Limerick Friday #544: "Russian Doll" Returns With A Redeeming Darkness -- Day 776

Season two of "Russian Doll"

Quite an emotional haul

Lyonne's hipster schtick

Can come on a bit thick

But somehow the ending paid off it all

An annual tradition

To witness in a drunken condition

The Dolphins at the NFL Draft

Making picks and trades daft

Watching with no picks an easier mission

I generally avoid the Sunshine State

The land of ignorance, COVID, and hate

But after so many plans bumped

Now half anxious, half pumped

Swallow, smile, and leave the rest to fate

On the "Parks & Rec" legacy, mixed feelings

A bit too much "The Office" stealing

Some early plots botched

But 7 seasons watched

Now with Ron Swanson withdrawal I'm dealing

Baseball's unwritten rules

Upheld by entitled fools

The hit by pitches keep adding

As the Mets try to find more padding

It's time NY started retaliating at family jewels

Last time ...

Day 775, Quasi-Quarantine: In Free Agency 2022, Miami Adds A Home Run Threat With A History In The New Offense In Raheem Mostert

 

Continuing a theme of accumulating speed on the offensive side of the ball, the Dolphins inked former San Francisco running back Raheem Mostert to a one-year, $3.125 million contract.

The pluses: Reuniting with new Miami coach Mike McDaniel was heavily predicted for Mostert headed into free agency, as Mostert was an ideal fit for the zone blocking scheme McDaniel employed in San Francisco. Averaging a staggering 5.7 yards per carry in his career, Mostert put it all together in 2019, tallying 772 yards and eight touchdowns in helping the 49ers reach the Super Bowl. The highlight came in the NFC Championship Game that year, when he torched the Packers for 220 yards and four touchdowns in one of the most memorable postseason performance in the history of the league. In 2020, the back had the top two fastest ball career runs in the NFL, clocking in at 23.09 miles per hour on an 80-yard touchdown run and 22.73 miles per hour on a 76-yard touchdown catch.

The negatives: The biggest question mark here -- and the reason Mostert drew little attention in free agency -- is health. At 5-10, 205 pounds, he was limited to a single game last year due to a knee injury, and he only played eight games in 2020. Though he was timed at 4.32 seconds in the 40-yard dash, at 29 years old, how much of that speed has been compromised by age and injury? With 36 career catches, Mostert is also not seen as a receiving threat out of the backfield, though Miami may seek to create more opportunities for him in that area of the game. 

The bottom line: The quickness with which the 'Fins landed Chase Edmonds is likely an indication that McDaniel is going to favor a backfield committee -- an approach that could maximize Mostert's effectiveness and shield him from injury. A Florida native who had a short stint with Miami in 2015, Mostert returns on a very affordable contract, giving him an opportunity to boost his stock for future years while limiting the Dolphins's risk. In an ideal scenario, Mostert regains his health and emerges as a chunk-yardage threat in an attacking Miami offense, pairing with Edmonds and following Alec Ingold into second-level bursts. On the flip side, if Mostert never finds his stride due to the accumulation of injuries, the 'Fins will lean more heavily on Edmonds, Myles Gaskin, and perhaps a rookie, then move on from Mostert following the season. Either way, the chance to bring in a dynamic threat with scheme familiarity like Mostert at such a low price was a no-brainer move for McDaniel & Co.

Day 774, Quasi-Quarantine: Balancing The Message Of "Deep Work" With The Realities Of Contemporary Work Life Is An Ongoing Challenge

 

"Deep Work: Professional activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to their limit. These efforts create new value, improve your skill, and are hard to replicate."

Cal Newport's deep dive into deep work is important reading, especially in a time of global pandemic, remote working, and "The Great Resignation." Of course, as a manager, I recognize a lot of this as aspirational at best and not feasible at worst, which the author skirts around.

"Because, of course, in the end, a business's goal is to generate value, not to make sure its employee's lives are as easy as possible." 

