not quite sure about this.....

I heard about a new Christmas album this morning on the way into work. Now, you know me - I love Christmas and anything having to do with Christmas. But the announcement of this album left me scratching my head. Here's part of the release from the band's web site:

Not So Silent Night Christmas Album

REO SPEEDWAGON PUTS THEIR OWN UNIQUE SOUND TO CHRISTMAS CLASSICS WITH NOT SO SILENT NIGHT CHRISTMAS ALBUM DUE OUT OCTOBER 27th

Rock superstars REO Speedwagon will be releasing a new Christmas album, Not So Silent Night...Christmas With REO Speedwagon, on October 27th on Sony Legacy Recordings, produced by Joe Vannelli, along with associate producer and lead singer Kevin Cronin. The album will feature 13 Christmas classics with a unique REO Speedwagon musical twist.

"We are really excited to bring something brand new for our fans to enjoy with their families, just in time for the holidays," said Cronin. "We are as proud and passionate about this project as we have been about any album we have ever made. We hope that this music is as much fun for our fans to listen to as it has been for us to create. The holiday spirit is alive in the REO family, and we wish the same for yours."

I like REO Speedwagon's music. The songs"Can't Fight This Feeling", "Keep On Loving You", "Roll With The Changes", "Ridin' The Storm Out", "Take It On The Run", and "Time For Me To Fly" are all part of the soundtrack of my youth. But a Christmas album? Somehow it just doesn't fit.

I reminds me of something Jeff and I used to do when we were growing up. We had a few people from our church choir who would do solos from time to time. They were good, but they had "church solo" voices and that was about it. We would imitate certain church soloists as they would sound singing contemporary music. The two just didn't go together. The thought of a certain male soloist doing Rod Stewart's "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" or Clapton's "Lay Down Sally" still makes me laugh.

Maybe REO's Christmas album will be a big hit. Maybe it will sound great. But for some reason I just can't wrap my head around it. Oh, well, 86 days until Christmas either way.....

yeah, that couldn't have been them.....

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation News - 8/12/09

Police in Deer Lake, Newfoundland, decided in August not to press charges against three boys whom they had previously believed had harassed a young moose so badly that it had to be put down. A final piece of evidence against prosecution came from the father of one of the boys, who vouched that the three could not have committed such a crime since they had been busy at the time, vandalizing a nearby church.

i've done all i can do.....

My fantasy league football team is so bad this year, I'm thinking of renaming them "2008 Detroit Lions." I'm seriously doubting I'll get a win all year long. But I did something this weekend that I thought would help the Titans. I started Mark Sanchez as my quarterback. No rookie has ever started the season 3-0, so I thought he'd have a terrible game against the Titans. Hey, if I can't win with my fantasy team I might as well help the Titans get their first win of the season. Didn't work. The Jets beat the Titans, and the Titans are now 0-3. Playoffs???? Playoffs???? I guess it could be worse. The Titans are just a quarterback, 3 wide receivers, an offensive line and a defense away from a championship this year. Maybe next year. Or the year after. Or sometime after that.

The Vols won, but it wasn't pretty. Yes, we scored 34 points, but it's obvious to everyone that we're short on talent at quarterback. I read that Jonathan Crompton's father was escorted out of the stadium Saturday night because he took issue with a lady (and the lady's husband) who was booing his son. Someone posted on Tennessee's Scout.com site that Crompton's dad probably took a swing at the guy but missed completely and hit somebody three rows up. It's either laugh or cry this year, so I'm going to try to laugh when I can. Besides, anyone who thought we'd compete for an SEC championship this year is sadly mistaken. It's going to be a few years to get to that point. The depth of talent just isn't there yet.

After what seemed like 4 straight months of rain, we had a beautiful day on Sunday. And it's supposed to be like that all week here. I'm ready for fall.....

serious about the weather.....

Daily Breeze (Torrance, CA) - 9/2/09

Geography professor Melanie Patton Renfrew, 54, was convicted in Burbank, California, in August of violating a judge's order to stop stalking KNBC-TV weatherman Fritz Coleman. Renfrew had badgered Coleman for two years, via e-mail and telephone calls, about his "error" in terminology, confusing "onshore" winds with "offshore" winds. Coleman, she insisted, needed to apologize. "Offshore" winds blow out to sea; "onshore" winds blow in.

common sense 101.....

San Antonio Express-News - 8/28/09

San Antonio police chief William McManus announced in August an upgraded training program to teach his officers how to obey the law while off-duty. The department has had to fire 10 officers so far this year for law-breaking, and included in McManus' program is a personal talk to each incoming cadet to stress that police officers must not commit crimes.

vols and titans....and wild women at my house.....

So Saturday's UT-Florida game went better than expected. It was still a loss, but at least it wasn't a 30-point loss. From the sound of things, the Vols gained some respect with their play. According to something I heard yesterday, Florida fans were acting like they'd lost because it was only a 10-point win.

