ISSUE #77 - July 19th, 2019

ONE

MUSIC - I have to thank 'Rock the Bells' radio for reminding me of several things: 1) How talented Big Pun was as a lyricist, 2) How great of a summer song 'It's So Hard' is and 3) How many artists loved the guy.  I hadn't heard It's So Hard in years even though it was essentially on repeat my last year in college at every bar/party you went to. The music video, which was a de facto tribute to his life (he passed away two months before it came out), featured an absurd roster of cameos, including, LL Cool J, Busta, P Diddy, Jennifer Lopez, Xzibit, Method Man and about two dozen more. If you haven't listened/watched in a while, crank it up, nod your head 90s style and enjoy.

TWO

 SPORTSWRITING - You don't have to be an Oakland A's fan or Red Sox fan or even a baseball fan to appreciate the writing and reporting of Chad Finn's stellar feature this week on Hall of Famer / announcer Dennis Eckersley in this week's Boston Globe.  Eckersley has overcome alcoholism, his best friend stealing his wife, and giving up the most famous World Series home run in modern baseball to become a widely popular announcer in New England. Finn is a longtime Globe writer (one of my personal favorites) and did something rare in today's sports media: he took the time to interview a lot of people, learn perspective and write a phenomenal, well-rounded story. The more writing like this the better.

THREE

MUSCLE - As I've written about here a few times, I'm a fan of Jim Stoppani's protein and pre/post workout supplements. That being said, I like to try new stuff and switch things up when it comes to protein and snacks and I think getting your nutrition meathead fuel should come from a variety of sources (don't quote me).  I've been thinking of including some plant-based protein into my day for a while and I came across Vega One Organic All-In-One shake. It has pea protein, Omega 3s, probiotics, a nice spread of vitamins and minerals and plant powders and no artificial flavors. I've been mixing a scoop in a glass of water for my afternoon snack with an apple and some beef jerky. I like it. If you're lactose intolerant or want to back off milk-based protein, this is a great option.

FOUR

FISHING - I wouldn't call myself a hardcore fisherman by any stretch... But I've been taking the kids to lakes by our house a lot this summer. They love it and it really is a great way to hang out and spend time together outside without any screens or electronics getting in the way (also, catching fish is awesome).  The lakes by us in Dallas are mostly filled with bass and after some early futility, my kids pretty much catch 2-3 fish a trip. I like to attribute it to the fact that I taught them everything I know, but really, we started using these soft lizards as bait and our catch rate has soared. The last few times we've gone, that bait, a hook and a Disney Moana or Spider-Man rod has done the job, as you can see here from this pic of my daughter catching a huge fish.

FIVE

A MAYBE TOO DEEP QUOTE ON FISHING BUT I GET IT (I THINK)

"Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after."  -- Henry David Thorough