Meanderings 78

1. Baby sharks. Have you ever seen one? Or a mom WITH a younger shark? Have you ever seen that? Sharks are not very family oriented.

2. The NHL is the ultimate working class/blue collar sport; it attracts this sort of demographic, and it knows it. Here is why: First of all is the "hockey hair," which is short in the front and long in the back. Very blue collar hairstyle. Not coiffed. Just blue collar. Second is the fact that they have a "Blue Line." This is subliminal. They are trying to appeal to the blue collar audience by having a line in a colr they can relate to. Finally, they dont have "offense" or "defense" or "second string" or anything like that--they have "shifts." Just like the blue collar demographic to whom they cater. That is all.

3. Sloppy Joes. So underrated. Have you ever seen sloppy joes on the menu of any restaurant? If a restaurant has sloppy joes on the menu, I am interested in eating at that restaurant, because you know these restaurateurs mean business! But, alas, I have never see it on any menu/special....

4. "Smoke" is the only 'smell' out of which we have made a 'flavor.' Think about that. Usually, it is the other way around. We have lots of flavors like cherry and pumpkin and vanilla and coffee....and those, thanks to Yankee Candle and Bath and Body Works, have become 'scents.' But can you think of anything else, besides SMOKE, that was a scent that was TURNED INTO a flavor? I cannot. And, most likely, I will spend the rest of the night trying to do just that....

5. America is definitely the most self centered and arrogant culture in the world, and I think this is manifested perfectly through the way in which we deal with professional sports--ESPECIALLY when championships are concerned. What's with this whole "World Champion" attachment that seems to go with winning the world series or the NBA Finals, etc? How arrogant and ethnocentric is that!?? Are we naive enough to believe or think that WE are the only country in the 'world' that plays these sports? I mean, I bet half the teams in Japan or the Dominican Republic could beat the Giants in baseball....I just think it is pretty arrogant how America thinks that what THEY do is somehow indicative of being the standard of 'the world.'

(sorry for the interruption before number 6....but the CHRISTMAS TRAIN is out!!!)

6. I see number five mostly apparent in the sport of boxing, where not only do they use the phrase 'champion of the world,' but also they take it step further by attaching the modifier "undisputed" in front of it. What kind of crap is that?? Undiputable?? Says who? Did they check with you? They didnt check with me, I know that! Was the census bureau involved in seeing how many undiscovered boxers or wrestlers or MMA fighters there were in the world at the time of that claim? Because "undisputed" is a pretty strong statement. But that is inherently American, isnt it-- thinking that whatever we do is automatically the standard by which the world should be judged? What if I called up the World Boxing Organization or whatever it is called....and what if I told them that I dont agree that Sugar Ray Whomseywoomsey is the best boxer? THERE! I disputed what they said!!! HA!! Now they cant say that. Whatever. I'm gonna go get a drink....