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Much of my family enjoys watching football with me in the fall and winter. It’s the most TV we watch all year.
Between both college and pro, we’ve enjoyed a lot of exciting games this year. But one in particular stands out. And not because of the result.
Midway through the season, Washington (where my wife is from) nearly pulled off an incredible upset of a highly ranked team. It was back and forth football for a full four quarters. Really great stuff.
On the very last play, however, Washington lost.
That’s not the story that matters, though. A few moments after the game ended, my son Jack turned to his mother and I and said, “That was a close game. Good job to the team that won.”
I was so proud of him for not confusing loyalty with entertainment. Better yet, he’s already beginning to understand what it means to be magnanimous, an elusive trait that makes the world a better place.
I was proud of the example he set and hope to demonstrate the same attitude whenever my favorite team loses.
Virgin Records
Although they were one of my top three bands in high school, Smashing Pumpkins haven’t rattled my earbones much since. Maybe twice in the last decade.
To remedy that, I turned on Siamese Dream last week for myself and my posterity. My six-year old aspiring-drummer headbanged to it. My eight year old — who prefers electronic music — raised an eyebrow at it.
“Sounds like something from the 1900s,” she said unamused. I laughed and informed her that it was, more specifically, from the early 1990s, which reportedly took place two decades ago.
Well, when you put it that way…
Fun fact: Siamese Dream’s overly thick or “fat” sound is largely the result of up to 100 recorded guitar parts per song.
In speaking with a 14 year-old boy at church a few weeks back, this was the reply given when I asked how he was doing:
My mom grounded me because I came home past my curfew last week. It sucks — she took away my PS2 and all my girl jeans.
The grounding and PS2 parts I can relate to. I was a boy not long ago (and still am to an extent). But the confiscated girl jeans as punishment? I just don’t get it, even if that’s what budding hipsters are wearing now.
Blake, I’d like you to meet Behind The Times. Behind The Times, say hello to Blake.
