Appreciation

April is Jazz Appreciation Month. You may notice a theme to many, not all, the posts this month. Join me in appreciation this great genre of music and all those musicians past, present, and future that endeavor to keep it alive and influence musicians of other genres

R.I.P. Chadwick Boseman

I may be late on this, but I needed some time to process this. For some reason, the death of Chadwick Boseman has hit me hard. Only Michael Jackson’s passing has left me with such an empty feeling, knowing that such a tremendous talent was taking so soon. I think the closeness of our ages is what has really hit me.

I first came across Chadwick Boseman in the movie “42”, where he played the legendary Jackie Robinson. It’s actually a pretty good movie. If you haven’t seen it, check it out. I think I read they were re-releasing it or showing it on one of the major networks soon.This would be the start of Boseman’s career portraying African-American legends, as he would go on and portray James Brown, Thurgood Marshall, and Floyd Little, as well as the Egyptian god of knowledge, Thoth, in Gods of Egypt (the less said about that film, the better). However, for all the roles and acclaim Boseman achieved, he will perhaps be best known as the Marvel superhero T’Challa, the Black Panther

When Boseman took on the role of Black Panther, I’m sure he knew it was going to mean alot to people, but to become the cultural phenomenon that it became no one could have seen. He embraced all the characteristics of a kind, grace, poise, nobility, etc. As it turns out, he was doing this while fighting colon cancer.

It has been reported that Boseman was diagnosed with colon cancer back in 2016. Only a select few knew about his diagnosis. He never wanted to make it about him. There was a video that went around about the time Black Panther was released where he is talking to or about cancer patients and he suddenly breaks down. At the time, people thought he was just wearing his heart on his sleeve but, in retrospect, we know that he was going through the same thing as those kids. Earlier this week, it was revealed that up until a couple of weeks ago, he thought he had the disease beat and could start bulking back up for Black Panther 2, which was/is set to start filming sometime between October and March (COVID-19 delay). Head of Marvel studios, Kevin Feige and director Ryan Coogler weren’t aware of his condition until Feige received an urgent e-mail a few hours before Boseman’s passing.

Yes, Boseman portrayed heroes and a superhero on the big screen, but to some he was one in real life. For those in the African-American community, he was groundbreaking in leading a major franchise (no offense to Blade). Little black boys could see themselves up on the big screen. Not to mention Boseman was a role model in real life, as well.

For me, there are 2 men that are superheroes on and off the big screen Boseman and Chris Evans. I say this because of the way they give and give of themselves, speaking up against injustice, giving back to the community, and not fitting into the typical Hollywood….bubble, I guess? I’m sure there is another word that fits what I am trying to say better. 

In conclusion, Boseman was a great talent who was taken too soon. Aside from his continued participation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there were surely tons of other stories left for this man to tell. The outpouring of emotions and support for Chadwick show how much of an impact he made in a short amount of time. He will be sorely missed.

“In my culture, death is not the end. it’s more of a stepping off point. You reach out with both hands and Bast and Sekhmet, they lead you into a green veld where, you can run forever.” – Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa in Captain America: Civil War

Pomp & Circumstance

Every May and June, the annual ritual of graduation commences. Some go from Kindergarten to elementary, some graduate from high school, and others leave college for the cold, cruel clutches of the real world.

The current pandemic has forced some things to change. Here locally, I know they  have been having drive-thru ceremonies. That is where they drive up to a stage set up outside, walk across the stage, and then back in the car. Some even do it in parade formation, which I find interesting (and a lot more entertaining that sitting in the gym for hours during a boring ceremony…just saying).

I want to talk about a couple of things related to this class, though. First, let’s think about what they’ve lived through. 9/11, War on terror, Hurricane Katrina and Rita, recession, increased political infighting, the rise of social media and streaming platforms, increased racial tension, OBAMA, trump, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, global warming, Coronavirus, and I’m sure there are some other things that I left out. Someone said that because of all those, we are destined to get some great leaders, innovators, and creative minds. Let’s hope so, because what we have now….well, my mom said, if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all!

