enough money in her will to cover my tuition. Sadly, she passed away before my freshman year but I will always be grateful for what she did for me. I'm not sure if I will ever meet her high expectations, but I will never stop trying.

Although material things can be fun and exciting, they pale in comparison to the intangible things that unite and inspire us. If there's one thing that I've learned through life, it's that you don't need a lot of money to be rich.

May each of you have a Merry Christmas.....

kw

Hypnotized By An Infomercial

This morning, I woke up, made my way down the stairs and followed the aroma of freshly brewed coffee. After pouring myself a large cup of the tasty stimulant, I plopped myself into my recliner and fired up the TV.

I never know what visual treats will await me first thing in the morning. But today, I was greeted with one of those traditional Time-Life commercials. On this particular morning, a couple of people were hawking a 150-song CD collection that featured soft rock songs of the 70's and 80's. I instinctively began to switch the channel, but the host kept saying, "But wait! There's more..."

I'm glad I did as it took me on a trip down memory lane...

I was intrigued by the various video clips of the artists who were performing these soft rock hits. For instance, Air Supply. Here was a band who had a string of hits back in the 80's. I was never particularly into them as I always liked the harder rock stuff. But I'm watching these two guys, one with an acoustic guitar and the other with a mini-Afro, belting out these sappy love songs while I quietly sipped my coffee.

There were other clips of 70's bands like America, Bread, Toto, Seals & Crofts and Firefall. There was also a string of solo artists like Boz Scaggs, Phil Collins, Kenny Loggins and Don McLean. Although these bands/individuals dominated the radio waves back in the day, it was interesting to see the faces behind the songs.

I saw a video of Christopher Cross singing his hit "Sailing". Cross was a stout-looking man but when he sang, he produced this unexpected high-pitched voice. It was sort of like hearing Mike Tyson talk for the first time. But in a different way.

The Doobie Brothers were also featured. I love the old Doobie songs like "China Groove", "Listen to the Music" and "Long Train Running". But the songs on this particular album collection were from the Michael McDonald years. He brought another element, mainly in the form of keyboards, to the band. They were good songs, but quite honestly, I was never a huge fan of the "softer" version of the Doobie's.

This infomercial was a long one. I was already ten minutes in. But the announcers assured me that we weren't done yet. So, like a hypnotized robot, I stayed tuned...

The next clip featured one of my all-time favorite guitar players, Peter Frampton. Of all the songs they could have picked from his catalog, they had him performing "I'm In You". I've always considered this song (and album of the same name) to be the "jump the shark" moment for Frampton (or maybe it was his appearance the Sgt. Peppers re-make, I dunno). But in the video, Frampton wasn't even holding his trademark Les Paul. I instantly wanted to change the channel but, as if the announcer sensed it, he said, "Hey, don't go away, there's more!" So, I stayed...

Next up was Linda Ronstadt doing "You're No Good". I'm not really sure if this one really fits into the traditional soft rock genre. But nonetheless, it's a good song (it was later covered by Van Halen). Looking back on Ronstadt herself, I think she was my first official boyhood crush. Back in the day, she was a very attractive woman and I loved the attitude that she injected into her performances.

The Cars also had a song in the collection. Unfortunately, it was "Drive". Although it was probably their biggest hit, I never really cared for it. If I had to pick one favorite Cars song, I would probably opt for "Moving In Stereo". They had a list of great songs but none rocked a pool scene quite the way this one did (If you don't know what I'm talking about, you obviously have never seen "Fast Times At Ridgemont High").

Perhaps one of the most profound marketing statements of the commercial was when one of the announcers pointed out that you could take the music with you and play the CD's in your car. It instantly made me think of the new Honda Pilot that I bought Tina a few years ago. After the first day of driving it, she informed me that I bought her a car without a CD player. This wasn't intentional as I assumed that every modern car these days comes with a CD player. Apparently, this isn't the case as everyone is now moving away from the "bulky" CDs and storing their collections on thumb-drives and I-pods. So, that's when I started the pain-staking task of copying my entire CD collection onto his and her thumb-drives. I only took me a few months but I guess it was worth it.....

Anyway, the infomercial went on for another fifteen minutes as it showcased performances by 70's/80's staples like Exile, Chicago, Bonnie Tyler and 10cc. In the end, I did not buy anything but as pointed out by the Little River Band, I definitely did some reminiscing....

kw

A Thanksgiving Message 2019

I've seen fire and I've seen rain,
I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end.
I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend,
But I always thought that I'd see you again....

