Another Barrel Full of RnR

Roger came in this morning teasing us with a story about a quick run to Conroe he made last night. He wouldn't say why right away claiming it was a secret mission, but I immediately concluded he went to Cracker Barrel. We're always talking about some special Country compilation discs available only at CBs and Conroe has been the closest geographical location we've had. Now comes word that the Barrel will roll into Bryan soon, opening in the new Target Center in Bryan. Maybe we'll finally get that "Best of Roger and Roy" disc we've been hoping for.

The Astros season may be in the dumper for 2009, but some strange masochistic tendency keeps watching the games. Now I know why. I can still learn things about the game I never knew. Last night I was watching the Astros and Braves when one of "them" hit an easy pop fly to the outfield. The announcers, Jim Deshaies and Bill Brown called the catch a "can of corn". Now I'd heard this phrase often and particularly this year, and guessed it's meaning but not it's origin. Turns out it dates back to old time grocers who used one of those grabbing sticks to get merchandise from the upper reaches of the shelves. A can of corn would be an easy item retrieved and then dropped to the grocers open apron below. Therefore an easy catch became know as a "can of corn". You're Welcome. Go Rangers.

New "Guitar Hero" game is being released today with Beatles music available for the first time. It took long negotiations and a phalanx of lawyers to make it happen. While the world (the gaming world, anyway) eagerly anxiously awaits the opportunity to hear Beatles music while they play along on the Fake Guitar, Fake Bass, and Fake Drums, I couldn't help but wonder if it hurts personal creativity rather than help it. You don't have to learn any chords or tuning but still spend hours playing. But after all those gaming hours (which would be better served by actually playing a real guitar), you still can't pick out "Mary Had A Little Lamb". I thought maybe mine were just the ravings of an Old Fart until I saw in todays news that the bass player for the Rolling Stones and Drummer for Pink Floyd are quoted as saying basically the same thing. Oops. They're Old Farts, too. Never mind.

And not only THAT, but where's the COUNTRY GUITAR HERO. No respect, we get no respect.

Talking with my son Alex (or RG2) the other day about forgetfulness. I recommended to him to do what I've started doing recently: carrying a little notebook around and writing down the tasks and appointments I need to remember. This method has worked well for me so far. Except on occasions I'll be in the bedroom and the notebook will be in the living room. By the time I get there, I'll not only forget what I wanted to write down, I'll forget why I'm in the living room.