KISS Part 6

Here is Gene showing off his tongue.

Football Part 3

Here are a couple plays including Jared complaining that my throw was behind him. The one that hit him in the hands. Also me handing the ball off to Joey and tackling him at the same time.

KISS Part 5

Tommy Thayer with fireworks coming from his guitar. I always thought of the original line up that Ace Frehley was the most talented. However, he and Peter Criss were also the biggest drunks. Probably the reason they aren't in the band any more. But the current line up is very strong.

Football Part 2

We had to put together a play. This was Ethan's play that went to Zack. Here are a couple of observations from playing football with my nieces and nephews. #1. Everyone is always open. #2. They all run to the endzone on every play. #3. When they get to the endzone, they stop moving around. They all stand in place with their hands up and the person guarding them standing right next to them. With all of that said, it was still alot of fun. And let me make a correction on an earlier comment. My sister in law, Jody, and brother in law, Tim, did come out and play. As nice as it was to play with them, I still want a shot at each and everyone of my brothers. Thanksgiving will be here sooner than you know. But I have a feeling that they won't play then either.

KISS Part 4

Gene Spitting Fire.

Backyard Football

Sunday the whole family got together at my sister's. When I showed up I rallied the troops and got a football game going. Well at least with the kids. My brothers either didn't want to play or were scared. I am going with scared. How about some video a day just like KISS.

KISS Part 3

The Deuce Guitar Dance.

Fantasy Football

Nobody cares about fantasy football. I will even spare you the run down of my team. But I will say this, I do have the best team. Here are a couple of photos from draft night.

KISS Part 2

Beth

KISS

Yes I was back at KISS again. I ended up going with Tree's older brother, Ed. We had a great time at the show. It wasn't the best concert that I have been to but is was as much fun as I have had any any. I got hooked up with some free tickets. Then of course I had to do some moving around and ended up about 25 rows back from the stage. Ed and I both were able to get flasks inside so the total cost of the concert was $6 each for sodas. Hard to beat. And to think any of my loyal blog readers could have come along for the ride. I guess it depends upon what you think of KISS. If you like them, you will love this, if you hate them, it will be a long week. I of course had my camera with me. I took a lot of pictures and video. So much so that I think I have video of nearly every gimmick that the band does. So I will be having some daily pictures and videos for about a week. Enjoy.Here is Ed having a great time.Here is the drum kit rising.

Pretty Close

Somebody got it pretty close. Back in June I discussed the realignment of the Big Ten Conference. I was wrong that Kansas and Missouri didn't join the club. But here are my predictions along with the actual realignment.

Actual Predicted
Ohio State Ohio State
Penn State Penn State
Illinois Illinois
Indiana Indiana
Purdue Purdue
Wisconsin Northwestern
Nebraska

Actual Predicted
Michigan Michigan
Iowa Iowa
Minnesota Minnesota
Michigan State Michigan State
Northwestern Wisconsin
Nebraska Kansas
Missouri

I only got 3 wrong. Not too bad. And if I had done it when it was determined that it would be only 12 teams, I would have been only two off. In looking at it I would have only had Wisconsin and Northwestern flip flopped. Maybe I should be an athletic director.

Weekend Plans

Well the weekend is nearly here. Actually it is for me. I took today off of work. So what do I have planned. I am glad I asked.

Last night I was at the KISS concert. I think that is the 6th time I have seen them.
Tonight I have nothing planned. An oil change. I know, exciting stuff.
Saturday is my fantasy football draft at my house. Stop by if you wish. Party starts at 7:00.
Sunday there is are a number of things brewing. Stu is having his fantasy football draft, which I am not a part of, but I like to go to listen to the banter. And Slash from Guns and Roses is playing at the Pabst Theater (Number 3 on my list of venues).
Monday I again have nothing planned. I think there are some college football games on.

And isn't it great to have football back. Last Sunday I did nothing with myself. Now I can say I did nothing but watch football. Seriously, on Sunday's you can watch football from noon until 10:30 p.m. I don't watch pre-game shows. Just like I don't want pre-season football. In fact the only pre-season I have seen, has been highlights on Sportscenter.

And we are in to the month of September. By far my favorite month of the year. It can be in the 80's during the day, but then down in the 50's-60's at night. Perfect sweatshirt weather.

Favorite Venue

While I was at Turner Hall Saturday night I was talking to Chris about my favorite venues. It was my first time at Turner Hall, but I did like it. It is in need of some work and a serious paint job.

