Friday, April 30, 2021

Limerick Friday #503: With Another Draft, Hope Is On The Clock -- Day 412


The Dolphins got too cute
And missed out on the loot
Took a coupla gambles
For an offense in shambles
For a payoff will I root

To every marketing hack
Patting yourself on the back
Don't break your arm
Don't want to see harm
Come to those with a humility lack

Jumped around the board
While other teams snored
They did diddle and dawdle
Then picked Jaylen Waddle
I'm a little less than floored

Answered the vax call
Thought I might fall
In an exhausted form
Sluggishness the norm
But worth it to protect all

Jaelen Phillips can burn
But when will we learn
He's had concussions, you know
He was retired coupla years ago
Hope that our luck does turn


Thursday, April 29, 2021

Day 411, Quasi-Quarantine: The Charming "Life" Weaves Its Way Into Your Soul



"The difficult path of his life had led him straight to this road swirling with dust. He had no choice but to accept it and start over."

Lu Yao's novel likely loses some passion and intensity in the formal English translation, but "Life" offers a well-constructed dilemma for Jialin, the only child of elderly peasant parents. 

Jialin's struggle to use his rare education to escape his origins and break the bonds of complicated social mores is the focus of Yao's work. The author does a fine job of painting complex generational clashes, though the story does juggle conflicting messages. 

"'What does being a high school student have to do with anything? He's still going to have to spend his life with a finger up a cow's ass!'"

While Jialin's inner turmoil in choosing between two women and the lifestyles they offer is engrossing, Old Deshun can be read as the hero -- the grandfatherly village elder who dispenses wisdom, humor, and a willingness to reconsider outdated caste beliefs. 

"Life" is a quick, absorbing book -- and a fascinating snapshot of Chinese traditions and the joy and heartbreak they can bring.

"She would weep from unhappiness, because of her misfortune, and for the dream of love that had been buried alive."

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Day 410, Quasi-Quarantine: The Dolphins Doggedly Continue To Dolphin Themselves In The Face Repeatedly


A year later, it's looking more and more like the Dolphins 2020 free agent class may have been the worst in the history of professional football.

Jordan Howard made it five games before he was released. 

Then, Kyle Van Noy was somewhat randomly cut during free agency. 

Next, Shaq Lawson was traded to Houston for Bernardrick McKinney, a 28-year-old linebacker who played four games last year.

Finally, the capper was the Dolphins paying his former team $6 million to take Ereck Flowers back.

Miami paid more than $50 million for these four players. None are on the team even one year later.

That's not even mentioning a highly questionable 2020 draft class that saw Miami do awful little with an awful lot of draft picks. But, by all means, let's let the guy who made those decisions accrue as many selections as possible, because what could go wrong?

Look, Chris Grier has been with the Dolphins organization for more than 20 years. While some trot out that fact as a point of pride, I don't think it's a stretch to suggest that the downside of that is he has played a role in two decades of disastrous franchise building.

I thought Miami should have jettisoned Grier as part of their last overhaul of the front office, but apparently someone within the administration thinks it's a wise idea to give him more cracks at trying to fix a roster he has personally decimated through an almost incomprehensible series of poor drafts, ill-considered free agent acquisitions, and panicky trades.

As a result, maybe I can be forgiven for suggesting that giving the general manager who oversaw all that more draft picks is maybe not the best allocation of resources. To make matters worse, we continue to play games by sliding down and up the draft board, intent on overthinking things and maneuvering ourselves right out of impact additions.

Here's a thought: Assign a value to draft prospects. Have a conviction on a player. Keep your spot and pick that player.

On the eve of the 2021 NFL Draft, let's be honest about where the 'Fins are as a franchise. I like Brian Flores, but he's been unable to maintain any consistency on his staff and has seemed to alienate some players pretty quickly. The roster is devoid of difference-makers outside of Xavien Howard, we're quickly ruining our reputation as a free-agency destination, and we still seem to be struggling to stick to a coherent team-building plan.

Beyond that, everything seems to be progressing according to schedule -- if that schedule means being mildly competitive somewhere around the 2030 timeframe.

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Monday, April 26, 2021

Friday, April 23, 2021

Limerick Friday #502: "Babylon Berlin" Reels You In -- Day 405

 
Germans with tough skin
Perpetrating every kinda sin
Beauty in noir
Pain up close and afar
Welcome to "Babylon Berlin"

The block theme is moron
A commune of QAnon
A collective IQ
Of about 42
Shake my head and just pour on

Morale does plummet
Down, we have to dumb it
Stumble to the finish
Celebrate a win-ish
And put a stake in Summit

Promising returns on the vax
But no time to get lax
So let's be diligent
And stay vigilant
No emotions, just facts

Another year passed
'Bout a decade, it did last
Who could have guessed
But fortune has blessed
Life is going too fast


Thursday, April 22, 2021

Day 404, Quasi-Quarantine: The Hysterical, Moving "Less" Opens Eyes

 

"'How did they even know I was gay?' He asked this from his front porch, wearing a kimono ... He looks like a Fire Island supervillain rapper."