"Deep Work: Rules of Focused Success in a Distracted World" explores concepts like attention residue and attention restoration theory, making a compelling case for using any and all methods to protect and preserve time for deep work.

Disclaimer: I do not subscribe to the entirety of this philosophy. Having come from a journalism background where things change from moment to moment, I've become comfortable amidst uncertainty -- a stipulation acknowledged by Newport.

"I call this approach, in which you fit deep work wherever you can in your schedule, the journalist philosophy ... This name is a nod to the fact that journalists, like Walter Isaacson, are trained to shift into a writing mode on a moment's notice, as is required by the deadline-driven nature of their profession."

Overall, the reading can be slow going, but the messages and tips are intensely useful, no matter your profession, market, or personal working style.

Day 773, Quasi-Quarantine: Constructing An Elite And Intimidating Galactic Marine

I've always been drawn to the look of the Galactic Marines, so landing an accessory pack from Clone Army Customs was a coup.

Originally known as the 21st Nova Corps of the 4th Sector Army, the Galactic Marines were considered one of the most elite fighting forces in the Grand Army of the Republic. This lofty status was bolstered by being commanded by Jedi General Ki-Adi-Mundi and having a sub-unit regiment assigned to Mace Windu.

Specializing in capturing enemy starships and planetary assault, the unit also -- unfortunately -- played a central role in Order 66. Led by Marshal Commander Bacara (CC-1138), the squad turned on and killed Ki-Adi-Mundi during the Battle of Mygeeto. Following the rise of the Galactic Empire, this crew came to be known as the Imperial Galactic Marines.

 

The accessory pack features a maroon helmet, which is marked by a unique visor designed to protect galactic marines from airborne threats. A cloth pauldron and kama are also included, along with a tactical backpack and a Brickarms DC-15 rifle.

Matching torso, legs, and arms in a workable color scheme was relatively easy. The end result is a formidable and distinctive soldier who is good for employment in a host of missions and reenactments.

Hoorah.

Day 772, Quasi-Quarantine: Enjoying The Second-Day Festivities In The District

Following a whirlwind first day in D.C., Day 2 began with an early-morning visit to the Sculpture Garden outside the National Gallery of Art off Constitution Avenue. After some exploring, it was time to hit the metro to catch the Mets-Nationals game at Nationals Park.

Who could resist a stop on the way to sit in a giant Astroturf chair? Not us.

Despite some chilly weather, it was a beautiful day for a ballgame. When the sun finally came out from underneath the cloud cover, there was an audible moan of delight from the crowd.

Despite holding a 2-1 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth, the Mets missed out on the four-game sweep, surrendering a three-run inning to fall 4-2. After a spirited debate at how we always bring bad luck directly to our favorite teams in person, we realized that the Presidents Race made up for a lot of the sting of losing.

Let's go Mets.

Limerick Friday #543: The Amazin's Are Off And Racin' -- Day 769

 

Despite more injury concerns

And seasonal twists and turns

Got the most wins in the league

Overcoming ingrained fatigue

A Mets fan never learns

A stellar first season

Engrossing beyond reason

For a show that's been haunting

The finale left me wanting

"Severance," so beautifully teasin'

Metros and trains

And directional pains

Museums of mystery

Memorials of history

D.C., your intrigue never wanes

Yakuza with every drug

Gaijins looking smug

An intense pace

A compelling look at race

Unexpectedly, "Tokyo Vice" I've dug

Built on exclusion and hate

They've long deserved their fate

Florida at war with itself

Putting democracy on the shelf

Can we annex the entire state?

Last time ...

Day 769, Quasi-Quarantine: First Step In Upgrading OL In Free Agency 2022 Comes In The Form Of Dallas Guard Connor Williams

The task of overhauling the league's worst offensive line started early in free agency when Miami inked Dallas Cowboys left guard Connor Williams to a two-year deal worth $14.035 million.

