What’s New With Mick

Shot near Austin, MN on June 17, 2009.

Dear Dr. Nelson:

I can’t tell how happy I was to receive your postcard reminding me that I should schedule an eye appointment with your office. Two years ago I had the most delightful appointment with you and your staff. While I waited for the results, one of your employees helped me choose frames for my new eye glasses. When she showed me the frames that come with magnetically attached sunglasses, I was doubtful that I would buy such a thing. However, when she informed me that replacing the sunglasses themselves only cost $10, I was convinced.

After I received the glasses, I used the clip-on sunglasses all the time. Since I regularly rode my bike to and from work, it was very handy to keep them in my bike bag. Sure they started to get scratched from contacting everything else in my bike bag, but I knew that replacements were ONLY TEN DOLLARS. Thus, you can imagine my surprise when I dropped by your office three months later and was told that replacements cost ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS.

Flabbergasted, I protested only slightly to you. I was simply stunned and walked out of there with no replacements. A few months later I had a new job with new insurance and was able to return to my old eye doctor. In contrast to my experience with your office, this doctor always makes recommendations that save me money and maximize value from my optical insurance. He also lives up to his promises and makes sure his employees are well-informed about the products he offers.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for you and your business, which is what I have been telling all of my friends for the last two years. I’m grateful that you reminded me how poorly you treated me and provided me with an email address to tell you about it.

After NBA Finals Game 4 had already been decided in overtime, the Lakers’ Pau Gasol was open for a second consecutive dunk. With less than 24 seconds left on the shot clock, conventional wisdom says that you merely hold the ball and let the clock run out. Gasol, who is considered by most to be a standup guy, made a poor decision and decided to dunk the ball. The Orlando Magic’s Mickael Pietrus, a player that I have liked since he helped Golden State knock Dallas out of the playoffs a couple of years ago, likely took umbrage to Gasol’s decision and decided to take it out on Gasol. Watching the replay below, it is obvious that Pietrus made no play on the ball and intended to hit Gasol as hard as he could. Even worse, he chose to hit Gasol when he was in the air, another violation of conventional wisdom in the NBA since knocking a guy off-balance while they are in the air can easily lead to great injury. Finally, watching carefully, you’ll notice that Pietrus’ follow-thru results in his sharp elbows digging into Gasol’s ribs from the back.

(Updated video below with “official” video from ESPN. Foul action starts at about 0:55.)

You can see why Gasol was upset. He was smart enough to grab the rim before dropping to the floor. Pietrus further inflamed the situation by trash-talking Gasol after the play was over. In my opinion, the foul should be upgraded from Flagrant 1 to Flagrant 2 and Pietrus should be suspended for a game. I understand the arguments against doing so (Pietrus has a clean record and it would inordinately affect the Magic’s chances of winning Game 5) but the rules are there for a reason and should be enforced. In addition to the unsportsmanlike aspect, the league also has strict rules about hitting someone with a closed fist. There is no exception for hitting in the back.

Last night Graham and Thomas had their final orchestra concert of the year. In anticipation of the event, several months ago I invited my mother to visit us at this time so that she could attend. Graham’s fourth grade orchestra was the first to play and they did a very nice job of showing how much they had improved during the year. After they took their bow, they all started off stage to make room for the fifth grade orchestra. As Graham stood near the edge of the stage waiting for the rest of the kids to move, he chatted and laughed with his nearby friends. I looked away for a second to talk to Tina and then we heard a crash in front of the stage followed by a gasp from the audience. Somebody fell. Tina asked, “Who fell?” Scanning the group near the commotion, I realized Graham was no longer on stage. “It’s Graham!” I told her as she stood and then rushed down the stairs to the stage.

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My Tivo missed recording the last second of this game but the Internets saved me:

STS-125 Atlantis and Hubble Solar Transit (200905130001HQ)
Originally uploaded by nasa hq photo

The two space craft are visible in the lower left of the picture. Amazing sense of scale.

Bike odometer: 2529
Van odometer: 155015
Aches & pains: lower back, muscles (moving)
Current reading: My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk, Cross-platform GUI Programming with wxWidgets, The Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
Recent listening: No Line on the Horizon by U2, Final Boss by MC Frontalot
Recent viewing: Lost (Seasons 2-5), Medium, Hardball, NBA Playoffs, Rachel Maddow Show
Recent playing: Galcon
Recently accomplished: working in Vancouver, cleaned cat boxes, cleaned van, cardboard recycling, showed Thomas how to mow lawn, showed Graham how to use the edger, equipment salvage in Vancouver office
Imperative To Do: Scouts accounting, turn compost, read Sam’s script, return cans

I wish I could do these things on a bike but I’d never be crazy enough to try:

Make sure you watch at least until the 3:10 mark.

Top 5 Songs of 2008
1. Killing the Blues by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss: “Leaves are falling, just like embers, in colors red and gold they set us on fire.” The opening lines to this song touch my soul but I’m not sure why. Maybe it’s because of the beautiful imagery or maybe it’s a reminder of the even finer chorus to come. More likely it’s the wondrous way that Robert Plant and Alison Krauss blend their voices. Of course, it’s all of those and more. Accompanied by a sublime slide guitar and a restrained rhythm section, Plant and Krauss turn this John Prine song into their very own.
2. Last Month of the Year by the Blind Boys of Alabama: This song epitomizes everything I love about the Blind Boys: a jumping rhythm section, call & response vocals, great singing and the unique sound that only the Blind Boys can deliver. If you’ve never heard them, check out their appearance on Austin City Limits if you get a chance. There is nobody like the Blind Boys of Alabama.
3. Little Wing by The Jimi Hendrix Experience: Although I’d heard Jimi’s original version of this song (from Axis: Bold As Love), I never grew to love it until I heard Stevie Ray Vaughn’s instrumental cover a few years ago. Last year I discovered that the Jimi Hendrix Experience Box Set has two different versions of “Little Wing.” My favorite has to be the sublime live version which reminds me greatly of the SRV cover.
4. Stewball by Peter, Paul and Mary: I first heard this song when I was a teenager in the 80’s. It appeared on the legendary “Hangman Album” by Mason Proffit. While that version is good, it only begins to hint at the beauty of this version by Peter, Paul and Mary. In the PP&M canon, this song is right up there with “Puff the Magic Dragon” and “500 Miles”. You can find it on their third album, In The Wind, or on one of several greatest hits compilations.
5. Da Da Da by Trio: Fifteen years before Volkswagen used it in their 1997 ad campaign, my old friend Arnie Walthoff introduced me to this strange song. In a music landscape dominated by MTV, Prince, Michael Jackson and Huey Lewis, it was a revelation to my teenage ears. Shortly after I arrived at Wartburg College a few years later, I stumbled upon a reel of tape at our college radio station with this song and other German pop songs. I played it on my radio show announcing it only as a cool song for which I did not know the artist. Within minutes several people called in to tell me that the artist in question was German band, Trio. It took until this year before I was finally able to lay my hands on the CD but it was well worth the wait.

Click the song titles to hear a sample of the song in the iTunes Music Store. You can get iTunes here.