- James Taylor

Several years ago, my uncle passed away. He was a jolly, upbeat person who everyone loved. Although we didn't get together as often as maybe we should have, I always enjoyed his company. So, when he left this world, it was a big loss for everyone who had the pleasure of ever meeting him.

During his viewing, a family friend brought his guitar and played a rendition of James Taylor's "Fire and Rain". I had heard the song many times before. I always thought is was a nice song but it never really struck an emotional chord for me. But when our friend started to play the opening notes with our uncle laying motionless behind him, the emotion could be felt throughout the entire room. It was a beautiful moment. When he sang the last line of the chorus, it took everything I had to hold back the tears. I finally got what the song was all about.

This morning, for some unknown reason, I picked up my acoustic guitar and started to play the classic James Taylor tune. As I strummed the chords to the chorus,  I instinctively reflected on the family and friends that I have lost in recent years. I felt an instant rush of emotion that gave way to a subtle smile. A simple thing, but so powerful.

As we go through life, we meet many people. Some are family, some are friends. But they all touch us in their own unique way. As the years go by, our interactions and exchanges transition into precious memories. With each recurring encounter, we seldom consider that the next encounter may never come. Sadly, tomorrow is never guaranteed. That's why its so important to live life to the fullest and try to embellish the lives of everyone around you. And if you happen to meet a stranger who doesn't have a smile, be generous and give them yours. We all have friends out there who we have yet to meet...

On this day of giving thanks, be sure to remember all of those important people in your life, past and present. Be thankful for all of the good times that you have shared and will continue to share. And try to set aside your differences and appreciate the things that unite us and make us happy.

And last but certainly not least, please remember the troops and first responders who work hard today and every day to keep us safe and secure.

Happy Thanksgiving!

kw

Perils of the Modern Business World

There are many different reasons why a start-up company becomes successful. The ability to make a presence in today's market place requires ingenuity, vision and effective marketing. And sometimes, a bit of luck can factor into the the equation too. But the key to maintaining a successful business can often be a little more tricky...

To stay successful, a company needs to recognize the evolution of it's business. Many companies respond to these changes. However, the most successful companies have the foresight to proactively make the changes that will keep them in a lead position of the never-ending race. No company, despite how beloved or iconic, is exempt from failure when they ignore the necessity to innovate and renew.

One the first companies that comes to mind is Blockbuster Video (For you youngsters out there, Blockbuster was a brick-and-mortar store where you could rent your favorite movie or video game. As hard as it might be to fathom, you actually had to get off of the couch and physically go to the store to obtain your rental). With the streaming business on the horizon, it was Blockbuster who chose to sit on the couch while Netflix bulldozed it's way to the top of the online video business. Ironically, in 2000, Netflix proposed an idea to Blockbuster to run their online business. Blockbuster turned it down and blindly coasted to their peak in 2004. Today, Netflix is a multi-billion dollar success story while Blockbuster is down to it's last dying breath in the form of it's lone store in Bend, Oregon.

And remember when Kodak trademarked their "moment"? Well, like most good things, it too has passed. With every increasing mega-pixel, Kodak watched the demand on their traditional film supply rapidly give way to the digital age. Perhaps the most puzzling thing about Kodak's demise is that the first digital camera was invented by Steve Sasson, (drum roll please), a Kodak engineer! Although it was right on their doorstep, the leaders of Kodak failed to see the looming revolution of digital photography. I still have one of their old Kodak Disk camera's buried in my basement somewhere. I wonder what it would fetch on Ebay?

Sears is another troubled company that personally saddens me. I have been shopping here since I was a young boy. I bought my first pair of Levis here (after I outgrew my Tough-Skins, of course). Sears also supplied me with my first retail credit card (I'm still a cardholder today). But I guess the writing was one the wall when the "Made In China" inscription began to appear on my beloved "all-American" Craftsman hand tools. Subsequently, Sears leadership failed to recognize the threat of "inferior" discount stores like Walmart. More and more Sears stores close every year. Although I see it as inevitable, I can't imagine a world without Sears.

And America Online.. Yes, I personally invested and lost my ass on this one. I am one of the few remaining people in the western hemisphere to still have an AOL email account. I'm a traditionalist, what can I say?

The US Postal Service is a hard one to figure out. Although it loses billions of dollars every year, it somehow remains afloat. It's like the Titanic with an adequate supply of life boats.  There have been several dramatic ideas over recent years of how to turn the ship around. But none have gained any traction up to this point. The USPS differs from the traditional companies as it's a quasi-government agency. And with the Post Office having the third highest civilian work force in the US, can it be one of those entities that truly is too big too fail? Stay tuned on this one...

