Life Is Good!
Thursday, August 23, 2007 at 05:41PM 
Got to take in last night's Angels - Yankees game at Anaheim Stadium. Not only did the Yankees win the game (its a good thing we didn't go on Tuesday when the Yanks got crushed), but we got to see a couple of our favorite pitchers (Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera--both Christians, by the way). Joe Torre passed Casey Stengel for second place on the all-time Yankees win list (a huge milestone) and we also got to see the Yankees' rookie phenom Joba Chamberlain strike out the side, including Vlad Guerrero on three pitches, one a very nasty slider.
I say "we" because my son David took me to the game for my birthday present! This is a real milestone in my life. David scored the tickets on his own (Yankees tickets are tough to get in Anaheim), and he paid for parking! He even offered to buy me a hot dog! Nice to watch your sons grow into honorable men.
Meanwhile, my youngest son (now 17) has been paying close attention to my hints about what else I want for my birthday (like the Dream Theater official bootleg album in which they play the Deep Purple "Made in Japan" set). So I'll make out all the way around . . .
Life is good! Now, if only the Yankees can muster enough starting pitching over the next 30 games to make the playoffs!
Reader Comments (18)
Go Yankees
Awesome! What do you think of Systematic Chaos? It's taking a little longer to grow on me than their other CDs have.
Go D-Backs, Red Sox and Mets!
Give Rush a try...especially their new album Snakes and Arrows. It was inspired by many church signs the drummer came across while traveling the US on motorcycle.
Working my way through "Man of Sin"...very good! My girlfriend is reading one of Horton's books!
Sorry, but I am not a Dream Theater fan per se. I do love it when they cover my favorite bands from the 60's and 70's. I don't care much for Systematic Chaos. My sons (who are Dream Theater fans) didn't' much like it at first either.
PB and KBennet:
RedSox nation may be in a panic given the Yankees' record since the all-star break, but if we keep getting crappy pitching from Mussina we won't make it. The good news is that the kids are on the way. Cashman has completely rebuilt the farm system and there are lots of great arms at AA and AAA. I don't think we'll catch the Red Sox, but we've got a good shot at the wild card--if Mussina doesn't kill us.
Nevetsrush:
My favorite bands are from the 60's-70's. Leslie West (from Mountain) is my favorite guitarist. I listen to a lot of Cream, Zeppelin (One and Two, not the newer stuff), Deep Purple, Grand Funk, old Z. Z. Top--you get the idea. That's why I want to hear the Dream Theater cover of the stellar Deep Purple Made in Japan set.
I also listen to a lot of Mozart and Bach.
"Give Rush a try...especially their new album Snakes and Arrows. It was inspired by many church signs the drummer came across while traveling the US on motorcycle."
I kept hearing this same statement from various sources long before the album came out, and was very curious to see what Peart would come up knowing he has ever been far more into Ayn Rand, Nietchze etc.
Not long before the album came out, I visited the band site and read all the bits and blurbs about it that were being offered on the site. What I found there showed itself to be both very New-agey: no one spritual path is correct type stuff, and, he went on at great length endorsing and bragging up Richard Dawkins and his book.
How he can tout the whole PC-spiritual glop that all faiths etc are equal, and we should never offend anyone with our own beliefs, and then turn around and promote a hate-monger like Dawkins is beyond me. But it added up to enough reason for me not to care what else he has to say. If you can find something inherently good, uplifting, and God-honoring in the album, more power to you; but I would suggest a close examination of the lyrics and "spirit" of each track before accepting it as worthwhile (excepting musicianship of course - no one could EVER fault Rush in that department<g>)
Kim: Did you see that Robert Plant and Alison Krauss have a duet CD coming out in October? I'm quite anxious to hear it. Also, of the bands you mentioned I don't own any Cream. Where's a good place to start?
There are two "Creams." One is the studio version with light-weight pop hits like "I Feel Free" and "Strange Brew." Then there is the "live" Cream, with Baker, Bruce and Clapton in dazzling jam sessions.
Get one of the anthologies that includes some of the live stuff, especially "NSU" "Crossroads" and "Spoonful." The live versions of "Sunshine of Your Love," "Politician," and "White Room," are almost must listens.
The Tiger's season just about over - nail in their coffin coming this weekend.
It's sad.
All I can do with MY team is wait until they drop Bonds and start playing their younger players more regularly. <sigh>
I live deep in Red Sox Nation and trust me,there is no panic. The Yankees pitching looks very old this year. It's a good thing for the Yankees that they have those young arms in AA and AAA. You can console yourself this October with thoughts of Joba Chamberlain.