Good Friday Hockey

Darrell and Clawed
Originally uploaded by darebouche

A well-rounded citizen of Shreveport-Bossier must attend a hockey game. It dawned on me this afternoon that the Mudbugs' season is just about finished and I had not been to a game all season. This was completely unacceptable, so we went about the business of rectifying that situation.
I went all out, representing with my Mudbugs cap and, of course, tracking down the mascot for a photo. These games actually are a lot of fun, accentuated by the culture created by the fans. Thousands of people doing the same cheers after their team scores, dancing in unison and generally carrying on can induce anything from a grin to a belly laugh.
Our team has the best record in the Central Hockey League. Our coach is the CHL coach of the year and the team has home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs. Woo-Hoo!
Who says there's nothing to do around here? Concerts, symphony, comedy shows, casinos and hockey. We're busy!
All that and Arena Football starts next week.
Or, we could stay home with a Netflix movie and a bag of store brand microwave popcorn.
Go Bugs.

The excellent photo of CHL coach of the year Scott Muscutt is by Val Horvath of the Shreveport Times.

Sphere: Related Content

Meeting My Easter Needs

This digital sign outside a pharmacy/ convenience store struck me as particularly presumptuous. Of course, I'm likely giving the sign's "author" entirely too much credit.
So, CVS has all my Easter needs? Can CVS offer me the hope of the Resurrection? Can CVS renew my spirit and forgive my sins? Can CVS open the doors of Heaven to sinners? Quite frankly, those are my Easter needs.
Oh, Wait. CVS has little plastic eggs and chocolate bunnies with hollow ears? Do they have Peeps and fake grass to stick into baskets? Do they have PAAS egg die? Is that what we're talking about here?
This reminds me of a young co-worker who had moved from the Pacific Northwest. She asked, to the shock and dismay of many, "Easter? Is that some kind of southern thing?" That's someone who has Easter needs. I hope CVS helps her.

Sphere: Related Content

Breaking Out of the Restaurant Rut

Lila's Cakes & Chocolate, 440 Olive St.
Originally uploaded by mikerosebery

We love to go out to eat, no matter what time of day. It's fair to say that most days we have to talk ourselves out of going out. It would be easy to take the path of least resistance and patronize the chain restaurants, but I try to help the local restaurant owner whenever I can.
One of The Bosses and I recently took a noonday diversion to Shreveport's Highland district and ducked into Lila's. We thought we would be getting away. Sadly for us and happily for Lila and her family, it simply wasn't the case. We saw some high-profile people from work there, as well as a couple of local celebrities. So, I guess we were among the last people to be let in on the news that Lila's is a little midtown gem.
As you can see in Mike Roseberry's photo, the place has an old-school charm.

More recently, my wife and I found ourseves in Broadmoor at dinnertime, so we ducked into Rollin' in the Dough. The place was packed, and after eating there I know why. It was fantastic. We saw some people we know and confessed it was our first time there. It looked like somebody slapped them. They literally flinched. Their faces showed complete surprise, kind of like "Are you kidding me?"
The place doesn't have much curb appeal, but obviously its food, reputation and loyal customer base are enough to help it thrive. They were doing a robust take-out business, too.
Both of these new culinary encounters came to pass because I got out of my neighborhood. I recommend it.
I'm glad we have usual complement of chain restaurants, but I get a little embarrassed eating there sometimes. (I admit I ate at Olive Garden this week and it was pretty good.) My mother-in-law loves McAllister's Deli, for instance. She has a friend in from out of town, and that's where they went to lunch. That makes me a litte uncomfortable because I think it shows a lack of imagination. McAlister's, Friday's, Ruby Tuesday, whatever. It's all like McDonald's. You can eat there anywhere.
We need to support places that are unique to home. Can anybody say Herby K?