Historic Turner Hall was built in 1883. The massive four-story structure of cream city brick was composed in the High Victorian Romanesque style. Devoid of ornamental features, three of the building’s facades have a utilitarian character. The west facade, on the other hand, includes an imposing entrance pavilion that terminates in a pyramidal-roofed dormered tower above the roof line. The articulation on this side of the building consists of tall, ornamental spandrels, arched windows and massive stone lintels.

The interior of Turner Hall is even more impressive. The building includes a two-story, 7,000-square-foot ballroom with an expansive balcony that sweeps around the north and west sides of the space; a ground-level gymnasium; large meeting rooms; and a restaurant and beer hall. Murals painted by German panoramic artists that depict important moments in the Turner movement, as well as famous German villages and scenes, can still be found in the Historic Turner Restaurant.

In 1933 and again in 1941, the ballroom was severely damaged by fires, ultimately forcing the Turners to close its doors. After years of neglect, members of the Milwaukee Turners initiated a campaign to restore the ballroom, and in 2000 established the Turner Ballroom Preservation Trust for the purpose of renovating, maintaining and managing the ballroom. Turner Hall has come full circle, as it once again plays host to Milwaukee’s vibrant social and cultural scene.

The Marcus Amphitheater is a 23,000 capacity outdoor concert venue with spectacular views of Lake Michigan and the Milwaukee skyline. The amphitheater was built after an extremely overcrowded Summerfest concert in 1984. The best that I can come up with was that the concert of note was Huey Lewis and News (they were the headliners that year). But I am not sure on that. It was completed in 1987.The Riverside Theater comes in at number 4, opened April 29, 1928. It seats 2,558. The Riverside Theater is one of 6 grand vaudeville/movie theaters designed and constructed during the 1920's by Classic theater specialists, Kirchoff and Thomas Rose, in the city of Milwaukee. They were picked to create this theater because of their marvelous work done on the Palace Theater in New York City. As of 2008, the Riverside Theater is the only classic theater which they designed that is still standing in Milwaukee, and still being used for theatrical and musical performances.

The French baroque style, showcased in the theater's decorum, truly offered a wonderful place to escape the worries and troubles of life, while enjoying the entertainment offered. The theater's auditorium had 5 chandeliers, a 3 manual, 13 rank Wurlitzer theater pipe organ, and a glorious, giant central dome, with tri-color cove lighting, hidden by an ornate rim of cabochon-faced crests, to top it all off.

There are also claims that the Riverside is haunted:
At least one known male and one female entity make The Riverside Theater their home.
A strong scent of floral perfume and the unmistakable aroma of cigar smoke have been noticed by staff, performers and patrons alike. When the theatre is quiet and empty, these entities have made themselves plainly known in front of the staff.

The solid form of a male entity has been seen lying on the auditorium chairs, and standing in / walking down the aisles.

The feeling of being watched is strong at times.

The custodial staff which cleans the theatre during the wee hours of the morning have told the entities that they have work to do, and don't even react to paper mysteriously floating down from the ceiling, or turning their back on their cleaning supplies, and finding them moved from where they were last left.

I like the Riverside, but a prefer the Pabst Theater over it.

The Pabst Theater is number 3 on the list. It is breathtakingly beautiful and the oldest, most ornate theater in Milwaukee, was built in 1895. Designed by Otto Strack in the tradition of the great European opera houses, the theater is acoustically pure. It is considered the best-preserved German-American theater in the United States, and is a reminder of a time when Milwaukee was known as the “Deutsche Athens” (German Athens). It is also the fourth oldest operating theater on the same site in the United States. The Pabst Theater was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1991. Its golden curtain has risen over 25,000 times for virtually every great name in 20th century music, dance and drama since the opening performance in 1895.

The Pabst is a traditional proscenium stage theater with two balconies, for a total capacity of 1,345 people. The theater also has a hydraulic orchestra pit, adding to its suitability for virtually any performing arts event. The auditorium itself is drum-shaped and is decorated in reds and maroons with gold and silver accents. A large, 2-ton Austrian crystal chandelier hangs over the auditorium. The theater also boasts a staircase crafted from white Italian Carrara marble and a proscenium arch highlighted in gold leaf, which frames the stage.

I guess it is it's history and the fact that it is more intimate and more ornate that puts it ahead of the Riverside.