The pluses: At just 24 years old, Williams already has 51 NFL starts under his belt, having played all 1,146 snaps for Dallas in 2020. That durability is paired with pedigree, as he is a former second-round pick out of Texas. At 6-5, 298 pounds, he also has the flexibility to play tackle, and he has experience in the new zone-blocking scheme being implemented by Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel. Charged with allowing only one sack last season, Williams was ranked as the fifth-best pass-blocking guard in the league for the last five weeks by Pro Football Focus, which rated him the No. 11 guard in the NFL in 2021.

The negatives: Right from the jump, it must be acknowledged that Williams committed a staggering 15 penalties last year, including 11 holding flags. The issue got bad enough that he was benched in midseason. After the signing, initial speculation by Miami beat writers centered around the newcomer being a potential reserve in hopes of regaining some confidence, but it's pretty clear that the 'Fins intend to plug him as the starting left guard. 

The bottom line: It's fairly obvious that there is a lot of potential here, and it's rare that young, tools-y offensive linemen hit the open market -- a fact bolstered by how quickly Miami moved on Williams once free agency began. While it's fair to question how much better Williams makes even a really bad offensive line considering some of his problems from last year, the hope is that an emphasis on zone blocking and an upgrade in positional coaching compared to last year's Dolphins staff will help. While $8.535 million guaranteed is nothing to sneeze at, this is a relatively easy contract to move on from if things don't pan out with Williams in South Beach.

Day 768, Quasi-Quarantine: "Gwendy's Final Task" Serves As Functional Close To Unexpected Trilogy

"Life in America, Gwendy thought when she contemplated all those Magowan votes. Life in pandemic America." 

"Gwendy's Final Task" features a frantic pace, more overt tie-ins to the Dark Tower, and a satisfying conclusion to a trilogy. Based on the relative thinness of the story itself, it's hard to ask much more of Stephen King and Richard Chizmar in this one.

The suspension of disbelief is real, but that is true of most all of King's books. For a trilogy that started as little more than a short story, this one progresses slowly, but the emergence of Derry as a secondary character brings back old the old melancholy and terror.

" ... But she's looking at the stars. Oh they are gorgeous and how can anyone look at that spill of light and believe life is anything but a hall of mysteries?"

I liked artist Keith Minnion's interior illustrations, but thought more could have been extracted from them to reinforce the story. You can also see King ceding more of the ownership to Chizmar, and while that's never a good thing (it's a bit more tidily concluded than most of King's works), it's a worthy finale.

"The words suddenly slip into his head unbidden. Mr. Peterson has no idea where they came from or what they mean, but he likes the sound of them so much he says them out loud: 'There are other worlds than these.' Sitting there, staring up at the infinite darkness, he thinks they are easy words to believe."

Day 767, Quasi-Quarantine: Newest Battle Pack Captures An Iconic Scene From "The Mandalorian"

Lego hit the market with an affordable, timely battle pack, helping to bridge the gap between the "Book of Boba" and "Obi-Wan Kenobi" series.

The 166-piece Dark Trooper Attack (set 75324) celebrates the incredible final episode of the second season of "Star Wars: The Mandalorian," which featured CGI Luke Skywalker arriving to rescue Grogu in a heart-stopping scene.

The build itself features a revolving elevator and a rotating battle platform, which slides to allow Luke to Force-push a dark trooper. There are a number of stickers included, which can be a good or bad thing depending on your personal view (my building partner intensely dislikes them).

While the build provides necessary context, the obvious and compelling draw here is the minifigures. Luke Skywalker (complete with chin dimple) comes with a cape and green lightsaber, making him a great get. However, the stars are the formidable dark troopers, complete with three cleverly constructed blaster rifles.

One of the cool elements is the ability to pair this set with Moff Gideon's Imperial Light Cruiser (set 75315), which comes with a single dark trooper. The light cruiser was a very difficult set to build and will likely need to be revisited, as my building partner struggled with aspects of the set.