Perhaps the closet to my heart are the countless record stores that suffered a brutal defeat at the hands of the digital download. It was a right of passage to to make the trek to your favorite record/tape/CD sore and thumb through the latest releases. Although the instant attainability of a digital copy is attractive, it also destroyed an American tradition. I'm not sure places like Sam Goody and Tower Records ever had a fair chance to compete. With the introduction of Napster and then the discounted downloads of Amazon, it would have taken a marketing version of Einstein to save their sinking ship. But, with all of this being said. I will always cherish that moment of leaving the record store with my first copy of "Cat Scratch Fever". The looks, the mumbling and at least one unexpected reference to Charles Manson. You just can't get those reactions with a digital download....

kw

A Drive Down Hanover Street

As I made my way into Baltimore City on a recent summer morning, I couldn't help but notice the many peculiar sights that greeted me along my way. It was reminiscent of a gritty drama that you might see on late night TV. But, aside from the occasional "will work for food" panhandler, there were no actors here. This was real life....

As I approached the city/county line, I noticed a guy walking with a sign in one hand and a leash in the other. The sign read "Free To Good Home" and the other end of the leash was a attached to a large pit bull. The guy seemed oblivious to the traffic as he and the dog walked effortlessly between the moving cars.

As I passed Gonce's Funeral Home, two cars ignored the lane directions and proceeded to cut me off as I made my way onto Hanover Street. There was a time that I would have flipped them or unleashed a profanity-laced tirade. But over the years, I've learned to take the "no harm, no foul" approach on these things. It's just not worth it....

A few seconds later, I pass the former site of Gunning's Crab House. Once a bustling restaurant that supplied steamed crabs to the masses, it has since been demolished. In a brief moment of nostalgia, I fight the urge to roll down the window to catch the scent of Old Bay coming off of the steaming crabs. But all that remains today are the memories and an empty lot on which Brooklyn's iconic crab house once stood.

As I move along, I see an open-air drug market in full action. It makes me think of the HBO series "The Wire" which was actually based on Baltimore's illegal street activity. Gathered on the stoop of a corner row-home, a group of young men tend to their customers. Cars pull up to the house like it was a McDonald's drive-thru. Everyone involved in the transaction seems to be oblivious to the passing traffic and other activity around them.

About a block ahead, I see what appears to be a prostitute trying to catch the attention of passing motorists. The woman, whom I guess to be in her mid-40's, flashes a half-smile which reveals a set of of neglected teeth. Using her body to raise money for drugs, which in turn will destroy her body, seems like a cruel twist on the cycle of life. But nonetheless, she eventually finds a potential customer. She jumps into the passenger seat and the car turns onto Patapsco Avenue where the two will ultimately find a romantic spot to consummate their business transaction.

Sitting at the red light at the intersection of Hanover and Patapsco, I glance across the street to see what used to be a corner market. It is now a vacant building that keeps company with the adjacent abandoned structures on the block. Next door used to be a shoe store (Allen's Shoes?). This place remained there for much of the neighborhood's downturn. But like most other Brooklyn staples, it left only an empty shell of itself behind.

Across the street on the other corner is a large building where Sunny's Surplus once conducted business. It now appears to be a take-out place that supplies fried food to the community. There is a large sign on the building which says "Chicken Fish N' Chips". It seems to be a popular place as I can see people munching on various fried items as they gather at a nearby bus-stop. Responsible trash disposal appears to be optional as I see a woman casually toss a greasy paper bag onto the sidewalk. Ironically, there's a trash can just a few away from where's she's standing.

As I near the end of my drive and prepare to turn onto Maude Avenue, I glance up at the old Brooklyn Bowling site. It sat atop the large Shiller's Furniture store. You entered the bowling alley on the street level and had to walk up several flights of stairs to get to the lanes. It was a place where neighborhood kids would gather on weekends to converse and compete in a few games of duckpin bowling (it's a Baltimore thing). I am still friends with many of the people that I used to bowl with here. So, it always holds a special place in my childhood memories.

The only two sites that are still operating at they did 40 years ago are two bars, one next door to the bowling alley entrance and the other across the street on the corner of Hanover and Maude. I guess bars and liquor stores are a bit like cockroaches in the sense that they'll always be the last thing standing, no matter how bad things get.