Here are some old school photos of the Pabst.The Eagles Ballroom. The Eagles Club granite brick building was built in 1926, sponsored by the Eagles Organization, and hosted not only elegant ballroom dances, but also was an athletic club with a gymnasium, bowling alley, boxing ring, and basketball court. There were also a variety of lounges, a barbershop, a radio station, a cafeteria, a pool hall, and a swimming pool. When the athletic club closed, a men's shelter took up residence for a while in the basement area. Since 1980, The Rave / Eagles Club began to showcase rock bands, taking over the entire building.

The building is divided into six separate venues, making it theoretically possible to have six different acts playing at the same time.
The Eagles Ballroom is the building's showpiece, featuring a 25,000 square feet oval wooden dance floor, originally installed when the building was constructed, in addition to a large, old-fashioned domed ceiling and a large stage on one side. Originally a ballroom, it has hosted everything from boxing matches to concerts to ethnic dances. There is a second floor, with a row of balconies around the oval, from one side of the stage to the other.

This venue is also said to be haunted

The pool room in the basement area; (which is said to be kept locked at all times) and The Eagles Ballroom are the most haunted rooms in the building, though paranormal activity has been reported all over the building, usually when few people are in the building. Cold spots as well as negative energy are felt by the living in many parts of the building, especially around closing time.
The entity of the vile shelter manager is thought to be the source of the negative energy and some of the icy cold spots. People hear voices coming from places where no one living is there. Happy sounds of children playing or the distressful noise of children crying unhappily are heard as well.
An entity of a little girl roams around the old hallways behind the coat-check area in the basement. Her laughter is heard. Her presence sometimes gives the living a brief sense of dread. Staff who were cleaning up after closing hours have seen entities of children playing in a group. Many people here have witnessed "paranormal activity."
Shuffled foot steps, a strong odor of bleach, and objects have been thrown off the roof area, when no one living was in this area have been reported. Distinct presences are felt and seen by the living in various parts of this building.
Shadow people have been spotted in the basement area.
In various rooms of the club, bands have heard a presence or seen an entity watching them play during rehearsal, or when not many people are around.

Personally the Eagles Ballroom is number 2 on my list of favorite music venues. Some people think it is gross and disgusting, but not me. I always enjoy climbing that final staircase up to the ball room. As you reach the top step, the smell of cigarettes and stale beer is almost welcome. You can feel the electricity of the crowd. Then you see the purple domed ceiling and hear the loud hub-bub of the crowd. It is also nice to step out on the balcony that overlooks the parking lot for a breath of free cool air while making a run to the bathroom.And now the number one venue. The Alpine Valley Music Theatre is a 37,000 capacity amphitheatre in East Troy, Wisconsin. The seasonal venue was built in 1977, and it features a characteristic wooden roof covering the 7,500-seat pavilion, and a sprawling lawn. Until 1993, when the San Manuel Amphitheater was built in California, it was the largest amphitheater in the United States.

Yes, Alpine is number 1. It has to be. Tailgating here is second to none. I am torn about the parking situation. There are two main lots, shown in the first picture. But there is also an overflow lot which would be to the east, or right as you look at the picture. If parked in this lot, you have to follow the road down into the valley before ascending back up to the entrance of the amiptheater. After the show as you walk back to the overflow lot, you can turn around and it is an odd sight to see people suddenly appear from the fog that has rolled into the valley.

It is just such an experience to walk into a show there after it has just started. And the closer you get to the stage the more intense everything gets. The grass seats and the reserve seats although in rather close proximity to each other are worlds apart.

Trampled by Turtles

Saturday afternoon, I wanted to make some adjustments to my trebuchet. So I put it together in my backyard. It is quite the sight. At rest it is taller than my house. I had two groups of friends coming over to the house that afternoon. From college my roommates, Kevin, Mark and Suzanne. And then also Chris, Rebecca, Al and Vanessa. Kevin, Mark and Suzanne were all going to Bob's House Warming Party in Whitefish Bay. My plan was to go to the Trampled By Turtles concert at Turner Hall with Chris and then head to Bob's Party. Rebecca, Al and Vanessa were just going out for dinner. But we ended up drinking too much and decided against driving to Whitefish Bay. So we cabbed it to the bar Rebecca, Al and Vanessa were at. Anyhow back to my backyard, when people showed up at my house, I was in the backyard messing around with the trebuchet. All of the guys would say "That is awesome." The girls all seemed to want to know what it was, and seemed afraid that they might get hurt if they got too close. I know you are all dying to hear how the trebuchet worked. Here is my quick analysis:
It is now very stable.
The trigger mechanism works flawlessly.
The counterweight swings freely without a problems. In fact I had 3 - 5 gallon buckets of water in the counterweight and not much water was even spilled through at least 10 - 15 test launches.
The arm does not exactly stand plum, but I have a plan for that.
The one problem is the sling that holds the projectile. There were a lot of problems with it's release. But fortunately we will have plenty of time on the island to work on that.