Overall, this battle pack is a welcome addition to Lego canon, and represents a fair price point for the inclusion of three dark troopers and a special version of Luke Skywalker. The ability to construct a small battalion of the intimidating dark troopers opens up a whole range of mission possibilities that we look forward to pursuing.

Day 766, Quasi-Quarantine: A Busy Initial Day In D.C.

 

After a marathon train trip from Raleigh to Washington, D.C., our first meanderings around "The District" involved a visit to Lafayette Square to check out the White House and Pennsylvania Avenue.

We then ventured south of the White House and north of the National Mall to browse The Ellipse, where the First Division Monument -- honoring the division's soldiers who fought in World War I, World War II, Vietnam, and Desert Storm -- sits just in front of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. 

Our evening ended with a visit to Old Ebbitt Grill, the city's oldest bar and restaurant. The bacon-horseradish glazed meat loaf and a couple of local IPAs were the right way to cap a whirlwind first day.

Day 762, Quasi-Quarantine: "Severance" Gets "The Office" Treatment

I've been a huge fan of "Severance," so it pains me a little to admit that I was slightly underwhelmed by the season finale. The optimist in me (yes, it exists) believes that the show is just setting up a more stunning second season.

Anyway, this "The Office"-inspired intro sendup is a spot-on way to conclude the first season of one of the more remarkable new shows to hit the small screen in recent years.

Limerick Friday #542: Huge Victory, Small Progress For The Supreme Court -- Day 755

 

Democracy destruction

Pointless obstruction

Justice only delayed

KBJ nominated anyway

To the racist sound of GOP suction

Deserving of reverence

The finale of "Severance"

What will happen to the team

I hope nothing obscene

And just more "Office Space" reference

Civilian torture a snore

Accountability a boor

Off to the next crisis

Whether book burning or ISIS

Attention span in a time of war

Opening Day

What can you say?

Any other for the Mets

Do they have regrets?

Ask me after Sunday

Profile raised

Leadership praised

Now how to leverage

To push back with a beverage

And smack down stakeholders crazed

Last time ...

Day 755, Quasi-Quarantine: Free Agency 2022 Brings A Bruiser To South Beach In Alec Ingold

Miami filled a huge need for coach Mike McDaniel's offensive scheme when they inked former Las Vegas Raiders fullback Alec Ingold to a two-year contract worth $6.5 million and $3.5 guaranteed.

The pluses: Known as a physical "hammer," the 6-1, 240-pound Ingold brings some untapped potential as a receiver out of the backfield as well. He's scored three touchdowns (including one against the Dolphins) on 28 career receptions, with a long of 29 yards, and at just 25 years old, this feels like an area that can be developed in Miami. As a prepster with a wrestling background, the versatile Ingold originally committed to Northern Illinois as a quarterback before enrolling at Wisconsin, where he also played linebacker before settling in at fullback. He was also the Raiders' nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 2020.

The negatives: Seen as an average athlete, Ingold only had 15 career rushing attempts in his three years with the Raiders, averaging less than 1.5 yards on those carries. Perhaps the biggest question mark for him is his health status after tearing his ACL in November of last year. While he's reportedly on track to be ready for training camp, his potentially crucial role within the 'Fins attack could make his recovery a storyline to follow throughout the summer.

The bottom line: The importance of fullback Kyle Juszcyzk to the success of McDaniel's offense in San Francisco has been well-documented. Early on, it became clear that the new coach would need a proven piece at fullback to help bring the expected zone run game to life. The Dolphins moved quickly on Ingold despite his major injury, signaling how the coaching staff views his potential within the scheme. It's hard to argue with the success of Wisconsin running backs in the NFL, and the development of Ingold's role for the 'Fins should be fun to watch this season and beyond. For bonus points, Ingold shouted out Miami legend Larry Csonka during his introductory press conference, making the newcomer an early fan favorite.