Sphere: Related Content

TV Confessions - Top Ten Edition

Two "Top Tens" got my attention Wednesday night.I am a Battlestar Galactica geek. The long-anticipated, well overdue fourth and final season will premier April 4th. On Wednesday, David Letterman had ten cast members on the show to offer the "Top Ten Reasons to Watch the New Season of Battlestar Galactica." It wasn't that funny, but the fact that the show got that much attention pleased me. Plus, I'm a long-time Dave devotee, so I got an eleven-for-one deal.
I am now ready to publicly declare my "American Idol" rooting interest. Brooke! The contenders have been whittled down to the Top Ten, and Brooke White is my Top One. I'm inclined to agree with the hype about this being the best group of finalists. Ramiele Mulabay is the weakest performer so far with Kristi Lee Cook giving her pressure for the dubious honor. I think Cook has more potential to be consistently entertaining, plus she's really good-looking. Brooke has it all: beautiful, likeable, a songwriter, a musician, a singer. Carly Smithson is the best singer in the group, but she needs to cover up that tattooed arm to get more votes. Girls are digging the Archuleta kid. Women are all about Michael Johns.
I spent some time with an avid sports fan yesterday. He was talking about the expectation that he would be grinding the first round of the NCAA Tournament, but had a confession. "If it's a choice between 'Lost' and a first-round game, 'Lost' will win. I'll flip over to the game during ads." Given the state of things with "Lost," he probably wouldn't get an argument from me.
At the urging of many Daddy D readers, we have finally given Jon Stewart a chance. Now, he's a TiVo priority. We don't watch him at 10:00, but we do watch him essentially every night. I can get through the good parts of The Daily Show and then Letterman and still be asleep by 11:30.
We still love us some "Boston Legal," even though Julie Bowen is gone from the show. I must be the mad cow.
I can hardly wait for football season. Until then, vote for Brooke.

Sphere: Related Content

Why Would You Do This?

Little snake
Originally uploaded by flylike_paper

I know the young lady in this photo. I'm very fond of her. She is welcome in my house any time, but she CANNOT bring her friend along.
I'm not sure what's happening here, but I suspect there's a wacky science teacher involved somewhere.
She's not old enough to remember the mind-blowing photo of Nastassja Kinski and the serpent; but if a picture of my cat can remind a commenter of a famous Vermeer painting then our friend with the snake certainly can bring this to mind:

It has been twenty-seven years since Richard Avedon captured this legendary image. He took advantage of Kinski's fame in the wake of her film role in "Tess," one of sixty or so films in which Kinski appeared, but arguably her most famous.
I was in my early 20's when this photo became famous. Clearly, it made an impression on me. Funny, I've never really been afraid of snakes.
As Mary points out in her comment, this image is kind of cut in half horizontally.
See the photo in all it original glory here.

Sphere: Related Content

Cat with a Pearl Earring?

Vermeer_girl with the pearl earring
Originally uploaded by nanitas2727

Our enigmatic cat seems to be generating some fascination from the blogosphere. It all started with a photo of her resting comfortably on my chest while I was passed out on painkillers.
Readers commented about her girth. She was compared to a moose, called "tubby," and we have received a lot of good advice about feeding her properly.
A recent comment, however, leaves me puzzled. Someone said a photo of the cat reminded him of this painting.
I'm not sure which photo evoked this famous work by Vermeer, but maybe it's this one:

The cat is facing the wrong way. Maybe the earring is on the other side.

Sphere: Related Content

The Dude Will Abide

I did his hair.
Originally uploaded by One-half of the Happy Couple

Years ago, I started affectionately calling my son "the Dude." this was a reference to Jeff Bridges' character in the film "The Big Lebowski," a cult hit.
I fear this has become a self fulfilling prophecy. If you haven't seen the movie, trust me that "the Dude" is not necessarily someone you would want your son to emulate. The Dude is not a role model, even though he is outrageously funny.
Entertainment Weekly has a feature article in its current issue which celebrates the 10-year anniversary of the film's release. The magazine has a full-page photoillustration which uses a screen shot from the movie.
Need I say more?

