Super Bowl Sunday

Dear Ian:

Super Bowl Sunday. Kind of an unofficial American holiday. Just like birthdays, there is a lot of eating and drinking going on. Also, just like birthdays, a lot of people focus on everything but what is important. In this case, namely, television commercials and half time shows. This year the half time show stars Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Last year I think it was Prince. The year before that, I really don't remember. That may have been the infamous Janet Jackson show, or that might have been the year before that. The important thing is that I remember that it was the Giants who won the Super Bowl last year, but I don't remember who won the year before that. See? I remember more half times. Very, very American.

In preparation for the Super Bowl, I cleaned house a bit today. Not because I had anyone coming over to enjoy my extra special buffalo wings, more like, it is February and I better start spring cleaning now, so I can be finished by summer. This may be a completely genetic thing, I know your great-grandfather John had it, your mother a bit too, I have a full blown case of it: Pack-rat-itis. I don't throw enough stuff away. I keep everything. I went through one of the closets and found clothes that have been too small for at least four years. That means that I packed them in California and moved them to Wisconsin...knowing full well that I would never fit in them again. Whenever you come to visit, please keep that in mind.

I was going to sort comic books today as well. That is usually a two day affair. I got sidetracked and played World of Warcraft in between laundry loads instead. Chances are, if I am still around, and World of Warcraft is still around when you get to college, we will wind up playing together. I will probably be a level 350 druid by then. Just remember, you have to roll a toon on the Horde side. If you roll Alliance, I will have to disown you and will probably never talk to you again. Seriously.

Back to the Super Bowl entertainment for a second. Music. I am still not sure what "album" I will buy for you first. First of all, they are not albums anymore, or CDs, for that matter. It's all digital now, so, I guess I will have to figure out which download I will send you first. Your Baba's sister, Kathy, was the person that gave me my first album. Actually they were cassettes. I remember them still: Janis Joplin's- Pearl and Sly and the Family Stone's-Greatest Hits. The first album (full sized, vinyl, magnificent) was The Eagles'-Hotel California. Later on your mother would "adopt" my copy of The Eagles'-The Long Run eight-track. She was big fan of

"Teen-age Jail."
Stare out the window,
You can't make the time go
You don't even know why you're here
Wait for the weekend to go off the deep end
and make everything disappear
You're lost in a teenage jail
So you and so vicious and so frail
where something is always for sale
You're lost in a teenage jail."

I think she was six. She was very, very disturbed.