You gotta hand it to the folks at Kellogg’s.
Just when you thought that Oreoification couldn’t stretch any further, Kellogg’s, in collaboration with Apple TV and the estate of Charles Shultz, have created a Charlie Brown Halloween-themed cereal. Called simply “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” this vanilla-flavored “cereal” includes orange and green corn puffs and pumpkin-shaped orange marshmallows.
No word on whether the toys inside are actually rocks.
Today marks the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington, the event everyone knows by its highlight, remarks by Dr. Martin Luther King that included the phrase “I have a dream.” Apparently it wasn’t even part of the original speech; sort of worked out though, no?
This past Saturday I happened to be on the Mall in D.C., in the place where Dr. King spoke those words. Sort of by happy accident I witnessed a commemoration of the 1963 event, which included, among others, remarks from Martin Luther King III. Sometimes you just get lucky in seeing these things.
Case in point the following morning, as I’m still in D.C., this time at the National Zoo. Whom do I see but Tian Tian, better known as “one of the pandas” on loan from China. Yeah, on loan, apparently, and 20 years later now China is getting him back. Sunday was his birthday (26–God I’d love to be 26), and once again I stumbled upon a celebration marking an occasion. Last birthday in America. Tian Tian seemed as surprised as I.
Sometimes you go looking for entertainment, and sometimes it finds you I guess. If you’re going to be good or lucky, choose lucky.
On today’s episode of Math and Musings I put the old MAM jinx on the ballteam of my youth, the former Bronx Bombers now Bronx Flounderers. My Yankee description no longer makes sense but the rest of it does, so now that you’ve been warned, just click and enjoy.
‘Round these parts today’s the last day of “summer vacation,” a quaint 20th-century phrase describing the months plowing the corn fields or whatever we did before smartphones.
There’s another quaint phrase from one of this century’s great philosophers, Craig Williams. You know him as Craig… of the Creek.
Craig once opined that Summer’s over but we still have the weekend.
Wise words. Actually we have weekends, holidays, and every single evening. Heck, school can be fun sometimes too.
Every time you get home from being out of town you think How can I make my regular life more like vacation?
Exactly.
This is the year we never turn off the fun of summer.
To borrow another 20th-century phrase…
this is the Endless Summer.
There are only two good shows on TV these days (remember TV?)… Winning Time and How To with John Wilson. They are both on HBO. Max. Or whatever it’s called now.
Both shows went a little weird this weekend, but then, I suppose that’s what makes it interesting. As goes the old quote I reference often, “It’s not TV…”
I’ve tried to do a little deeper dive into both programs, checking out John Wilson’s various other materials (spoiler alert: they’re weird) and beginning a read of a 10-year-old book (finally got to it) from one of my favorite authors. That would be Jeff Pearlman, and the book is that on which Winning Time is based.
It’s called Showtime.
I guess HBO couldn’t really call it that, could they?
Today on Math and Musings I’m flying solo, but continuing the conversation begun last week with my son. Don’t worry, I still used him as a consultant on the episode.
Uncredited and unpaid.
Yesterday I received a notice from X reminding me it was our fifth anniversary. I don’t usually celebrate anniversaries with Xes, regardless of how well I knew them when.
Friday’s episode of How To with John Wilson gave some airtime to my hometown and alma mater, referred to often on this blog and its accompanying podcast as “the old country.” It’s the old country for Wilson as well, who graduated from Binghamton University in 2008. Scenes from Friday’s episode showed him back on campus, not fitting in at a frat party, not fitting in on State Street (Tom & Marty’s!), and not fitting in at his old dorm.
I know the feeling. I was too old for that place about 10 minutes after I graduated. For me it’s now been two decades, and, as I often find myself saying when thinking about Binghamton… ugh.
Some weeks ago I introduced the concept of “Oreoification,” that ubiquitous phenomenon now sweeping the nation’s grocery aisles. As one example of many, what was for nearly a hundred years a classic “Oreo” now comes in dozens of flavors, some of which are no doubt delicious and some which, well, leave some doubt.
On Math and Musings today I’m joined by a special guest to discuss such matters, the first of what I hope will be many flavors of conversations.
More reasons to keep on living include Season Two of Winning Time, which kicked off said season Sunday night with an inspired hour of television.
At times sports, at times drama, and at times pure poetry (seriously–listen to Jason Segel’s Paul Westhead), Winning Time is blessed with some old-school HBO magic from back when it was HBO. (If you’re looking for it now on your TV it’s “Max.”)
The best comparison I can make for the show is Entourage, of which I sang praises for years. Shows that are “cool” and have actors that actually put forth effort are rare; Winning Time brings this blissful combination. Seeing movie stars and athletic stars is always cool, but seeing their human side (at least the TV version of it) evokes an old phrase: It’s not TV… it’s HBO.
Amen.