Sphere: Related Content

Traversing the Cultural Diameter

Less than 24 hours after enjoying a rare night out with a bunch of guys, I found myself herding women. My wife, mother-in-law, daughter and two of her friends sat on the same row with me for the Shreveport Symphony's presentation of "Broadway Today." Yes, I went from Friday's blue jeans and beer crowd laughing hysterically at scatological humor to the Saturday blue blood set getting goosebumps from show tunes.
You may question my manhood for attending such an event, but I will tell you I went enthusiatically. The wife and I go to this show every year and it never disappoints. The headliner is Craig Schulman. If you want to talk about manhood, this guy has it. He is the only person to perform on Broadway in the lead roles of Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables and Jekyll & Hyde. Dude has talent...buckets of talent. He always brings beautiful women to perform with him, and this year was no exception. My 16-year-old said to me during one episode of thunderous applause that Collen Hawks took her breath away singing "Defying Gravity" from "Wicked." When Tamra Hayden emotionally offered "On my Own" from Les Mis, patrons young and old were crying. When Schulman hit us with "Bring Him Home" and "Music of the Night," the crowd was simply awed. The 16 and 17-year-old girls hung around Riverview Theater to buy CD's and get autographs, and that tells me they know the've seen something special.
The Shreveport Symphony is celebrating its 60th season, but it remains one of the most underappreciated enterprises in the area. Talk about big-time, Shreveport had it again Saturday night. Those of us fortunate enough to be there know what we heard. We had the goosebumps to prove it.

Sphere: Related Content

Guys' Night Out

The Strand
Originally uploaded by darebouche

This never happens. I went out with a group of guys: Steve, Chuck, Cliff, Charlie, Sonny, Mike and Robert. We saw the Bob and Tom Comedy All-Stars at the Strand Theater. It was a great show featuring hysterically funny stand-up comedians. 1700 people packed into the historic venue and we laughed until our heads hurt.
I was honored to be included. I like all of those guys, who I know from work. The thing is: Robert, Chuck, Steve, Sonny, Charlie and Cliff ARE ALL MY BOSSES. If they weren't so nice, it would have been intimidating.
Bob and Tom are the hosts of a nationally syndicated radio show who make household names of lots of comedians. Patty Vasquez, Nick Griffin, Greg Hahn and Ralph Harris hit the stage, but the clear attraction was Donnie Baker.
He's a recurring character on Bob & Tom. I had a chance to meet him before the show. He's just a regular guy who works on a radio show, but when he hits the stage, he takes on a whole new persona.
The big news, though, is the rare guys' night out. I used to work nights at a TV station, and I would sometimes go out in groups after the news on Fridays. I think this is the first time in at least four years that I had gone out in town without my wife. Does that sound pathetic?

This photo, courtesy our pals at 99X, shows Charlie and me along with Nick Griffin, Chick McGee, Greg Hahn, Donnie Baker, Patty Vasquez and Ralph Harris.

Sphere: Related Content

Irony in Eating Out

Low-fat at Strawns?
Originally uploaded by Darrell

One of Shreveport's legendary eatieries is still thriving. There are three Strawn's locations I know about and people go there because they know what they will get: good old-fashioned salty, greasy food.
So, I was amused when someone ordered a low-fat breakfast. That's like going to a Chinese restaurant and getting a hamburger. What's the point?
Having spent thousands of dollars in the Strawnses of the world in my lifetime, I know how I will react when I walk in. There's a lot of saliva involved. The place just exudes, "So good but so bad for you."
Honestly, i think it's good for you every once in a while to just indulge. Have a cheeseburger. Salt your fries. Have a slice of pie. It's the kind of thing that makes life worth living. If you want low fat, go to Subway or a salad bar. Smell the salt and hot oil. Live a little.
Low-fat Omelette! Yum. Not Low-fat pancakes. Better!

Sphere: Related Content

What if Silda Said.....

Silda Spitzer's husband is in big trouble. The lower photo shows the pair in happier times, when Mrs. Spitzer looked lovely. Now that her husband has resigned as governor of New York in disgrace, the strain is showing. She was forced to stand beside him as he offered an apology for employing the services of a high-dollar prostitution service. If recent media reports are to be believed, Mr. Spitzer has spent at least $80,000 to do whatever it is he does with those women.
There's been a lot of babbling lately about Silda Spitzer, Wendy Vitter and other political wives who have been slapped by sex scandal over the years.
Just once I would like to see, in the middle of the big mea culpa by her husband, one of the women stride up to the microphone and say something like this: "Look, here's the thing. Eliot has certain, let's say tastes, in the bedroom that make me uncomfortable. I don't want to participate in these activities. He has found an outlet for this, and I accept that. It's kept our marriage together. Yes, it's illegal and probably immoral. But, the way I see it these professional women are no threat to me. I'd rather him hire someone than cavort like that with a co-worker who might break up my family."
That would grab some headlines! Wouldn't it be refreshing, just a little?(AP Photo from Spitzer's resignation announcement by Stephen Chernin)

