Monday, February 03, 2020

Super Bowl: Celebrating America?

Really didn’t pay attention to the game or most commercials. Thought SF had the game in hand before the KC comeback. Left after KC retook the lead but before their final TD. Missed the controversial SF play. Favorite commercial was the Jeep Groundhog Day ad with Bill Murray, which cost more than the actual Groundhog Day movie. Also Jimmy Fallon exercising. And John Krazinsky in the car ad with David Ortiz and the SNL girl.

The Super Bowl is much more than a football game. The Super Bowl is a celebration of American society – actually all that’s wrong with American society. Shouldn’t have been surprised about the raunchy halftime show, which gets more explicit every year. At our party we all laughed at the ridiculousness of it. Large negative reaction on social media, though just as many saw nothing wrong with it. Another reason to not drink Pepsi. I guess fans should just know to get their kids out of the room during halftime. Sad. Guys with daughters who dance saying the show was the best ever, a phrase thrown around these days with zero thought of past history. What about Michael Jackson, Bruno Mars, Prince, Springstein, or McCartney? What about Madonna or Gloria Estefan or Katie Perry?
 
The game started with a slickly produced video featuring a boy passing several NFL legends. Then the boy raced out onto the field (top), followed by thirty other kids wearing the jerseys of every NFL team (interesting the Falcons jersey was a black Matt Ryan throwback – not the current red jersey. Foreshadowing of April’s uniform change?). The boy delivered the game ball to the referees just before kickoff. Good thing those kids weren’t around to see the halftime show. Does NFL stand for Not For Lads? 
 
Sure the cheerleaders are dressed similarly. But the camera isn't focused on the crotches of cheerleaders for twenty commercial free minutes. All kinds of excuses from all sorts of people. One even attacked those who were offended. If this is your kind of America, then you can have it.
 
Left work Friday at five. Straight to the gym. Only ran three miles since C was at home (and I was still stuffed from lunch). Did run it in record time, even though I had two false starts on treadmills that were too loud. Can’t remember but I think we stayed at home Friday night. One night we had pork chops, kale, and baked potato wedges.
 
Saturday morning small group ran over almost 45 minutes, which was okay with me. Housework all day. Ceil went through several piles to organize and declutter. I was moving stuff outside to give away or trash. I also did some laundry, decluttered the garage, cleaned in the kitchen and bathroom, and more. Got a lot done but we still have a long way to go. Around five I drove C to the Dekalb Farmers Market. While she shopped I deleted emails. Traffic on 285 was still bad from the truck fire on 85 at Jimmy Carter, so I took North Druid Hills to Clairemont to 85 to 400 home. Watched the NFL Awards.
 
Sunday School and church was packed for some reason. SS attendance is usually 30 but had at least 52, with several visitors. Fixed bean and rice quesadillas for lunch. More housework. Had a busy afternoon getting ready for Becky Norman to come over. Turned on the Super Bowl pregame at one and watched while cleaning, until we left home after 530. Drove C and Becky to Cumming to the Hurts. On the drive to the Hurts I was telling Becky that Ouida’s service was that afternoon. Great photo today of the volunteer choir, led by Mr. C (below). Also about the Cheatham service. Later discussed with the Hurts. Also the Light funeral was discussed.

Mark and Leah Stephens. Jim Ewing and son Jimmy, with Jimmy’s wife and three young kids, who were fun. Their youngest had just started to walk, and he was interested with everything on every table. Margaret Hurt and her boyfriend Matthew, who’s graduating from GT in May, and set to start work in Roswell. We arrived at 620 and the Ewings arrived after the game started, so we missed most of the first half talking and getting our plates. Seemed like the first half went quick – it ended at eight, which I guess is normal.
 
BBQ brisket, ribs, pigs & blanket, chips & dip, collard greens, corn, Brunswick stew, rolls, cookies, and brownies. C brough baked beans and Becky squash casserole and broccoli salad. I ate my share. Passed on rolls, ribs, cookies, and corn. Still stuffed myself.
 
Learned Mary has rheumatoid arthritis. This past fall she was home alone and realized she was having a heart attack. She took an Uber to the hospital. Stayed in the hospital for four days until her levels came down. Jim Sr, Jim Jr, and young Jim III all had just got back from hunting wild boar in South Georgia. This fall David drove out to see Haley, coming back through Wyoming, Salt Lake City, Nebraska, KC, and St. Louis. Tried to average 700-800 miles per day, but one day drove a thousand miles.  
 
Both W and M had to work during the Super Bowl. M said there were times during the game that there were no customers inside his huge Whole Foods store.  
 
JFBC took communion a week ago on Jan 26. Instead of passing the elements down each row worshippers can go to one of several stations located around the gymnasium. We were in line but passed right by the table holding extra wafers and cups. Like others I just picked up a cup and wafer. Only then did the deacon tell me they were gluten free. By them I already had them in my hands and didn’t want to put them back. Ceil continued through the line to get the regular elements. For the first time JFBC gave out pre-sealed two in one packets with a sealed cup with juice, with a second smaller cup attached on the bottom with a little cracker in it. I may be old school but taking communion to remember Christ’s sacrifice shouldn’t be like partaking from a snack pack.
 
Besides Groundhog Day and Super Bowl Sunday, yesterday was a rare international palindrome day: 02/02/2020 can be written forwards and backwards whether you spell it MO DA CC YY or DA MO CC YY. The first such day since 11/11/1111. Doesn’t take into account 11/21/1211 or 10/31/1301. But who doesn’t write the date 2/2/2020?
 


SATCHEL PAIGE [SABR Bio] the Hall of Fame pitcher had more saves than losses, but more losses than wins in the major leagues - HOFCareer = 33 saves, 31 losses, 28 wins. He played professional baseball in five decades - 5 decades = 1920s, ‘30s, ‘40s, ‘50s, and ‘60s. He played Sgt. Tobe Sutton in Hollywood movie, a movie that today rates a 6.2 on IMDB, but only 37% on Rotten Tomatoes. Played Sgt. Sutton in the 1959 western movie "The Wonderful Country". You can watch the entire film right here on YouTube.

Lately when I've passed the new Braves stadium I check progress on the elevator skyscraper being built at 285 and Cobb Parkway, the tallest in the county. Looks like they've got he foundation and parking deck built. Saw an article that from here on out the building will be going up quickly, so fast it may be topped out (but not complete) by Opening Day in two months.

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