The Wide Angle: Simple goals of a simple nerd
Published 7:15 am Sunday, January 8, 2017
Before we get into the meat of my column this week, it’s important for you to realize just how low my bar for goals is.
It’s not because I have no imagination. Just ask my nine-year-old self and his ability to turn two pencils into a starship or the conversations I had with our horses when I was taking care of them in the morning.
So yes, I have plenty of imagination, it’s just, I don’t burden myself with hefty, weighty goals that are out of reach — except for the goal (dare I say dream) of starring in the procedural cop drama “Over the EDJ,” co-starring Brad Pitt. You see, those are my initials and I would be called EDJ, because … you know what? Nevermind.
It also allows me to pile on several goals that are attainable including taking in two movies in one day, of which we managed to do in Rochester this past weekend.
We usually use these movie trips out of town as a chance to get away, so this particular weekend played right into our wheelhouse.
Two movies came out in December that I really wanted to see: “Rogue One,” and “Assassin’s Creed.” In mentioning my wheelhouse, it’s admitting I’m a big, giant nerd. If I don’t take at least one stroll through toys on our shopping trips then I’m not placating the nerd in me and I’m abandoning one of my goals of remaining young.
Some would call it immature, I call it Mindya as in Mindya own business.
See what I did there? Get it?
Moving on.
We caught “Rogue One,” at 10 a.m. following it with a jog over to Pet Smart and Target and then back for “Assassin’s Creed.”
I felt giddy. Really, really giddy. More giddy than probably I should. It’s not like I was going to get to hang out with Jyn Erso or Aguilar — the main characters of the two movies.
Yes, that would have been above awesome, but I take what I get and in this instance it was sitting in a plush chair and abandoning my concerns for a day to be sucked up in two amazing stories — at least in my mind they were. Some would argue and some would be wrong.
Who wants to go look at toys?
My dad is a pinball wizard apparently
I got a random email from a long-time newspaper man, and long-time friend of my dad’s, Roger Bailey.
I’ve had the opportunity of talking to Roger a number of times through the recent years, but mostly it’s been through emails where he will drop me notes from time to time. Great man with an established standing in the newspaper world.
However, this time it really wasn’t to talk newspapers. Roger’s retired (lucky dog) and enjoying his retirement in Wisconsin.
I wonder if he knows that’s where the Green Bay Packers are? I hope he gets inoculated.
This time he took the time to remind me of my dad’s accomplishments in sports: Standout quarterback, standout basketball player, standout shortstop while I in turn was an injury-waiting-to-happen-football player, a hold-down-the-end-of-bench basketball player and passable second baseman, pitcher, here you carry the bats baseball player.
But apparently dad was a heck of a pinball player as well, back when you could get three plays for a dime — big bucks in those days.
Like a good journalist I followed up with my dad with this lead who confirmed yes, he wasn’t half bad. Of course he also confirmed that he and Roger once got into an argument on the way back from a basketball game where dad claimed Roger was taking up too much of the seat.
Not sure why that was relevant really, but I laughed so there’s that.
And speaking of not relevant
I make really good clam chowder. Maybe I’ll let you have a taste sometime.