Over the past few decades, things have changed dramatically in this area. Hanover Street, in particular, used to be a bustling area with thriving small businesses. It had all the things you would expect on an American "main street". There was a hardware store, a movie theater, two crab houses, sub/pizza shop (with pinball machines), two bait/tackle shops, a shoe store, a bank, a Chinese carry-out and, of course, several bars. It was never a rich neighborhood but it was working-class proud. Sadly, as I witnessed first-hand on my ride through, it has since been replaced with images of abandonment and hopelessness.....

kw

The Davis Dilemma Continues

It was hard to absorb the mass exodus of our favorite Oriole players last season. We said good-bye to the dynamic duo of Machado and Schoop. We dealt Zack Britton to those dreaded Yanks. And perhaps the hardest to absorb was the decision to cut ties with fan favorite, Adam Jones.

But, as enjoyable as baseball can be, it's ultimately a business at the Major League level. Unless you're the Yankees, you simply can not pay out the money to keep a team of great players together for a very long time. It's a bit frustrating. You groom a player from farm to table. Then when he eventually becomes a great player in the Big Show, you can't afford him anymore.  

With all of this being said, I find it a bit ironic that the only Oriole "super-star" that remained after the dust settled was Chris Davis. It seems just like yesterday that "Crush" was mashing baseballs like a bag of Idaho potatoes. But similar to an aging rock star, Davis has fallen on some hard times. Over the past three seasons, he has batted a dismal .221, .215 and .168. If I'm not mistaken, last year's .168 ranks as the lowest average in MLB history (for those with sufficient at-bats to qualify). To add to the perplexity, Davis is in the fourth year of a 7-year, $161 million contract. To say that the Orioles are not getting a decent return on their investment would be a vast understatement.

Entering today's game, Davis hasn't had a hit in his last 38 at-bats (going back to Sept. 15 of last season). During those 38 plate appearances, he has struck out an astounding 29 times. For all you baseball trivia buffs, the all-time record for hit-less at-bats is 46 which was set in 2010 by Eugenio Velez. Baltimore's former masher is now within a couple games of breaking this infamous accomplishment.

So, how does a guy go from being a bonafide slugger to this? It certainly doesn't appear to be a physical thing as Davis looks to be in great shape. So, my guess is that it's mostly a mental issue. By this, I am certainly not questioning Davis' intelligence. But in any high pressure situation, such as making contact with a 90 mph slider, mental concentration is pushed to the utmost limit. As you progressively fall short on your goals, the gears in your mind spin progressively faster to make the necessary adjustments. And when the results continue to be unsatisfactory, frustration has the tendency to overcome you. Your thought process becomes clouded because of the countless things racing through your mind. I don't know, maybe Dr. Phil can offer some suggestions.

Although the fans have voiced their discontent of Davis' recent performance, I can't help but feel really bad for the guy. Can you imagine the pressure this guy is under? Every time he steps to the plate, he can probably feel the criticism. Yes, he's making a ton of money, But from an emotional standpoint, ironically, that probably makes it worse for him. He knows that he's being paid a lot of money to perform. I'm sure that he's also aware of the fact that he's not fulfilling the latter end of that deal. 

In the end, I hope Davis can somehow pull out of this extended slump. If he can somehow figure things out and start launching missiles over the centerfield wall again, the fans will quickly forget about the past few years. 

kw

The Not-So-Great Smollett Hoax

Well, it looks like the cat is finally out of the bag on Jussie Smollett's fake "hate crime". When this thing was initially reported, I immediately sensed a distinct aroma of liberal bullshit. A noose, bleach, "MAGA country" ramblings, etc. Come on, could this thing be any more orchestrated?

Honestly, I had never even heard of Jussie Smollett before this story went down. Maybe that's because I've never watched an episode of "Empire". But Smollett has definitely made a name for himself now. They say that any publicity is good publicity. But the jury's still out on that one. Smollett, who is now charged with felony disorderly conduct, will have to do some serious spinning to come out of this one looking good. 

Even with these latest developments, many on the left will still defend Smollett. I expect to hear how he fabricated his story to expose a bigger problem in our society. Many will view him as "sacrificing everything" for his cause (By the way, remember when Colin Kaepernick sacrificed "everything". That was, of course, before he got a reported $60 million pay-out from the NFL). This is just another example of how the political gears of our society turn. If it's your guy or your cause, the end ultimately justifies the means. In layman terms, this is known as throwing a bunch of shit against the wall to see what sticks.