Back in March, everything shut down. For graduating seniors, that meant the loss of the last few months of high school, prom, and various other school and senior activities. Sure, some of them were probably relishing in the fact that it was less time that had to be spent in the hell hole of a school they attended, but others were genuinely shaken up.

This got me to thinking….what if this happened when I was high school. I attended 2 high schools. The first one, I loved with a passion! The second was the polar opposite and I impatiently counted down the days to get out of there. So, had this happened back in those days, I would have gladly welcomed not having to go back. Aside from that, though, would I have missed anything? A band festival, State Beta convention, and Social Studies fair. Don’t get me started on how that was just for seniors and I had to be enrolled in economics (a class I had passed at my other school), just because they wanted all seniors to participate.

I don’t miss that school, but I do regret the way my senior year played out. Had I stayed at my first school (left because my dad retired from the military), I’m sure I would have been in tears the night of my graduation, rather than already packed and ready to head to college. Alas, everything happens for a reason. I guess my pain and suffering for the 2nd half of high school was meant to shape me in some sort of way, right?

Oh well! That was in the dark ages, as they say. For this crop of graduates, a new slate of challenges and experiences await them that none of us have had to go through, thanks to the virus. They’ve lived through everything else, I’m sure they’ll make it out of this, too.

The return

Let’s me get the news out first. The “What’s good?” posts will be returning either this week or next.

With most of us stuck at home doing nothing but watching Netflix and such, I figured this will be the perfect time to raise that phoenix from the ashes.

Stay tuned!

If only…

Last week, I made a post urging everyone to “don’t panic“. I stand by most of what I said in that post, though I think there is more of a reason to be concerned about the spread of the virus. The virus itself isn’t so bad, in general, but there is still need to be cautious. 

Also last week, I reminded everyone about the 90s X-Men cartoon. I was reminded of a certain episode that could do us all some good right now. In an effort to wipe out the mutants, a plague is created that only effects them. Soon enough, though, it starts to affect normal humans. Panic ensues, as the antidote doesn’t work and there seems to be no way to stop it. Enter Wolverine!

Because of Wolverine’s mutation, an advanced healing factor, when he was infected, his body fought off the plague and a cure was able to be made. Obviously, this is just a fantasy cartoon, but wouldn’t it be great if this could actually happen and end the current madness that we are going through?

Then again, if Wolverine and the rest of the X-Men were real, we’d have to deal with these guys amongst countless others trying to take over the world

No lie, a couple of them could take over my world any day

Time (for a) change

This time last week, most of the US (I’m not sure if the rest of through the joy of gaining or losing an hour) was gearing up to spring forward. Isn’t losing an hour of sleep the greatest thing in the world? –note the sarcasm–

If I’m not mistaken, the whole reason for the time change in the first place was to help farmers and shift workers. The more daylight allowed them to get more work done. However, much like the reason men don’t wear suit, ties, and fedoras and women don’t wear dresses and fancy hats every day is the same reason the time change is just outdated notion.

Personally, I like it when it gets dark earlier, but I also love waking up to little to no daylight. A couple of years ago, I got up before 5 am and, no joke, it looked like it was about 10 am!

Before I end this random rant, I need to bring up how we have 4 seasons and each one gets a balanced 3 months. Well, at least on the calendar, they do. The actual weather pattern is a topic for another day. However, we spring forward for 8 months. That’s twice as much daylight savings time. WTF?!? how does this makes sense or balance out as being fair?

All this is to say that I just want my “extra hour” of sleep. Also, I lost an hour at the beach because of this stupid time change. GRRR!!!

Don’t panic!

Unless you’re living under a rock, then you are more than aware that we are experiencing a world health event, the coronavirus. In the past few days, the World Health Organization has classified it as a pandemic.Sounds scary, right? Well, I have two words about all this…

From everything I have seen and read about this virus, it isn’t anywhere near as bad as people, or rather, the media will have us believe. They have all but made it sound like the next black plague or the early stages of the apocalyptic scenarios seen in many movies.

Sure, precautions need to be taken. Colleges and universities are shifting to online classes for the remainder of the semester, March Madness has either been canceled or postponed (I’ve seen reports saying both, as of this writing), and the NBA has suspended the season. As this is spread through the air, it makes sense not to have gatherings until further notice. What makes no sense, though, is that politicians are jumping on the opportunity to make this a political issue.