Sphere: Related Content

Leave My Cat Alone

Cat nap
Originally uploaded by Darrell

A photo of this cat using me for a bed while I was passed out on narcotics over the weekend has caused a disturbance in the Daddy D Force. You people are abusing the poor thing in comments and e-mails. I guess she has gotten fat, but I haven't noticed.
The cat lives in our home despite her mercurial nature. She's ten years old, so I guess we're stuck with her for a while yet. She serves no real purpose except to get cat hair on the sofa and to annoy me.
About 80% of the time, she's a tolerable animal. It's the other 20% that gets to you. Without warning, she will pounce on you. Sometimes, when provoked, she will bite. Most of my kids' friends just hate her, fear her or have a general disregard for her.
We got her as a kitten for our then-6 year old daughter. They were inspeparable for seven or eight years, but now the Disappearing Teenager has basically abandoned her cat and so by default she comes around to bug us all the time.
She's fat because we can't keep her out of the dog food. She earns her keep as the dog's best friend and constant companion. So, she does serve a purpose in the house.
She has no front claws, so she can't go outside unsupervised. We love her in spite of her personality flaws, maybe because of them.
If you don't mind, we'll keep feeding her.

Sphere: Related Content

Too Close for Comfort

During my Kidney Stone Episode over the weekend, a co-worker was very supportive. He happens to be a urologist, so that came in handy. He said after I passed the stone, I should "come in for a complete workup." Well, I did.
The stone passed without incident, and I followed the advice of my urology buddy.
I did not get enough information about what would be involved in a complete workup.
Let's just say I like the guy, but I don't like him that much. Now that the "office visit" and the completely unanticipated physical exam are behind me, I'm guess I glad I went through with it. Now, I have to pick a 24-hour period during which I will collect all of my (how shall I put this?) liquid stream in a plastic jug.
I've sat next to this guy at lunch at least fifty times, but the noonday meal may never be the same.
There are certain things best left to strangers.
I did follow orders and brought the offending stone into the office. He looked at it and said, "Yep. that would cause some pain." At least my physical suffering has been validated.

Sphere: Related Content

No Respect in the West

Lakers Suns Basketball
Originally uploaded by smilly1010

A funny thing happened in the cafeteria at work the other day. A bunch of people were sitting around talking about the NBA. Somehow, pro basketball has drawn attention to itself in north Louisiana. Can it be the on-court success of the New Orleans Hornets? Unlikely. There is no fan base for the Hornets around here. Maybe it’s because some names we know have been in the news. Stromile Swift, who played at a local high school and at LSU, got into some trouble with his team and then was traded. Jason Kidd, who was at one point tabbed to be the next superstar of the nearby Dallas Mavericks, was re-acquired by that team. But it was Shaquille O’Neal who really captured the imaginations of the casual sports fan. Most folks around here are football fans who might give the NBA a glance once the playoffs start. Shaq transcends his sport, and his trade to the Phoenix Suns raised eyebrows. His LSU roots helped a little, too.
Most of the discussion concerned whether O’Neal would help or hurt the Suns. Would he fit into their style of play, or would they alter their style to suit him? Would this be a personal quest for him, a chance to play in the same conference with rival and former teammate Kobe Bryant? If the Suns were to best the Lakers, would it settle the question once and for all about which player was most responsible for the Lakers’ three consecutive championships to start this decade? Does Shaq have enough diesel left in the tank to fuel the Suns to the finals? All of those questions have yet to be answered, but opinions are getting a little firmer.