What I find most ironic about Smollett's stunt is that is was intended to paint Trump supporters as racists and himself as the victim. But in reality, he screwed the pooch in more ways than one. First off, Trump is always reminding us of the "fake news". Well, Smollet just gift wrapped a perfect example for him. Before the media investigated anything, they immediately ran with their predictable narrative. It's similar to the way they pick and choose which cop-shooting stories to run. Secondly, if one has to actively seek out and fabricate a "hate-crime", is racism really as bad as the media wants us to believe? Was oppression so bad for Smollett that he had to hire two Nigerians to "oppress" him? 

I am certainly not saying that racism does not exist. It does. And it's wrong. However, making up a story as Smollett did, serves no useful purpose in resolving anything. It only serves to set things back even further. As a result. Smollett's antics will now cast inevitable skepticism on any future "hate crimes". In essence, he sabotaged his own cause.

This whole thing was a powder keg that had the potential to explode at any moment. People could have gotten hurt or even killed over an incident that never actually happened. And for what? Apparently, Smollett was unhappy with the salary he was receiving as an actor on "Empire". So. he recklessly tried to fuel racial tensions in a lame attempt to boost his career. As a result, he is now facing three years in jail. Probably not the best move for career advancement.

A few additional things to note....

A year or so ago, Rosanne Barr was forced off of her show for an alleged racist tweet she made. Not only did Rosanne create the show, but it also happened to be the hottest show on TV at the time. So, she obviously paid a hefty price for her actions. So, will Smollett's racially motivated actions be as damaging to him?

Smollett's legal team recently said their client deserves the presumption of innocence. Fair enough. But it wasn't that long ago, according to reports, that Smollett had commented on how then Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh should not be granted presumption of innocence on charges of sexual misconduct. I guess things are different when the shoe is on the left foot?

If this incident was indeed staged, can Smollett  himself be charged with a self-inflicted hate crime? Inquiring minds want to know...

The premeditation of this whole incident is what's most compelling to me. Knowing that the media salivates over stories like this, Smollett fed the beast and they ate it up. Thinking that he could actually get away with it seems kind of ludicrous at this point. But nice try....

kw

Super Bowl 53 Ramblings

So, here we are, on the dawn of another Super Bowl. There was a time, not so long ago, when I used to really look forward to this day every year. Whether I was hosting the party or I was joining friends somewhere else, it was always a festive occasion. Not so much anymore...

I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't interested in tonight's game. After all, Tom Brady will potentially cement his place in history (again!) as the greatest NFL quarterback of all time. He's exciting to watch. Remember that comeback against the Falcons in Super Bowl 51? That was nothing short of spectacular! Sure Brady's got a lot of critics, but I think it has more to do with jealousy than anything else. I mean the guy has everything anyone could ever want: money, fame, success, beautiful wife, etc. I used to hear Raven fans try to elevate QB Joe Flacco by saying "all the guy does is win". That claim would be a vast understatement when it comes to Brady.

Tonight's match-up boils down to the old versus the new. You've got an aging but experienced Brady/Bellechick team taking on the young, hungry Rams led by QB Jared Goff and 33-year-old head coach Sean McVay. It should be an interesting contest.

By the way, am I the only one who likes the old Patriots uniforms of the 80's better than the modern ones?

I have dinner plans this evening, so I really don't plan on watching the game. Although, if it happens to be on, I'll likely glance at it every now and then to check the score. After all, I do have a few football pools for the game.

I don't feel the need to rehash the reasons that I don't watch much football anymore. Some friends agree with me, others don't. That's fine, we'll just have to agree to disagree.

With this being said, there is a potential controversy brewing over the halftime show. There is pressure on Maroon 5 and others to "make a statement" during their acts to show solidarity with Colin Kaepernick's "knee campaign". No one has revealed if anything will be done or not. But I suspect that we'll see some form of protest. I think most people have become somewhat numb to it and will generally just ignore whatever the statement-du-jour happens to be.

I remember a Super Bowl a few years ago where Beyonce made her whole half-time act a political statement. As expected, it inspired/angered equally. I happened to be in the latter end of that group. I personally like to see politics left out of my music and sports. Of course, music can be a lot trickier because it's often fueled by politics. I get it. But the divisiveness is what really turns me off. As the old Coca-Cola commercial used to say, "I'd like the teach the world to sing in perfect harmony..." I know it's a pipe dream but it's still a nice thought.

Anyway, enjoy the game if you happen to be watching it. For what it's worth, my random prediction is Patriots 38 Rams 24.

kw