Then on Sunday, the Titans showed what happens when your secondary has huge holes. 31 points should be enough to beat any NFL team; well, except for the Saints. Like a friend of mine said yesterday, one wonders if the Titans might miss defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz more than they miss Albert Haynesworth.

Now for the wild women at my house. Bunco is back and the bride is hosting it tonight. Here's hoping I don't have to break up a fight.....

things i won't do.....

Watch the movie "The Notebook" - Yes, I've heard from several men that it's a good movie, but now it's a matter of principle with me. I've said "no" so many times that I just can't give in now.

Eat broccoli, cooked cabbage or turnip greens - I refuse to eat something that smells like something I get in trouble for doing after a meal. 'Nuff said.

Twitter - No one needs to know what I'm doing 24 hours a day. I don't even need to know what I'm doing 24 hours a day.

EVER own another dog - I've told the bride that we'll never own another dog. She said she wants a lap dog one day. I told her it was either me or the dog. She hasn't made up her mind yet.

Park in a fire zone, handicapped or employee-of-the-month parking - There are rules in place for a reason. Just ask my mother-in-law.....

can you hear me now.....

Times-Reporter - 5/21/09

With no help from Verizon Wireless, law enforcement agencies managed to hunt down a disturbed, 62-year-old man sought in an 11-hour manhunt following a domestic violence call in Carrollton, Ohio, in May. Deputies had wanted to use the man's cell phone signal to locate him, but the company had shut off his service over an unpaid $20 bill and refused to turn it on, even for a few minutes, unless deputies paid the $20. The sheriff was reluctantly about to pay when deputies found the man.

another first.....

I had a thought Saturday night that I don't believe I've ever had before in my life. I sat in my recliner watching the USC-Ohio State game and thought, "You know, I really enjoyed a Broadway play more than I enjoyed a football game today."

The bride and I saw "Wicked" Saturday afternoon. I wasn't all that happy about missing the UT game, but that changed soon after the curtain went up. "Wicked" was brilliant. The two leads were incredible, and the story was great. I thoroughly enjoyed the play.

We got home in time to see the 4th quarter of the game. Jonathan Crompton may be the greatest guy in the world, but he's no college quarterback. We've got a big problem at that position. It worries me to think that he's the best option we've got at quarterback.

Maybe Elphaba could cast a spell on Crompton and turn him into a quarterback.....

best line of the morning.....

A listener emailed this to 104.5 The Zone this morning about the Titans' 4th quarter defense:

Deal Chuck Cecil,

John Chavis just called, he wants his defense back.

wanted: size 9 1/2 tap shoes.....

I used to really like to play golf. I got excited every time I got a chance to play. And I used to be pretty good at it. Not great by any stretch of the imagination, but pretty good. Not any more. I don't play much, so it's hard to get into any kind of rhythm when I play. But when I do play, I vaguely remember being decent. I guess that's why it's so frustrating.

After 27 holes on Wednesday, I considered putting an ad on craigslist for my clubs. Maybe somebody else could get some good shots out of them. Heaven knows I sure haven't lately.

Every time I play like I did today, I ask myself why I want to do something that gives me so little pleasure. Why in the world would someone do something that makes them feel so inadequate? Why heap that kind of mental punishment on yourself?

Maybe I'll take up tap dancing.....

the influential power of the ofit.....

I received the following message from my sister yesterday:

I thought you'd be proud of this..... I took Lizzie to preschool this morning and she had taken a little doll of hers that was wearing no clothes. Her teacher asked her what the doll's name was and Liz replied, "Nakey Butt". I blamed it all on you!

If memory serves, I believe I did in fact name that doll "Naked Butt" about a year ago. It feels good to pass something along to the next generation. I guess I'll add "philanthropist" to my resume.....

ringtones and whispers.....

I was in a meeting yesterday morning. A meeting attended by professionals, or so it would seem. A regional director from a government agency was speaking.

The sound was muffled at first, so I didn't know if I actually heard something or if the rustling of the hair in my ears was creating a noise. Then it got louder. And louder. I finally heard it as plain as day - Calypso music. Someone's phone was going off. Please. Even if you forget to put your phone on vibrate during a meeting, at least have a generic ringtone.

I went from there to a funeral. Even in my advanced years, I was one of the youngest in attendance by at least 25-30 years. 40 years in some instances. I don't mind being around older people. They can be funny. Sometimes they mean to be funny, other times they just are. Such was the case with the man directly in front of me.

The gentleman hadn't made a peep the whole service. He leaned over towards his wife to whisper something to her. She leaned in. He said, "THIS PEW FEELS LIKE A KNIFE IN MY BACK!" I know he meant to whisper. It's just that as one gets older, their whispers tend to increase in volume dramatically.

Not many people smiled when this happened. Either they agreed with him or they couldn't hear what he said. I'm going with the latter.....

it's beginning to look a lot like.....

Costco, West Nashville, August 31, 2009.....