Doohickie

Right. But the ratings are looking back.... when they were 8th they were looking back at almost making the playoffs the previous year. I would say that while Adams could have done more, he did a better job of addressing the holes in the lineup this offseason, yet they're rated as 26th? That 26th is a reflection of last season, not this offseason. It's a rating with a severe lag. 26th is a reflection of Kevyn did last offseason, not this one.

Biden stepping down just after the RNC convention took the bounce away from the GOP and the emergence of Harris created its own bounce. Now with the addition of Everyone's Dad (Tim Walz) to the ticket, a further bounce. They need to keep pressing and exposing the GOP ticket for what they are: Weirdos.

It's almost like the grade is for last year... lagged.

I think they're out of phase. I would say we were 26th last year and higher (maybe not 8th but higher) this year.

Nice thing about cycling: You can go as hard or easy as you need to, and work into fitness somewhat gradually. This new bike is the first one I've had with brifters and since I don't have to move my hands to shift I'm shifting more frequently and I'm trying to keep my legs moving all the time.

An easy 13 miles tonight, but at least I got out. TIL it's not smart to ride the river trail at night when it's humid.

*cough* *cough* Casey Mittelstadt *cough*

Broke a sweat. Did my first 40-miler on the new bike. New mural downtown Quanah Parker Park

I was told that if your brakes squeal you have to sacrifice a chicken at midnight.

The primaries are in the rearview mirror. They happened, they voted overwhelmingly for Joe. Upon his withdrawl, he urged the states to pledge his delegates for Harris and they've mostly indicated they will do that. More here.

I know. Just kind of a play on the previous Trump and Biden threads. I was actually a little surprised it went as long as it did with no one starting a thread about her candidacy. Waiting for her to drop her VP choice- Kelly and Shapiro seem to be the ones that come up the most. I personally think Buttigieg would be an excellent VP, both from the standpoint of being capable and with his ability to campaign and fend off verbal attacks. But conventional wisdom is that such a ticket would be "too diverse." So much for E Pluribus Unum I guess. Regardless, I think Butti will be deployed on the campaign trail along with Harris and her veep choice.

Okay here's the thing: Donny Osmond is a stud of a performer. You don't have to like his music to appreciate his showmanship and his control of a room. This concert was probably 80% women who fawned over him in their youth, and 20% their husbands. He actually went out into the audience and took requests... one of the ladies ask him to the song he sang with his sister Marie- "Little Bit Country, Little Bit Rock and Roll" But it's a duet. He asked her if she knew the words and she said yes, so he let her sing Marie's part. She was not very good, but Donny carried her and she got a great ovation from the audience for trying. There were a lot of moments like that where he just made someone's night. Even if you're not a big fan of his music, you can't help but enjoy a show like that.

It isn't like it isn't without precedent. Benson did it last season.

😮 When I got a new set of tires, the TPMS sensors were $61. Tire installation was $88. That's for all 4 tires. So if I were just getting the new sensors it would have been $150 for the full set. I suggest you try a different shop.

...and 10 miles to close out the month

I go to the dealer as long as the car is under warranty. After that it's not worth the drive. As it turns out, with a Fiat I often get OEM parts anyway since the aftermarketers don't see much money in supporting such low volume. And oddly, the parts are still cheap, even with OEM.

I'm lucky that so far (knock wood) since I've moved, I have two garages in my neighborhood that do quality work at fair prices. One is literally at the end of my block, but they're a small place with limited hours (no Saturdays, close at 5). The other one is at the other end of my hood.... technically walking distance; I've done it, but it's over a mile. But they're a bigger shop, several mechanics, open a little later and Saturdays. I usually go to the close place first and if they're busy I go to the other place.

fify 😉

If we're still figuratively talking about Necas, he's making $6.5M per year for the next two years.

We went to a Christmas concert with Marie and the Statler Brothers (I think? One of those harmonizing groups) back in the 1990s. We were on the last row of the bowl seating closest to the floor. There were risers between our seats and the floor seats, and she walked around on the risers while she was singing. As she got up to us, the heal of her shoe found a gap in the risers and she went down hard right in front of me. Feet in the air and everything. BTW she was wearing polka dot underwear under her skirt. Her mic went flying; I picked it up and handed it back to her. She had a terrible look of pain on her face but put a show biz smile on and finished the song. After that though they rearranged the play list and she didn't sing anymore.

She's also an excellent singer. Just not my style. This gives some perspective on her singing technique. And is also a poignant story of loss in her life.

A story: When my wife was 10, she went from Albany to Syracuse by herself on a Greyhound Bus. Her dad put her on the bus in Albany and her aunt collected her in Syracuse. Her aunt took her to the State Fair, where the Osmonds were singing that night. So her first concert was Donny Osmond. I've seen him in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and he his a helluva singer and entertainer. I'm just not too keen on his style of music. But I can put up with it for a night.

I don't think there's any rain in the forecast for north Texas until October. And when it's 103°F, if it does rain, it evaporates before it hits the ground! (Plus, the concert is indoors.)

Another 15 miles tonight

Going to see Donny Osmond this Friday. That's how much I love my wife.