*SIGH*

I guess it doesn’t help that this is an election year. Let me just say that this virus isn’t going to vote red or blue, doesn’t care what side of the aisle you sit on, and really doesn’t care if you’re one of the brainwashed sheep blindly following the off brand Cheeto in the White House. If you catch it, you catch it.

Washing your hands is the current best way to prevent this thing and not just running your hands under the water for a few seconds. Take 20 second or more and do it properly and you’ll be surprised at how well you fend off this mysterious ailment

In the end should we be concerned? Yes, we should be concerned that this was not contained in China where it seemingly began. We should be concerned that nothing is seemingly being done to help those that have it. We should be concerned that there are daily death totals released as if this were The Hunger Games, yet people die from sickness, homelessness, and other factors every day, but nothing about that. We should be concerned that many of the big movies that were set to come out in the next few months, No Time to Die, Mulan, New Mutants, Fast and Furious 9, among others, are all being pushed back. Some are saying this has had an effect on Onward, as well. We should be concerned about all of this, but stay vigilant. 

Apparently, youtubers can’t say “coronavirus” in their videos. If they do, they risk their videos getting demonetized. Sounds a bit Draconian to me. Wait, no…where else have I heard about an antagonistic force that can’t be mentioned by name? Hmm…

All things pass with time, be it a natural disaster, bad fashion trends, horrible politicians, or a bad TV show. This will be contained, hopefully without charging people an arm and a leg so they can stay healthy. Comparisons to the flu should be discouraged, but truthfully, unless you are an older citizen or one with a weakened immune system, you’ll be fine, even if you are unfortunate enough to catch it.

Now that I’ve finished typing, I’m going to wash my hands

Superbowl LIV…a quick recap of good, bad, and ugly

First off, I want to say congrats to the Kansas City Chiefs for winning Superbowl LIV

50 years is a long time to wait, but hey, some teams are still waiting for their first time to even make it to the game.

I’m not planning on this being a long post, but I do want to hit on a few points about the game (and other things involved with the proceedings).

‘Murica

The National Anthem is one of the hardest songs to sing. Many people don’t realize this when they rush to criticize singers. There are those that totally nail it, like Whitney Houston in the ’92 game (i may be off on that year). On the flipside, there are those that butcher the song beyond recognition, like Roseanne (ironically, i think she was the year before or after Whitney) or Fergie( her rendition was at an NBA All-Star Game, but it still counts).

I’m not one of these people that bows down to the almighty US National Anthem or believes that a piece of fabric is a holy relic that should be worshipped and revered above all else like some people in the country. I do have respect for those that have fought for our freedoms and what the song and flag stand for. Also, a great rendition of the National anthem is a great rendition and Demi Lovato killed it! Have a quick listen, if you missed it

Commercials

Every year, it seems that the big game is overshadowed by the halftime (more on that soon) and the commercials. This year was no exception.

Some were funny, some were weird, some were emotional, and some were…well, you see that pic of Jason Momoa. That’s all I need to say. Oh, and we got our first glimps of the Marvel Disney+ shows!

I do have to bring up the political ads, though. Understanding that this is an election year, these things will become more and more commonplace as the year goes on. However, I prefer to just watch and enjoy the game without hearing the children that run or want to run this country telling us that they would do the best job. Just let me have some peace for a few hours before I am forced to endure this for the next 9 months.

Halftime

Ever since the infamous Janet Jackson/Justin Timberlake incident, the NFL has been scared to take any chances with the halftime show. This explains why for a period of time, they trotted out legends who, while respectable, weren’t as big of an attraction as they were when they were in their prime.

It wasn’t until recently that they’ve started to bring in more recent artists. Yes, they are still playing it safe, but they’re not bringing acts that have one foot in the grave out there, anymore.

This year’s show featured Shakira and Jennifer Lopez in a Latin explosion of fun and excitement! These two ladies tore the place down with medleys of their greatest hits. As a matter of fact, the songs Shakira performed skyrocketed to the top of iTunes after the performance.