"'It is our duty to show something beautiful from our world. The gay world. But in your books, you make the characters suffer without reward. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were Republican.'"

Enrobed in satire and metaphor, "Less" is a stirring and emotional tale of one man's mid-life crisis. 

Andrew Sean Greer painstakingly renders Arthur Less, a minor author dealing with the loss of new and old loves as his 50th birthday unceasingly approaches. The novel takes many turns as Less travels the world, giving himself space to deal with unresolved issues and the stark presence of decisions not made and things left unsaid.

"They might have done, many of them. So many people will do. But once you've actually been in love, you can't live with 'will do'; it's worse than living with yourself."

The winner of the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, "Less" manages to balance heartbreak, denial, self-awareness, and mortality into a sweeping tale peopled by incredible characters.

"Less is technically Christian. There is really no other word for someone who celebrates Christmas and Easter, even if only as craft projects."

Propelled by an enviable pace and the right balance of humor and melancholy, the reader is swept along until a narrator reveal and a beautifully executed conclusion stamp "Less" as an unforgettable, unavoidable read.

"I hadn't known I needed him there. Like a landmark, a pyramid-shaped stone or a cypress, that we assume will never move. So we can find our way home. And then, inevitably, one day -- it's gone. And we realize that we thought we were the only changing thing, the only variable, in the world; that the objects and people in our lives are there for our pleasure, like the playing pieces of a game, and cannot move of their own accord; that they are held in place by our need for them, by our love."

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Day 403, Quasi-Quarantine: We're Not Out Of The Woods Yet

 

Snapped this picture in the mountains during a foggy dusk. Pairs well with "Dublin Murders" and other genre TV shows I tend to gravitate to these days.

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Day 402, Quasi-Quarantine: "Dublin Murders" Is Devastating On All The Levels


"We raised a darkness."

Powered by a stellar cast and some noir intensity, "Dublin Murders" is less a season of serial detective television than eight straight gut punches in the form of rapid-fire episodes.

The investigative duo of haunted, broken Rob and stunning, unreachable Cassie each has a monumental secret that nearly manages to top the others', and just enough adrenalin-driven spark to evoke a Scully-Mulder dynamic.

The show itself is the result of a combination of two Tana French novels (I'm currently reading an unrelated French novel, "The Witch Elm"), leading some readers of her books to complain, but while the plot can be diffuse and a lot, it ultimately works for me. From a casting standpoint, having Lord Varys from "Game of Thrones" and two regulars from "Red Rock" certainly doesn't hurt.

More seasons are supposedly in the offing, but even as a standalone, "Dublin Murders" is devastating enough to leave you reeling.

In the woods.

Screaming your friends' names.

And spending the rest of your life trying to patch that hole.

Monday, April 19, 2021

Day 401, Quasi-Quarantine: The Nation That Refuses To Learn


More than 400 days in, w
e haven't been able to have a coherent national conversation about shootings and traitors and racism. 

We've tried to cope with Legos and puzzles and beer.

We've masked and socially distanced and vaccinated.

We've struggled to safely work and learn and play.

We've sought to find comfort in routine.

We've been willing to consider a formula that balances risk and emotional well-being.

We've gone to great lengths to paint neighborhood super-spreader events as learning opportunities.

We've come a long way since the early days.

But have we?


Friday, April 16, 2021

Limerick Friday #501: TV Emerges As Sports Recedes -- Day 398


"Fear the Walking Dead," sneaky good
A lot happening under the hood
An emotional farewell to John Dorie
Sacrificed to honor the story
Stick with the show, if you would 

Despite a lot of winnish
A disappointing finish
The NC State women's team
Adding firepower like a dream
Now Wolfpack Wes is grinnish

As everyone is enduring and copin'
Our approach seems to just be hopin'
Don't tell me my role
To make the strategy whole
We need to be intentional and open

At recent picks, I laughed
Just don't do anything daft
Easier said than done
When the 'Fins are under the gun
Welcome to the NFL Draft

The plot deepens and furthers
Rob haunted by ghosts and hurters
With Cassie, we fell in love
Emotions that punch and shove
All hail the devastating "Dublin Murders"


Thursday, April 15, 2021

Day 397, Quasi-Quarantine: "We" Haunts As The Grandfather Of Dystopian Fiction


" ... If the speed of an aero equals zero, the aero is motionless; if human liberty is equal to zero, man does not commit any crime. That is clear. The way to rid man of criminality is to rid him of freedom."

Unknown to many, "We" has helped inspire some of our most influential dystopian fiction. 

