Tuesday, October 25, 2005

On Monday night October 24, I drove with a friend for over a hundred miles in a driving rain storm, through stop-and-go rush hour traffic. Waiting on the other end of our trek was, in my opinion, pretty much the only non-sporting event that's worth such an effort.

The Boss.

Fifth row center at the Richmond Colosieum, for a solo accoustic show. The 8th time I've seen him in concert, ten shows behind my friend Mike, sitting pretty at 18 shows.



For those of you who have not seen him in concert, there is something absolutely emotionally charged in the air when he performs- regardless of his format. I've seen him solo, with the E street band, with a different band, you name it. He never fails to captivate a crowd and, even more important, never does anything to make you think he is not putting every ounce of his emotion, energy, and heart into every word and every note. He does not merely sing his songs, he emotes them. They do not come from his throat, they come from his heart. He exudes creativity, heartbreak, love, determination, and a range of emotion that reads off the charts on any imagined spectrum of any imagined instrument designed to measure it.

Sunday, October 16, 2005

Alex, I'll take "Things that annoy the living crap out of me" for $200...

* Why is every potential political hiccough given the suffix "-gate?" I mean, I know why, but why that suffix? There are lots of suffixes to choose from. For example, take the suffix "dome," as in "Teapot Dome." Then we would have "MonicaDome," "IranDome" "travelDome." You get the idea. They all sound pretty lame, don't they? Also, a word to the current news media- you cannot make something a scandal simply by adding the "gate" suffix. Putting the problems of the White House travel office in the same suffix category as a conspiracy to cover up a federal crime that went all the way to the oval office? Yeah, great idea. "Katrinagate?" "FEMAgate?" Give it a rest. (Although, go nuts with "Palmegate." I'll enjoy that.)

* Why is the Department of Defense still called "Defense?" Now we have homeland security. Make our country safer, protect it from danger. Now THAT'S defense! So shouldn't the department of defense be re-named the department of offense?






* Why hasn't the media picked up on the fact that we are re-living the ten plagues of Egypt? Let's see now- Hurrican Katrina caused the following:

the DEATH OF CATTLE, caused by the floods
tornados that brought down HAIL
power outages leaving people in DARKNESS
New Orleans transformed into a swamp, probably full of FROGS
corpses in the water? not far from a RIVER of BLOOD



Just last summer, in the mid-Atlantic states, the 17-year cycle of cicada's came around again. Aren't they LOCUST?

Darfur. Slaughter left and right, even of children. That takes care of SLAYING OF THE FIRST BORN.

You get the point. Only problem is, we have no idea who is supposed to let who go!

Sunday, October 02, 2005

In honor of my mother...

Today is my mother's birthday! So in her honor, I am going to run down the list of cool people named Judith!



First we have Judith Miller, a true American hero. She goes to jail to defend her professional integrity and a promise she kept. Southpaw Spot salutes you, Judith! Keep up the good work.

Next is Judith Viorst. Judith Viorst wrote some of my favorite children's books growing up, including one I still read today entitled "Alexander and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day."



She also wrote such masterpieces as "I'll fix Anthony" and "My Mama Says There Aren't Any: Zombies, Ghosts, Vampires, Creatures, Demons, Monsters, Fiends, Goblins, or Things."



Then we have my mother, Judith Kessler

This Judith is stylish, knows her accounting, and she went to the Bronx High School of Science. Loving wife, mother, and grandmother, Judith raised two children (three if you count my father.) She also holds several world records- most times washing out Andrew Kessler's mouth with soap (once), most times telling her children, "because I said so!" (4,783), and most gorgeous grandchildren named "Kessler-Godin" living in Teaneck (two.) She also shares several world records- most tolerant woman married to someone named "Kessler" (Shared with Carol Kessler and Aimee T.H. Kessler),



and mother of the most good looking, successful, intelligent children (record shared with 11,654,347 other Jewish mothers, including her daughter Hillary Kessler-Godin)