Day 754, Quasi-Quarantine: Suspension Of Disbelief Essential In Absorbing "I Heard You Paint Houses"

"The first words Jimmy ever spoke to me were, 'I heard you paint houses.' The paint is the blood that supposedly gets on the wall or the floor when you shoot somebody. I told Jimmy, 'I do my own carpentry work, too.' That refers to making coffins and means you get rid of the bodies yourself."

There is no doubt that Charles Brandt's "I Heard You Paint Houses" is a compelling and absorbing read. Beyond that, almost everything surrounding this book about Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran is shrouded in doubt.

Sheeran's upbringing as an abused child and a soldier tasked with performing repeated war crimes certainly lend credence to his eventual role as a mob enforcer. However, how much is real and how much is hyperbole is open to conjecture.

"Not all people are affected the same way by the same events. We are each our own fingerprints and the sum of our own life's experiences."

Whether Sheeran actually was the Forrest Gump of high-profile mafia hits has long been challenged, and details like the hitman's revelation that he had seven contracts out on his life over the years become difficult to believe. In addition, the more-than-uncomfortable relationship between interviewer and interviewee that formed the basis of this book is troubling.

"While individual agents are top notch, as an institution the FBI sometimes behaves more like an armed public relations agency than a public service agency."

It's probably not worth arguing whether Sheeran was devoid of conscience enough to commit numerous atrocities -- but whether those involved Jimmy Hoffa, Joey Gallo, and even JFK is questionable.

It's clear that Hollywood bought the story, as "The Irishman" movie wholeheartedly attests. Perhaps it's best to view the book in the same way: a blend of fact and fiction aimed at entertaining and furthering the national fascination with "La Cosa Nostra."

"You could tell by looking at him that he was a fighter. He was one of those guys you could probably beat, but you'd have to take a couple of days off before you thought about fighting him again."

Day 753, Quasi-Quarantine: Tacking A Bacta Tank Extension Onto Boba's Throne Room

 

About a month ago, we walked through the iconic new Star Wars Lego set, Boba Fett's Throne Room. To extend the playability and more closely mirror "The Book of Boba," we decided to create a Bacta tank add-on (please hold your "Why is Luke wearing a giant diaper?" questions).

Our initial effort was functional, but did not evoke the rest of the build as much as we'd like.

To rectify that, we sorted through brown pieces that matched the rest of the set, making the tank area feel like a much more organic addition to the palace and throne room.

The result is an add-on that has a removable Bacta tank, a place for a sentry, and a bed for post-immersion recovery as needed. This new segment of the build can also be moved around to best complement the dizzying number of configurations.

As we eagerly await the arrival of the new "Obi-Wan" series next month, our evolving Tattooine landscape is helping to bridge the gap.

Now, about that diaper build ...

Day 752, Quasi-Quarantine: SNL Offers The Insightful Analysis We Need

As "Saturday Night Live" continues to move from entertainment to important news and commentary vehicle, the sketch show went in hard on the ridiculousness of Will Smith.

The line of the night came at the end of a mention that Smith was allowed to stay only after Chris Rock OK'd it after being attacked:

"I can't believe the Academy has a worse concussion protocol than the NFL."

Limerick Friday #541: Maybe Back To Reality Wasn't The Best Idea -- Day 748

A return to form

To what was the "norm"

But I think we all forgot

That the norm blew a lot

Welcome back to your shit storm

A top seed meant shit

Didn't follow the NCAA script

The Pack screwed again

When might it end?

But can't slow Wes and his team one bit

At first we had belief

But there was never any beef

Hate to see someone leave

Though they always seem aggrieved

This time the reaction relief

Outta whack pay

Only threats make you stay

Talent bleeds

As incompetence breeds

Counting days until time away

Pollen abounds

Tornadoes make the rounds

Just spring in Raleigh

But I gotta say golly

Does it make me want oceans and sounds

Last time ...