Yevgeny Zamyatin's stunningly powerful novel weaves a tale of crushing uniformity, interspersing stark, utilitarian descriptions with understated beauty. He painstakingly depicts an oppressed Russian society featuring mass surveilliance and an adherence to the laws of science.

"It was as foolish as the fact that in the days of the ancients the ocean blindly splashed on the shore for twenty-four hours a day, without interruption or use. The millions of kilogram meters of energy which were hidden in the waves were used only for the stimulation of sweethearts! We obtained electricity from the amorous whisper of the waves! We made a domestic animal out of that sparkling, foaming, rabid one! And in the same manner, we domesticated and harnessed the wild element of poetry."

Banned in the original Russian for some 35 years, "We" features a frantic pace toward the end, dragging you along, stumbling, as the One State breathes down your neck.

Such classics as "Brave New World" and "1984" owe a massive debt to Zamyatin's fully realized totalitarian society, making "We" essential reading in the genre.

Just watch your neck.

"Why is the dance beautiful? Answer: because it is an unfree movement. Because the deep meaning of the dance is contained in its absolute, ecstatic submission, in the ideal non-freedom."

Wednesday, April 14, 2021

Day 396, Quasi-Quarantine: PT Paying Off

 

Hat tip to this kid for all the hard work in physical therapy and with at-home exercises to build up his ankle strength and overcome a series of foot injuries.

Watching him out there again seeing the results makes my heart happy.

Tuesday, April 13, 2021

Day 395, Quasi-Quarantine: Getting Off The Beaten Path

 

Family hiking trail, near Beech Mountain, North Carolina.

Monday, April 12, 2021

Day 394, Quasi-Quarantine: Tremfalta Is Devastatingly On Point


"Saturday Night Live" has done it again with this IBS commercial.

Friday, April 09, 2021

Limerick Friday #500: Brax Is Moving On, Plus A Milestone For Limericks -- Day 391


Of 25-footers, he was never shy
Trey after trey he let fly
The bearded bomber
Was a zone calmer
Braxton Beverly, we'll miss you, guy

Howard Schellenberger, beyond reproach
Against his offense, no D did encroach
Assisted on Miami's perfect team
Helped realize an undefeated dream
Rest in peace, coach

Liars and racists
Traitors and hypocrites
Pederasts like Gaetz
Deserve the worst fates
This is the GOP that exists

Blamed the players all day
"Dadgum" made it all OK
Made Triangle media his bitch
Ignoring his cheating was rich
Roy finally took a timeout, they say

Through giggles and tears
Hopes and fears
The rhymes endured
And sometimes they cured
A little bit over the years


Thursday, April 08, 2021

Day 390, Quasi-Quarantine: "Writers & Lovers" Details The Pursuit Of A Balance Between Loss And Fulfillment



"I tell them the truth. I tell them I am thirty-one years old and seventy-three thousand dollars in debt. I tell them that since college I've moved eleven times, had seventeen jobs and several relationships that didn't work out. I've been estranged from my father since twelfth grade, and earlier this year my mother died. My only sibling lives three thousand miles away. What I have had for the past six years, what has been constant and steady in my life is the novel I've been writing. This has been my home, the place I could always retreat to. The place I could sometimes even feel powerful, I tell them. The place where I am most myself. Maybe some of you, I tell them, have found this place already. Maybe some of you will find it years from now. My hope is that some of you will find it for the first time today by writing."

Roughly a third of the way through "Writers & Lovers," I noted that the book is kind of great.

Lily King has created a beautifully rendered work, which serves as an accessible and flowing depiction of angst and grief and depression and self doubt. She strikes the right chords in revealing how we can be our own worst enemies, never quite allowing ourselves to be fully prepared to open up to another person. 

"I'm in the mood to call my mother, that happy, shift in the wind mood. I calculate the time in Phoenix. Nearly noon. Perfect. The bolt retracts, and I remember she died."

"I'm both the sad person and the person wanting to comfort the sad person. And then I feel sad for that person who has so much compassion because she's clearly been through the same thing, too. And the cycle keeps repeating."

Though "Writers & Lovers" features some odd punctuation, it does not take away from some very moving scenes and vignettes. The book feels perhaps too neatly tied up at the end, but an argument could be made that it is earned.

Despite the ease with which King puts us in Casey's shoes and takes us through her struggles in an effortlessly casual way, the book is capable of inspiring rogue waves of emotion. Anyone who has ever lost someone suddenly will see themselves in this staggering, soulful novel, this breezy, immersive read that you don't quite want to end.

"There's a particular feeling in your body when something goes right after a long time of things going wrong. It feels warm and sweet and loose ... For a moment all my bees have turned to honey."

Wednesday, April 07, 2021

Day 389, Quasi-Quarantine: That Sports Life Moves Pretty Fast

 

Based on this information, I can't tell whether Jeff Passan is the best or worst reporter on the planet.

Monday, April 05, 2021