Of course, this isn’t without controversy. People are complaining about JLo using her daughter, kids in cages, showing too much skin (even though Adam Levine was shirtless for most of last year’s halftime), and one guy is even threatening to sue to the NFL because it will “keep him out of heaven”. I’m not even going to touch that one.

Leaving this topic on much higher note, it should be mentioned that these are two middle aged women doing things that girls half their age wouldn’t dare try. Impressive to say the least!

The game

I remember when I was little watching Super Bowls and seeing blowout after blowout after blowout. As a Denver Broncos fan, it was hard to watch, let me tell you. Just as I was about to give up on them, my Dallas Cowboys rose to power and well, I won’t go into a whole history lesson on the Super Bowl.

Neither the Chiefs or San Francisco 49ers are my teams. At the same time, they aren’t teams I hate, either. I was cheering more for the Chiefs, though, mostly because Patrick Mahomes and Damien Williams were on my fantasy football teams and pretty much carried me into the championship.

This was a back and forth game with two of the best teams in the league. The first half flew by! I swear it only took about 45 minutes to get through those 2 quarters with these prolific offenses.

The second half is where it really became exciting. In the 4th quarter, the Chiefs had fallen behind. Mahomes threw two interceptions and it looked as if the Niners had it locked up. Anyone that watched the playoffs this year knew better, as Mahomes has led come from behind victories with larger deficits against arguably better defenses.

I went to the kitchen to make a last snack and the next thing I knew, they were back in it. This guy really is the future of the league!

Alas, the 31-20 victory signaled the end of football season

The XFL starts this weekend, so there is that. I might be one of the handful of people that watched it the last time and enjoyed it. In the meantime, the countdown begins for college spring games. With LSU just a few blocks away, I can more than assure you they are still celebrating after their championship win last month and will probably be doing so until the season actually gets going.

On a final note, this is Randi Martin

 

No, that’s not his girlfriend. She’s Mahomes’ mom!!!

Tiger, Tiger

Here in Baton Rouge, everything is going crazy after LSU’s big win and spectacular season. I’m not going to post about that, though. Go to ESPN if you want to hear about that.

I want you to look at this, though…

Meet LSU’s mascot, Mike (they do have an actual tiger on campus, too). As far as mascot costumes go, this isn’t too shabby. You can tell some care went into putting it together and some $$$ is spent on upkeep.

On the opposite sideline last night, there was this…

 

This is The Tiger, Clemson’s mascot. Not only does this think look like someone bought it off etsy or recycled from old Chuck E. Cheese animatronics, but I can imagine some kid seeing this thing and being scarred for life. Also, could they not bother to name this thing?!?

 

I can’t be the only person that notices the startling disparity between two major college football programs. As everyone knows, college football is a cash cow, generating much of the revenue for a university’s athletic budget (pending they don’t have a more successful sport, i.e. Kentucky basketball).

With all that, one would think Clemson could afford a decent looking mascot befitting a major college football powerhouse, rather than that thing they currently have.

 

Time for an update, methinks

When I started this blog last year, after some time away from the blogging world, I fully expected to do more with my little back corner of the internet. A much heavier than expected work schedule and partial lack of interest in keeping this up contributed to that. I was going through my posts and noticed that there is a point where it almost seems as if I had given up. I assure that i not the case!

I was writing the review for Midway and felt the inspiration hit me again. Here we are a couple of months later and I still have that burning desire to write again…or maybe it was something I ate?

So, what does this mean? Well, I am going to set a goal for the next 3 months to get back into reviewing movies (I noticed that I really missed that), more actual posts, and once I go over the analytics, perhaps cut down on some daily content that doesn’t get much traffic.

2020 will hopefully be a good year for this little blog, but I need to get back to what made my last blog so successful and interact with readers and fellow bloggers the way i used to…even if I have far less time that I dad some 10+ years ago. It’ll happen, though.

I know that this isn’t the most interesting or well written blog on out there, but I want to thank those that follow, subscribe, link, or just bother to read (or look at pictures/videos). It means more than you can imagine, especially in this day and age where everyone is more interested in other forms of bloggage, such as vlogs. So, keep coming back and hopefully there will be more for you to see here.

Until next time,

Mystery Man