136th edition of My Random Thoughts: Sports, TV, music, food, life.....

August 8, 2025

Did you ever have the NFL team pencil set when you were in grade school?

The Cincinnati Open is our favorite Cincinnati sporting event of the year. We walk, shop, eat, drink, listen to music, and watch tennis. Such a cool 'international' vibe around the grounds.

I own more t-shirts than I know what to do with. But I can't bring myself to get rid of any of them. Know what I mean?

We sat in the Riverbend parking lot for 1 hour, 45 minutes after the sold out Luke Bryan show. It tested me.

Did you dig your arm into the cereal box for the prize, or empty it all into a big bowl, and then pour it back in? I was a digger!

Is it weird that I froze leftover lasagna from Mama's On The Hill in St. Louis from July, and had it for dinner the other night? PS...still damn good.

Enjoy the enjoyable

Song I cranked the radio to this week: 'Let's Go Crazy', Prince. Try standing still for that song!

I still remember jokes on the Dixie Riddle Cups: Where do cows go on Saturday nights? To the moooo-vies,"

Wally Joyner was an All-Star as a rookie. Had a really nice career. Never made the All-Star team again in his 16 year career.

The saxophone solo by Alto Reed in Bob Seger's "Turn the Page" is incredible.

I thought I had my contacts in the wrong eye this week. Switched them. Switched them back. Then concluded they were inside out. Can't they laser a small L and R on contacts?

Pudding pops were awesome!

I spent the summer after my junior year of high school at journalism camp at Indiana University.

It was poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou who said "When someone shows you who they are, believe them." The Reds have shown us through 116 games they are short, lacking, just not good enough. And much to the chagrin of ownership, a manager can't fix that.

I'm not a big wine guy, but we picked up a Peach wine from StoneBrook Winery (Melbourne, KY) at the Independence Farmers Market. Fantastic.

I don't know what happened to Season 4 of The Bear. It had moments. But it feels like they wrote into a corner, and don't know what to do now.

We are are at VOA Country Music Fest tonight, for the third straight year: Carrie Underwood, Shaboozey, Parmalee for one ticket!

Do you remember a Reds publication, I believe weekly, called 'Reds Report'? All the boxscores in the back? Sporting News style.

The Reds always mention their financial limitations, yet they added $36M with........Ke'Bryan Hayes.

In 1993, Harry Caray had me up in the WGN-TV booth during a Cubs game to promote our new TV station (CLTV), and my Sports Page show. I stood between Harry and Steve Stone for the half inning. What an experience!

I highly recommend a Saturday at Findlay Market: Have lunch. Shop for dinner. Wonderful experience. The new parking garage is outstanding.

As a kid, when visiting my grandma in Batavia, it was big to visit Moonlite Chili and Ben Franklin. She was the manager of the Green Valley.

I had the 80's Loni Anderson poster. White bikini with a pink background.

I've been to Aldi twice. I'm still learning the cart thing at checkout.

My Butler journalism teacher, Neil Nemeth, once said to me "Being good has come easy. Can you work hard enough to become great." That's been a plaque on my office wall since 1988. Still trying.

I'll admit to not reading/replying to the comment sections much anymore. The constant negativity/cynicism was wearing on me, and causing me to respond in ways I didn't like.

Jim Thome has 612 career homers, 8th all-time. He might be the least talked about slugger of all-time.

My dad visited Peyton in Louisville this week. She had back-to-back dinners at The Brown Hotel (Hot Brown) and Jeff Ruby's. I'm hungry. Not fair!

I'm no expert on vocals, but Whitney Houston's 'I Will Always Love You' has to be as close to vocal perfection as it gets.

You know the Reds offense is lacking when the fan argument is over playing time for Will Benson, who was hitting .224.

We've become big farmers market people. We love finding different ones to stop by on the weekend. Got a recommendation?

I have about 10 Hardy Boys books from when I was kid. Are they worth anything?

Rule: If I come across a Steven Seagal movie, I watch. Marked for Death was on this week! Screwface was his nemesis.

While on the cereal theme, I liked the mini variety packs! Sugar Pops, Frosted Flakes, Rice Krispies, Fruit Loops, Sugar Smacks, and Raisin Bran.
I sliced them open and poured the milk into the box.

Don't worry about things you don't care about