My lost weekend

I’m throwing Mrs. Carpetbagger under the bus for this one. She left town for four days and I completely lost all focus and equilibrium. As the Bible says, “It is not good for man to be alone…”, especially when you are married.

I took Monday off because I was sick of everyone else having MKL day off. Thus, for three days, I just sort of wandered around the house, paid some bills, watched some movies, watched some playoff games, watched some hockey, watched the inauguration, did some reading, and took the dog on a few long walks. But in the end, it feels like I got nothing much done. I really should have more to show for four days alone.

The missus had gone off to Chicago to see her nieces, and to have the oldest niece, a stylist trainee with an Avada salon, cut her hair into a new and stylish bob cut. Then, last night around 9:30, she called from somewhere just west of Cleveland. The van was making a funny noise. But since it wasn’t overheating and everything was running, we decided she should continue to go for it. Around 11:15 p.m., I got the call. A belt blew, she lost power steering, and the temperature gauge shot up. She had made it to a Holiday Inn in Beaver Falls. Triple-A was going to tow her to Pittsburgh and I would meet her at the mechanics to transfer all her stuff out of the vehicle. That happened around midnight. Let’s just be grateful that the belt didn’t blow somewhere around Toledo. The tow truck driver, Mark, was very nice. During the 40-minute tow, Jean discovered that he had helped to install the UPMC sign atop the UPMC tower downtown. And he’s afraid of heights.

So, I got to bed just after 1 a.m. and today is sucking eggs.

So, what did I learn over my long weekend?

Safety Not Guaranteed is a quirky and enjoyable flick, especially as part of a double feature with Moonlight Kingdom. That Wes Anderson has a screw loose, I’m telling ya.

Barack Obama is not a perfect president, but I think history will show him to be one of our great presidents for bringing the country back from the economic brink, ending the war in Iraq, raising taxes on the wealthy while sparing the middle class, saving the American auto industry, getting a form of universal health care passed, getting the ball rolling on gun control, modeling an evolving attitude about gay rights, and killing Osama Bin Laden, all while being opposed at every turn by an intransigent opposition party. Sure, there are problems with drones and Guantanamo, and his environmental record is still a work in process, but what he has done considering the situation he took over is remarkable. Plus, his family has to be the most adorable first family ever.

I’m already sick of this Super Bowl, with its Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh angle and the curtain call for Ray Lewis. I don’t even know who to root for. Normally, I might lean toward an underdog like the Ravens. But it’s the Ravens. Normally, I wouldn’t want to see the 49ers tie the Steelers with a 6th ring. Normally, I would root against a city like San Francisco winning both the World Series and the Super Bowl in the same year. And I’m still waiting for someone, anyone, to give Joe Flacco a little freaking credit for being a better quarterback than Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Aaron Rogers, at least in this post-season. Ah, I can’t decide who to be for. I’ll probably just cheer for a close game. And besides, we better enjoy this year because next year’s game will be outdoors in the Meadowlands. Awesome? Not. Better pick a Canadian for the halftime show. Maybe a Rush / Bryan Adams / Leonard Cohen triple bill.

Okay, I find myself into hockey a little more than normal this year. Settle down. It could pass. But so far, I like how the games have a bit more intensity than early season hockey games usually have. I’m all for a 48-game season every year! Let’s do this! Plus, I love hearing Canadians say the word lock-oot.

I ordered my 10-game Pirate ticket package. Same seats: section 114, row V, on the aisle. I’m not dissuaded by the sorry way last season ended. Overall, they still had about the best record in the past twenty years. They’ve upgraded at catcher. But I’m not sure they have enough power. Pitching is a question mark, as it was last year. We’ll need a new closer to step up. Don’t care about them giving up Hanrahan. $7 mil is too much for a guy who maybe plays 2 or 3 innings a week. I just wish we had gotten more in return. I really have no expectations for this team now, but I’m still looking forward to next year because it’s baseball and they’re our guys. 20-some days until pitchers and catchers report. Yes! It won’t be long… Okay, it will, but eventually…

The New Orleans Hornets basketball team is changing their name. This makes sense since the Hornets came from Charlotte, but it would make more sense if Utah gave the Jazz name back. Seriously, Jazz? in Salt Lake City? When pigs fly. They are going to change to the Pelicans, which is great. But here are the other names they had copyrighted, just in case:

1. New Orleans Mosquitoes
2. New Orleans Rougarou
3. New Orleans Bullsharks
4. New Orleans Swamp Dogs

Seriously? We can’t have the Rougarous? I looked it up. It’s not a delicious Cajun dish; it is a mythical swamp creature. Sort of the Cajun version of Big Foot. Pelicans is fine but I think we missed an opportunity here.

So, that’s all I have to show for myself and my four days of solitary confinement. Tonight, life will be back to normal, we’ll see how much a new belt costs, and I’ll be back into my routine.

Life is good.

Rougarou.