“These things, they go away, replaced by everyday”

title quote from R.E.M.’s ‘Night Swimming’

I was out in DC last night, partaking in a tradition I had long ceased, but relished in re-experiencing. I went to a Washington Capitals hockey game.

When I lived in the DC area years ago, I was a bit of a hockey fanatic. Ok, that may be an understatement. I was a season ticket holder for about 8 years, and even attended every single regular season home game a couple years, plus traveled for away games. I own multiple Caps sweaters (jerseys) and have met, taken pictures with and stalked several players.

But then came the lockout. I didn’t give up, but the players I long obsessed over were gone and the new team was barely of age and barely played NHL level hockey. My interest waned. And then I moved away… to a city who’s only regular hockey presence was an ECHL team. I didn’t want to pay for NHL center ice b/c not being there live, but watching on TV, depressed me and made me wish for times passed.

So I stopped watching hockey.

3 years later I move back to the DC area for a job opportunity. While I was away, apparently the Caps became, well, good. I knew they had acquired one of the best players in the NHL before I left, but things were not connecting for them in the early Ovechkin years. Sometime between then and now, they connected. They are #1 in the southeast division, #2 in eastern division and #4 overall. What?? All those years and thousands of dollars and all I got was a mediocre team at best. Now that I am broke, can’t afford season tickets, the team is a contender for the Cup.

wow.

It was strange being back in My arena, where I spent many many nights cheering on my team. Walking around this now sold out venue, seeing all these faces that are no longer familiar. New jerseys, new logo, new colors. New and revitalized town. Last night was surreal. Oh and the Caps won 7-4. What a difference 3 years makes.

Filed under: events

world leader pretend

At the presidential debate last week, Senator McCain went on about all the many countries he’s visited in his 200+ years as a senator.  He made a point at almost every chance he got to mention “when I went to ___” or “when I visited with the leaders of ___”.  He even pointed out that Senator Obama had never even been to Afghanistan, implying that his foreign policy experience lacked because he wasn’t a world traveler.

Switch to the now infamous Katie Couric/Sarah Palin interview… Katie asked Governor Palin why she didn’t have a passport until 2007.  Gov. Palin said she wasn’t one of those people who graduated and was given a passport to roam the world (a jab at the wealthy I guess?), and that she worked all her life.  But this didn’t make her any less aware in terms of foreign policy.  She knew a lot about foreign policy from her education and from books and reading.

Once again, it seems like McCain and Palin are saying opposite things.  Either you can learn a lot about foreign policy without traveling to those countries, or you can’t.  They have been so unaligned.

I am looking forward to tonight’s VP debate.  I am a little scared, but extremely anxious.  I have read many articles that say Palin is a good debater.  I have also heard that it will be difficult for Biden because if he is sarcastic or demeaning, it will look even worse because Palin is a woman.  I guess we’ll see what happens.

Currently Obama leads in the polls anywhere from 5 to 12 pts….

Filed under: events , debate, election, politics

eye contact

I guess the thing that most struck me about last night’s debate was the fact that John McCain refused to make eye contact with Barack Obama.  I kept yelling at the TV “look at him, damn it”.  It was obviously disrespectful, but, and don’t take this the wrong way, it seemed racist to me.

Let me explain- like when a white racist person won’t speak directly to the black doctor in the e.r. (maybe I saw that on Grey’s Anatomy).  It seemed like John McCain refused to acknowledge that a black man could possibly be running against him for the highest elected position in our country, or that this black man could have anything worth saying that would compel McCain to look his way.

Yes- I am probably looking too much into it, but honestly, and not politically, that is how it seemed to me.

Filed under: events , debate

Da Bears, Da Bulls, Da (wait for it) Bate

Is the debate on?  Man, this last week brings me back to the chaos of the 2000 election where I kept thinking, ‘is this for real’?  Speaking of the 2000 election, I highly recommend the HBO movie Recount which I think is now available on Netflix.

As of this morning, we still don’t know if John ‘Maverick’ McCain will be showing up for the debate tonight in Mississippi.  I watched CNN and MSNBC and even Nightly News with Brian Williams last night.  The one feeling I had was these peace talks, I mean strike negotiations, I mean bailout banter were actually almost resolved.  That is until John ‘Maverick’ McCain showed up.  It seems the interjection of presidential politics has actually slowed this process down.  Who are McCain’s advisers anyway?  It seems he has made a lot of mistakes and bad decisions in the past few weeks.

I guess we will see how it all plays out on Nov 4th, or the 5th, or like in 2000, the following month…. oy.

Filed under: events , debate, McCain, politics

dave grohl will miss me

so I just sold my tickets for tomorrow’s Foo Fighters concert. definitely a bummer for me b/c I love them, but probably more of a bummer for Dave Grohl- b/c he loves me (could be true- you don’t know).

I have been trying to fight off bronchitis since Sunday, but not working. I guess it is also a sign of old(er) age that I choose to try and get healthy faster vs. going to a rock concert. Man, I remember in 1990 sitting outside in the cold in front of Radio City Music Hall after a B52’s concert thinking, “I will die tonight of pneumonia, but it will have been worth it”.

I think my decision is also about tarnishing memories. It isn’t that this Foo Fighters concert won’t be great, BUT I have seen them in amazing venues, at private shows, in intimate settings. I really don’t think it could get much better than the memories I already have. So how would going to the show with a bronchial infection, coughing my way through each song, really compare? It wouldn’t. I may as well save the $160 and sit home listening to their latest album.

It is the same reason I probably won’t ever go see Bruce Springsteen again. Huge fan, don’t get me wrong, but I have had some incredible Bruce experiences. Back stage at the Garden, on the field at Shea Stadium. Great memories. I can’t recreate them and I don’t think I can beat them.

I do want to create new memories, and I know I will, but tomorrow night, I think I will watch the presidential debate and leave the rock concert to the healthy kids!

Filed under: events , foo fighters

Blogworld and New Media Expo

This past weekend (Sept 19-21) I attended Blogworld and New Media Expo in Las Vegas, sort of. You see I am trying to not spend money (read: pay debt off) so I couldn’t really fully attend. I instead just visited the exhibit hall and went to some parties. I really wanted to attend the sessions, but couldn’t swing it ($).

I think the highlight was meeting so many great people and really starting to build a great list of people I follow on twitter. This group of people, along with the vendors I met, will really help me continue my foray into Social Media.

Filed under: events , blogging, blogworld, social media, vegas