San Antonio Spurs
Originally uploaded by rosenbeans

Once again, the bulk of the attention is focused on the Western Conference. Six of the eight league champions since the turn of the century have come from the west. This year, the Boston Celtics seem to be tipping the scales slightly eastward, but they have yet to prove anything in the post season.
The most amazing thing about these basketball conversations isn’t what’s being said, though. It’s what is not being said. Which team is the reigning NBA champion? Which team has won three of the last five NBA titles? Which is the only Western Conference team besides the Lakers to win championships this decade? The San Antonio Spurs.
The Spurs have a mini-dynasty going, and people just don’t seem to notice. David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Eva Longoria’s husband, that household name Manu Genobili all are superstars who have contributed to the Spurs’ amazing run of success. Yet, aside from the international acclaim Tony Parker received from marrying a beautiful TV star, the Spurs somehow seem to slip by essentially unnoticed. They are athletic, intensely competitive, clearly well-coached and proven winners. Yet, they’re not flashy. They go about their business without really calling attention to themselves. They make their home in a relatively small market which doesn’t draw big TV ratings.
With all due respect to Bryant, O’Neal and all of the Dallas Mavericks, the “other” team in the west is still the team to beat. They are the champions until somebody beats them. Now, that’s worth talking about.

Sphere: Related Content

Papa Was a Passing Stone

I spent most of Saturday bending over. That was until I found myself wearing a backless gown, flat on my back with pain killing narcotics being pumped directly into my veins. It's never pleasant when you experience so much pain that you get sick at your stomach, but it happened to me.
I was passing a kidney stone. I thought I could gut it out, but about three hours into the episode, I was simply overwhelmed. I have a buddy who is a urologist and I reached him on his cell phone, but he was out of town. He offered to phone in a prescription for pain. I should have accepted the offer, but I was being stubborn.
After pacing around in the restroom for a while, I caught myself cursing aloud. A glance in the mirror revealed a pale complexion, red eyes and deep lines. To put it another way, I looked just about as bad as I felt.
The ER staff took me seriously. I was given IV Dilaudid, and it really helped. I got fluids to help replace everything I had lost by being so sick. Now, it's just a waiting game. The next few days I will be straining my urine. I don't recommend it as a hobby.
I'm still under the influence as I write, so I can't be held accountable. I just hope it make a little sense. The bottom line: Kidney stones HURT.

Pain Killer Passout
Originally uploaded by Darrell

My family seemed alternately concerned and amused by my plight. When I got home, I passed out. I mean that, too. It was more than sleep. Hours passed and I was completely unware. I had no idea I had become a kitty bed. I had no idea photos were being made. One moment, it was daylight and the TV was on. The next moment, it was dark, there was a roaring fire in the fireplace and there was a cat on my chest.
I'm glad the cat's name isn't Oscar, like the three-year-old feline in a Providence, RI nursing home. That cat curls up next to people just about two hours before they pass away. Apparently, I looked like death earlier in the day. My wife and daughter said at different times that I was green. My wife added, "I saw colors on your face I don't care to see again.
Where do I stand? Apparently, the stone has passed from my kidney into my bladder, and that's what caused all the suffering. What do I have to look forward to? Perhaps it was summed up best by my 18-year-old son, who said "Oh, my God. Now you have to live your life in fear of peeing."

Sphere: Related Content

The Snow Turned Into Rain

Scoreboard snow
Originally uploaded by darebouche

People around here got lathered up overnight because all the TV weathermen were calling for snow. They got it right. Snow fell long and hard for several hours, and it actually accumulated briefly.
The roads didn't freeze. Overpasses did not ice over. It was all very pretty, at least while it was in the air. Once it hit the ground, though, it was over. Slush formed for about ten seconds, then it was nothing but cold, cold water.
Showing an abundance of caution, Catholic schools sent students home in the morning. Public schools strapped 'em in, and that turned out to be the right thing to do because by the end of the day the snow had stopped falling and the roads were easily passable.
Of course people starting freaking out last night , thinking they wouldn't be able to get to work. It was Friday, and that clearly was a factor in their desire to take the day off. Mother nature did not cooperate, however. Aside from a drop in productivity based on people staring out the window watching snow fall, it was a regular work day.
Baseball and softball tournaments scheduled around town were the only real casualties.

