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April 29, 2005

Weekly Softball Update

Well, we lost again. After being swept in the preseason tournament, we got beat 11-1 in the season opener last night. But we played much better than the 11-1 score indicates.

Defensively -- other than two missed fly balls that led to the bulk of the opponent's unearned runs -- we were tight. In fact, we lead 1-0 through three innings. They didn't even get a hit until the third. Offensively, we were able to get men on base, but were unable to get clutch hits to drive them in. They also robbed us in the field with a couple nice defensive plays. With a few lineup/defensive changes, we should be able to turn it around quite fast. We are also VERY thin benchwise. We could use a couple of quality players to give us some flexibility.

All in all, we're having fun.

Posted by colrus at 02:21 PM | TrackBack

April 25, 2005

Quickies: April 25, 2005

This blog post will take up space that is sorely being underused on my gradually-fading blog...

Spent the whole weekend battling car trouble. It simply wouldn't start. Yep, there's nothing like getting towed from Signal Mountain to a garage in Hixson on a Sunday morning. Had to have the starter replaced and was, of course, given a list of other things I "should get fixed as soon as possible." Suggestive selling occurs in ALL businesses, folks.

Our Chattanooga city league softball team -- after two horrific preseason tournament defeats -- had a solid practice last week and is ready for the regular season opener this Thursday night. We'll see how much Dan Johnson really loves softball in the coming months/years, as our season was delayed for two weeks due to a repeated lack of available playing fields.

Our team has had trouble getting enough people to show up so far -- limiting how much we can play with batting orders, positions, etc. -- but I think we are locking down on a group of guys that will help us win more than we lose. The fact that our shorstop should, at least, be playing minor league ball is a definite plus, and I made an adjustment in my approach at the plate last week which should add 50 feet to every ball I hit.

With the oft-discussed "On The Other Hand" compilation DVD all sketched out and ready for construction, I have gone ahead and sketched out plans for a "Faces" compilation DVD, as well. The "Faces" disc may wind up having more extras that the OTOH stuff, mainly due to the fact that there are more extras (live footage, photos, articles, audio, etc.) from that period (2000-2001) that have actually survived.

I will be aggressively editing -- and possibly re-shooting -- selected sections of the "Faces" material in order to clean it up (better pictures, graphics, etc.) for presentation on DVD. Just like the OTOH stuff, complete pieces will sit alongside selected bits and clips to form a fast-moving, as-entertaining-as-possible overview of the show.

Planned included segments and bits include: Nathan at Tolsun's on Christmas, All About Some Brian, Black Friends, Jerry Peter's New Age Guitar commercial, Happy Boy Shampoo, Interview with David, Nathan's Old School, Mayoral Running Race 2001, Literacy infomercial, The Hidden History of Chattanooga, Voting is Fun, E! True Hollywood Story: Jonathan Lipnicki, and much, much more.

Brief, accompanying websites for each TV show are being brainstormed right now, and each of the DVDs will eventually be made available for purchase (for a HUGELY reduced price) through them.

I have made a promise to myself to not move on to any new projects until the existing stuff is properly presented for posterity's sake. If anybody on the tech/video side of the universe would like to contribute to construction of the dvds or websites, your help would be much appreciated.

It looks like Mesh and Josiah have backed our of going to BlogNashville next week, but John Bailes and Joe Lance are still going (to the best of my knowledge) and my wife has made special arrangements to spend the weekend with her friend Jenni at Jenni's parents' house in Brentwood so that I can attend and sit in classrooms and listen to people like Glenn Reynolds talk about the "blogosphere" and "how new media is changing the world." Or so I'm guessing. Heck, it's free! Should be fun.

The re-formed Dinosaur Jr. will be playing at the Variety Playhouse on July 8. Tickets go on sale tomorrow. I've downloaded QT and MP3 versions of their reunion last week on "The Late, Late Show." They played "The Lung." It was reun-i-riffic.

Posted by colrus at 10:46 AM | TrackBack

April 11, 2005

Dinosaur Jr. remasters

On Friday -- a day spent home nursing my wife after she had FOUR wisdom teeth removed -- I received copies of the Dinosaur Jr. "Dinosaur," 'You're Living All Over Me" and "Bug" remasters in the mail from Merge records.

In listening to these AMAZING albums in their new and sonically-improved form, I wondered aloud, "How did they get so dull in '90s?"

Then it hit me. It was obvious. Lou Barlow left. Something about his participation made them a better band. And when he left, Sebadoh then became a better band than Dinosaur Jr. I guess that's why he left: it's hard to have two bandleaders in one band.

Or something like that.

Buy the albums.
And check out the newly oddly reformed Dinosaur Jr. on the "Late Show with Craig Ferguson" this Friday night...

Posted by colrus at 12:25 AM | TrackBack

April 05, 2005

AC/DC's Brian Johnson Rocks Johnny Damon's Wedding

(Click on pics for bigger view.)

Johnny Damon is crazy and, apparently, so was his wedding.

Posted by colrus at 12:44 PM | TrackBack

April 04, 2005

Attention Fellow Red Sox Fans

Do not let last night's defeat at the hands of the New York Yankees take the wind out of your sails. Beating the Yankees on their home turf last year -- after being down 0-3 -- and then going on to win the World Series was a feat unmatched in the history of sport. You don't need to call me on my cellphone and vent. It's going to be OK. It was only opening day.

I, for one, have devoted my sports-related passion for 2005 to the upcoming Chattanooga City Softball League, where our team is destined for greatness. I've even purchased new batting gloves. We all have matching shirts.

Our team has had a bear of a time nailing down practice fields, though it looks like Avondale and East Lake will soon become available.

Regardless of our pre-season trials, I am confident that our team will be an unstoppable force of recreation softball. I will be playing left field and wearing number 8. Just like my favorite player of all time.

Posted by colrus at 04:34 PM | TrackBack