As mentioned I went to see Trampled by Turtles with Chris. I guess the best way to describe their music is Thrash Grass. Or really uptempo bluegrass music. Only five instruments in the band, a mandolin, a fiddle, banjo, guitar and bass. No drums. It was a good show. Not too crowded. It was my first time at Turner Hall. I have always wanted to see a show there. It is an old building. I think it was built in 1883. And it could use some repairs and a paint job. But I am sure in it's day it was something special to see.

Too Close...Almost

Friday night I had nothing planned. I was just going to sit in my backyard and watch the Brewer Game. As I was watching the game, they mentioned that they would be having fireworks after the game. I considered going down to see the display, mainly because it is all of a 10 minute bike ride to get to the stadium. Plus I had nothing else planned for the remainder of the evening. After a big 7th inning by the Brewers, it appeared that they had the game under control and I prepared to head down to the stadium. I did a little riding around the parking lots and identified where they were lighting the fireworks off from. As you might be able to see from the map. The fireworks were set up in the west corner of the Uecker Lot. I was originally sitting in the grassy area between the Uecker and Yount lots. Then I remembered about the Hank Arron bike trail. It follows the river and goes under the bridge right by where they were to light off the fireworks. I jumped on my bike, hit the trail and had the best viewing location of anyone in the place.I took this shot of Miller Park from my vantage point.Then the fireworks started. I was so close that I couldn't get the whole firework in any of the pictures I took. Not only that, but I was directly under them. In fact after 5 minutes my neck got sore from looking straight up. So I just layed down on the bike trial.As you can see from this video, you see how close I am to the place where they set up.

I know that video doesn't do this display justice. But trust me it was loud. And when the grand finale started, I could feel my chest vibrating as the explosions continued. Fireworks are like a concert, the closer you are to them, the better they are. These were incredible.

I know this invitation will fall on deaf ears, but you should come with me next year, if they do the fireworks again.

Blue 32, Blue 32..Hut...Hut...Hike!!!

The football season is upon us. As always I will be having a Oakland Gyro contest. Anyone who predicts the Packer's end of season record correctly will win an Oakland Gyro, extra pita and large rootbeer. Here are my predictions for the upcoming Packer Season.

Week 1, at Philadelphia (Sunday 3:15 on FOX)
Remember 4th and 26? I do. This year it goes the other way and the Packers pick off a pass as the Eagles attempt a last minute comeback. Pack win. 1-0.

Week 2, Buffalo (Sunday 12:00 on CBS)
Buffalo still has a team? I thought they moved to Toronto? Game isn't even close. Pack win. 2-0.

Week 3, at Chicago (Monday 7:30 ESPN)
This one is a battle of interceptions. Rodgers with 2 but what's his name has 3. Pack win. 3-0.

Week 4, Detroit (Sunday 12:00 FOX)
The Lions are improving (really there is no where to go but up) but they don't have the experience to win. Pack win. 4-0.

Week 5, at Washington (Sunday 12:00 FOX)
The Pack isn't going to undefeated this year, but I see a lot of wins. This is their first loss on a last second field goal. Pack lose. 4-1.

Week 6, Miami (Sunday 12:00 CBS)
Rodgers throws for 4 touchdowns and 350 yards. Pack win. 5-1.

Week 7, Minnesota (Sunday 7:20 NBC)
Favre winning again against the Packers....not going to happen. In fact he won't even be in the staring lineup come week 7. He will be on the Injured Reserved List. The Pack win an ugly game 14-13. Record goes to 6-1.

Week 8, at New York Jets (Sunday 12:00 FOX)
It is Halloween and the only scary thing out there is the New York Jets defense. A bad day for the offense with 4 turnovers. The Pack lose 28-10. 6-2.

Week 9, Dallas (Sunday 7:20 NBC)
A prime time game and the Pack show up. The game is over by halftime. The game is a laugher. The Pack win 38-10. The Pack goes into the bye with a 7-2 record and a two game lead on the rest of the division.