And, then there was the Dan Fogelberg song that was stuck in my head all day long. The last line of "Same Old Lang Syne" kept coming back to me: "As I turned to make my way back home, the snow turned into rain."

Sphere: Related Content

Moses Was High?

Rome. Moses.
Originally uploaded by egold

Since I'm already going to hell for suggesting it's okay for the Pope to consecrate beer & pretzels for communion when he says mass at baseball stadiums in America, I might as well stamp my ticket.
The Associated Press is passing along an opinion that Moses was a dope fiend:

High on Mount Sinai, Moses was on psychedelic drugs when he heard God deliver the Ten Commandments, an Israeli researcher claimed in a study published this week.
Such mind-altering substances formed an integral part of the religious rites of Israelites in biblical times, Benny Shanon, a professor of cognitive psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem wrote in the Time and Mind journal of philosophy.
"As far Moses on Mount Sinai is concerned, it was either a supernatural cosmic event, which I don't believe, or a legend, which I don't believe either, or finally, and this is very probable, an event that joined Moses and the people of Israel under the effect of narcotics," Shanon told Israeli public radio on Tuesday.
Moses was probably also on drugs when he saw the "burning bush," suggested Shanon, who said he himself has dabbled with such substances.
"The Bible says people see sounds, and that is a clasic phenomenon," he said citing the example of religious ceremonies in the Amazon in which drugs are used that induce people to "see music."
He mentioned his own experience when he used ayahuasca, a powerful psychotropic plant, during a religious ceremony in Brazil's Amazon forest in 1991. "I experienced visions that had spiritual-religious connotations," Shanon said.
He said the psychedelic effects of ayahuasca were comparable to those produced by concoctions based on bark of the acacia tree, that is frequently mentioned in the Bible.

Isn't this right up there with saying that Joseph was Jesus' biological father?
To be consistent here: I am all for the free exchange of ideas. I think we need to explore alternate schools of thought in order to strengthen our beliefs.
If Moses was high, then what was manna? And what really happened when Moses struck that stone with his staff? Water flowed freely.
The Old Testament is the Old Testament. I know, I know. Look, if I get struck by lightning or am eaten by locusts, please tell my wife I love her.

Sphere: Related Content

The Strangers Without

Youth & Government trip
Originally uploaded from iphone

One of the biggest adjustments we're making as parents is coming to grips with the fact that most of the time we don't know what the kids are doing or who they're with.
Here's my daughter with two guys I've never seen. The photo was taken in Baton Rouge at a Youth & Government event. A picture is worth a thousand words, so I don't have to write them all here.
When the kids are little, you are responsible for their whereabouts and activites 24 hours a day. When they are driving and asserting independence, you're lucky if you get ten hours in any 24-hour span.
For this child, even that's a reach.
We still have friends with younger children who find it difficult to grasp the idea that they will one day send their kids out into the world and just let them be on their own.
It's not a foreign concept. When I was little, it was not uncommon to hop on the bicycle first thing in the morning and stay gone until suppertime. I'm sure my mother was keeping tabs on me somehow, but she couldn't know exactly where I was at all times.
Now, with cell phones, we can at least keep in touch.
There is a certain freedom in trusting that your teens will be reasonably safe out there on the streets.
Now, we can just go to dinner or a movie without a need to give somebody a ride.

Sphere: Related Content

Return of the Spokesmodel

Darrell on the TV
Originally uploaded by darebouche

These random television appeareances keep getting weirder. This morning, I was out front again for the organization on a local morning show. When I say morning, I mean morning. 5:47am, according to the clock on the TV screen. This meant a 4:15am alarm following a night of rowdy revelry with Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood.
Yep, I worked a 12-hour day on four hours' sleep. It didn't kill me, but I am a little bushed.
The experience was strange because I was interviewed live by one of my oldest friends. He cautioned me not to "do a commercial" for the hospital. Yeah, right. Okay. I'll avoid the PR pitch, pal.
It was early and I was bascially sleepless, so I had to fight the temptation to field produce his live shots. I did offer a few pointers.
More importantly, I didn't embarrass the health system. So, the morning was a success.

Sphere: Related Content

Urban Legend

Carrie
Originally uploaded by patrickgensel

For Christmas, we bought our daughter tickets to the "Carrie Underwood Concert." She came to town Sunday night, sharing billing with Keith Urban. In the days leading up to the show, we were asked several times if we had an extra "Carrie Underwood tickets." Driving to the show, we were wondering which performer would appear first. They both are Grammy winners with multiple #1 hit records.
Underwood Performed admirably, even going metal with a cover of Guns N' Roses' smash "Paradise City." Her biggest ovation came following her breakout hit "Before He Cheats." She is beautiful, exceptionally talented and has the potential one day to be great. She needs to work on her showmanship a little, but I would have been satisfied with her concert on its own merits. She went first, by the way. Now I know why.

Keith Urban
Originally uploaded by sassy_wench53

Keith Urban is unbelievable. I had no idea, no clue. Where have I been? This guy puts on an amazing, high-tech, high energy show that left the packed house breathless and screaming for more. A versatile guitarist and remarkable vocalist, it's no wonder he has become a worldwide sensation (of which I was ridiculously unaware until about midnight Sunday).
I guess he is known as a country music star because he has won awards in that format, but his show seemed to have precious few "country" elements to it.
My wife and I have seen a lot of shows together, and as the Keith Urban frenzy built in Bossier, she turned to me and shouted, "this is right up there!," meaning it was among the best concerts she had ever seen. I can't disagree.

Urban performed an encore wearing an LSU football jersey. Early in the show, he and the band performed an impromptu version of "Louisiana Saturday Night." He did it with out gettin' down a fiddle or gettin' down a bow, but he had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand. Urban and his wife are expecting a child. A fan brought a baby gift for him, and he noticed her. He invited her on-stage and opened the present to reveal a purple and gold LSU "onesie." The place came unglued.All the while, the concert was diplayed live on a massive HD screen behind the stage.I don't pretend to know much about the big-time, but I'm pretty sure I saw it Sunday night. We came to see Carrie and were pleased. We stuck around for "The guy with her" and were blown away.

Sphere: Related Content

"My World Has Been Turned Upside Down"

Martha Cooper
Originally uploaded by Darrell

It has been three weeks since the sudden and unexpected death of my wife's father. It pleases me to report that although my mother-in-law admits that her "world has been turned upside down," she soldiers on impressively.
This has required some effort. We are grateful for her many friends, who have kept her occupied on a daily basis. We certainly hope they keep it up.
She has been able to bury herself in the business of things. There's a lot of work to do when someone passes away. There are lawyers, accountants, CPA's, coroners and heirs. The neccessary activities are a blessing.
She's being social, too...out to dinner, the occasional show. She will be okay, but she still needs the people around her to help her through. After all, she had someone to help with everything for 48 years. The adjustment slope is steep. We'll keep pushing.

Sphere: Related Content

Was I at the Tropicana?

Michael Buble
Originally uploaded by Darrell

We went to a Micheal Buble concert tonight. I wasn't sure what to expect. The tickets were a gift and dinner was thrown in for good measure, so it defintely was a pleasant evening. Before tonight, I couldn't have told you if I had heard a Michael Buble song. Having sat through the show, I can happily report I know two songs which clearly were his.
The rest of the time, I wasn't sure if I was watching Bobby Darrin, Harry Connick, Jr. or Clay Aiken. Buble did a little Elvis bit and even a Village People gag. He's very talented and engaged the audience well. He made fun of himself and got some nice laughs from the crowd. Music writer Keith Cera of the New Orleans Time-Picayune described it this way, after seeing Buble's show in his city earlier in the week: "Buble's smartly tailored suit of Rat Pack black was sturdy enough to accommodate the occasional drop to his knees or scamper off-stage. Skinny tie loosened at the collar, the 32-year-old unleashed his mischievous inner delinquent to counterbalance his precious treatment of romantic standards."
There were people there who were charged up to see him in person and hear him perform.
I'm glad I went. I came away thinking this show would fit well in Vegas in the 60's. That's a good thing, because it seems that's the feel Buble was trying to achieve.
(Cell phone photo from CenturyTel Center. Buble is in that blinding light somewhere.)

Sphere: Related Content