Week 10, Bye week

Week 11, at Minnesota (Sunday 12:00 FOX, but subject to possible time change)
The Packers complete the sweep on the Vikings and throw the first shovel of dirt on Brett Favre. Pack win, 24-17. 8-2.

Week 12, at Atlanta (Sunday 12:00 FOX, but subject to possible time change)
This game is like the St. Louis game the year the Pack won the Super Bowl. A defensive touchdown turns this game around. 9-2.

Week 13, San Francisco (Sunday 12:00 FOX, but subject to possible time change)
The running game goes wild with over 200 yards on the ground. Pack win by 2 touchdowns 21-7. 10-2.

Week 14, at Detroit (Sunday 12:00 FOX, but subject to possible time change)
The Lions are looking for their 4th win, but they won't get it this week. Pack win. 11-2.

Week 15, at New England (Sunday 7:20 NBC, but subject to possible time change)
This prime time game is a shootout and the last team with the ball wins. Pack win on a field goal. 12-2.

Week 16, New York Giants (Sunday 3:15 FOX, but subject to possible time change)
The Packers cruise at home. Eli Manning gets another cut on his forehead. Pack win. 13-2.

Week 17, Chicago (Sunday 12:00 FOX, but subject to possible time change)
The Packers are on the way to the Super Bowl and spoil the Bears Super Bowl even with half the starters pulled after the 1st quarter. And Stegall(seen here on the right) gets tickets to this game as well. Pack win. 14-2.

Playoffs. With a bye in the first round and home field throughout, the Packers cruise through the playoffs, including a 3rd win over the Vikings who have long forgotten about #4 and Sage is leading the offense. Eventually the Pack will face the Colts in the Super Bowl. Rodgers matches Manning, pass for pass, but it is the Packers defense that rises to the occasion. The Lombardi trophy comes back home. Packers win, 31 - 21.

Final Prediction, no one gets the correct record for the Packers and on the Monday after the Super Bowl I head to Oakland Gyros to eat a gyro by myself.

Lyric of the Day:
I've paid my dues,
Time after time,
I've done my sentence,
But committed no crime,
And bad mistakes,
I've made a few,
And I've had my share of sand kicked in my face,
But I've come through,
And I need to go on and on and on and on.

Used Car Salesman

Wednesday evening, I had just settled into my couch to watch some TV when my phone rang. It was my brother, Jeff(a.k.a. Chucker). He said that he was with a group down at Miller Park tailgating for the Brewer game and invited me down. I think it was last year, that I said I would accept any and all reasonable offers when someone invited me somewhere or to do something. I told him to give me 20 minutes and I would be down there. So down to the parking lot I went. And I don't think I was even a minute over 20 minutes, in fact I might have been there quicker. When I arrived, the cocktails were getting poured, and pizza brats were headed for the grill. His group even had an extra ticket which I was happy to take off their hands. It was a club level seat, which is fine, but I would rather be in the bleachers with the common folk. Here is my dad explaining to Tom that his youngest son is quite the head boner.Here is a view from our seats.Here is Tim giving Chucker a hard time about something, which is weird to see because normally Tim would be asleep by this time of the evening. Here is also something of a shocker, Tim said he has never tailgated with hard alcohol before. Plenty of times with beer, but never booze. How did we ever let him into the family? Look at how happy these two are.

As you may know, on Tuesday they unveiled the new statue of Bud Selig. I am not going to say that I was the first person to get my picture taken with the statue. As you can see Bud, Rollie Fingers and Hank Arron beat me to that.But I very well could have been the first person to climb up and get my picture taken with my arm around the statue.

Bubs, after the picture was taken, I was talking to the guy who took the picture for me. I told him about my picture doing a pull up on the bat of the Robin Yount statue. And I was trying to explain the meaning of "attractive nuisance", but unfortunately it was lost on him. I don't think he went to Marquette Law.

Sorry I have been slacking on the Lyric of the Day:

People say I'm the life of the party.

Cause I tell a joke or two.

Although I might be laughing loud and hearty.

Deep inside I'm blue.

Death Day / Birthday

Today is significant for two reasons. I guess I will do them in chronological order. August 26th 1997 was the date of the murder at my house. If you want to read the article, here is a link. It is the story on the top of the front page. This is also a file photo of my house. I was too lazy to walk outside and take a picture. The bushes are now gone and replaced with burnt up sod.2 years later on the very same day was the birth of my nephew, Ethan. Happy Birthday "E". That is really all that I have for you today.