Steel Kaleidoscopes

10 Givens

1. The driver of the car that pulls out in front of you and drives 15 miles an hour is wearing a hat.

2. The sun peeks out from an overcast sky between4 and 5 in the afternoon, providing the best hour on the beach.

3. The printer always jams or runs out of paper when you're in the middle of printing someone's performance review.

4. The driver of the car in front of you always uses his directional when turning onto a one-way street, but never uses it when there's an option to turn left or right.

5. Cabernet served at corporate events is usually undrinkable.

6. Scope creep always turns up in home renovation projects.

7. A summer doesn't go by when a gnat doesn't fly into your eye.

8. The stock will rise after you sell.

9. Lines move slowly because people are chatting on their cellphones.

10. The person in front of you at the post office is sending packages to Libya, Algeria and Vancouver and paying with a money order.

Fog

Fighting off a sniffly cold passed on by Ms. Chloe, this is how my head feels as  I approach a busy week.

Phoenix

Into Phoenix, out of Phoenix.

Six hours in, five hours out.

Three meetings, bad coffee, good coffee, crab-stuffed chicken and a glass of Ravenswood Zinfandel.

All in a day's work.

American Idol: 1st Round, Males & Females

Here we go again.

The march to May began in earnest this week, 24 young men and women vying to follow the footsteps of Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino and Carrie Underwood as the next American Idol.

Here's the order of how the 12 male and female finalists performed last night and Tuesday night, with the odds of winning it all in May:

1. Chris Daughtry
Song choice worked wonders for him, going with Bon Jovi's "Dead or Alive." Thought he botched the words in one spot. Daughtry exudes confidence and fits the role as a capable frontman. Best is yet to come.
Odds of winning: 8-1

2. Ace Young
With a retro-grunge look, this Eddie Vedder clone showcased a pure, velvety voice. With his good looks and ability to play the camera, he could be a Constantine with more talent. Definitely in the top 12.
Odds of winning: 8-1

3. Gedeon McKinney
Hated the song choice because it didn't emphasize his voice. "Shout" can be heard in any college beer joint after 2 a.m. There is something magical here though. The kid has pipes and, with the right song choice, will step to forefront.
Odds of winning: 10-1

4. Taylor Hicks
Gotta love this guy. The Joe Cocker influence (or is it John Belushi) along with his candid, who-gives-a-damn demeanor is infectious. He can sing as well (Billy Falcon comparison comes to mind), so couple this with the entertainment factor and "Grey" will stay.
Odds of winning: 15-1

5. Kevin Covais
The geek from Long Island has quite a voice. It's hard to believe those vocals are coming out of him, kind of like how Clay Aiken first came across.  Nicely done. Just don't know if the girls will embrace him. Got a protractor?
Odds of winning: 20-1

6. Elliott Yamen
Best male vocalist in five years? What is Simon smoking? Yamen is good, but thought he was kind of average last night.  Clearly others were better. Doesn't have looks going for him, but neither did Scott Savol and look how far he went last season.
Odds of winning: 25-1

7. Patrick Hall
It's tough for a guy to sing Melissa Etheridge. Song choice was sketchy, which is the only reason he's this far down. Thought he came across too poppish and happy. Just OK. He'll be back for another chance. Could crack Top 12 if others stumble.
Odds of winning: 25-1

8. Jose "Sway" Penala
Choosing the Earth, Wind and Fire song was gutsy, and he sang it mostly in falsetto -- very tricky indeed. Has a groovy '70s soul voice and good range. Something isn't quite right here. Need to have another listen or two. Not convinced.
Odds of winning: 30-1

9. Bucky Covington
Here's where the talent ends. America is not ready for another Bo, and Bucky ain't no Bo. Loved the Skynyrd song, but thought he growled through it rather than sang it. He was an octave too low and was flat in spots.
Odds of winning: 45-1

10. David Radford
It was like listening to a scratchy 45 on an old Victrola turntable. Twilight zone stuff. "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" just wasn't working. This was pre-Rat Pack. Better than John Stevens, but won't last long. Wrong season, wrong decade, wrong century.
Odds of winning: 50-1

11. Will Makar
So that's what happened to Kevin Arnold. Kid did not sing very well at all. Thought he was flat, off-key and boring. Surprised he made the final 24. Girls will like him and will probably keep him around. Uh-oh. Do we have another Jon Peter Lewis in the mix?
Odds of winning: 75-1

12. Bobby Bennett
Copacabana. Need we say anything else? C'mon, now. This is American Idol. It's the iPod generation. Tributes to family members who have passed on is sweet, but it won't get you to the next round. Great name, dreadful performance.
Odds of winning: 100-1

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On Tuesday night, the girls showed more promise.  There was quite a chasm between the best and worst, so hopefully America will recognize this and not vote purely on looks.

1. Lisa Tucker
Incredible, effortless voice. And she's only 16. Thought she sang with ease and precision. Stage presence was poised and professional. Really now, she's just 16? Clear front-runner at this stage. Kind of looks like Paul Stanley.
Odds of winning: 5-1

2. Katharine McPhee
Simon had rave reviews for her, and rightly so. Thought she looked really awkward and wasn't sure what to do with herself, kind of like Julia DeMato in Season 2. Great, great voice. Top 5, for sure.
Odds of winning: 5-1

3. Ayla Brown
Local girl (her mom is Boston newscaster Gail Huff) makes good. Brown is tall, talented and has a confident stage presence. Her voice is pure and sweet, and she rarely misses a note.  She'll hang around for a while, and could crack the Top 5.
Odds of winning: 8-1

4. Kinnik Sky
Anyone who sings Barbra Streisand has to be good (well, except Mikalah Gordon). Thought she was clearly one of the best vocalists, and has perhaps the most power. Has Fantasia potential and should make a lot of these girls sweat.  Get used to seeing her. Great name too.
Odds of winning: 8-1

5. Paris Bennett
Tons of talent in this little body. Has a strong singing heritage (her mother is Jamecia Bennett and her grandmother is Ann Nesby, both gospel singers). Engaging personality, along with her unique voice, will take her far. Has to be considered an early favorite.
Odds of winning: 8-1

6. Mandisa
Strong voice. Would anchor any gospel choir. Cute interaction with Simon on her weight. Comes across as very sincere and honest, good attributes once America gets to know the players. Thought she was very good, but others were better. At least on Tuesday.
Odds of winning: 15-1

7. Melissa McGhee
She's going to have a problem, as she admitted, because this was the first time America saw her perform. She wasn't given any air time until Tuesday. Does this influence the vote, the lack of a story line? Perhaps. Decent job, but the true talent ended with Mandisa.
Odds of winning: 25-1

8. Heather Cox
Very cute, OK voice. Not good enough for this competition as the top six girls here are really strong. May be convinced with a better choice of songs. Thought she was bland and uninspiring. Looks can only take you so far.
Odds of winning: 50-1

9. Kellie Pickler
Another blonde who got by more with her looks than her voice. Thought she was average and barely memorable. Guy vote may keep her around. Not impressed.
Odds of winning: 50-1

10. Stevie Scott
Kind of boring, but at least was original in a Bjork kind of way. This isn't Iceland, it's Hollywood, so the voters will be tough. Would not be surprised to see her go.
Odds of winning: 75-1

11. Brenna Gethers
Quirky, obnoxious and full of spunk. Kind of annoying. Has a little game going with Simon. Does this keep someone around? Nope. She might last one week, but can't see her much beyond that. Sang a safe song and did nothing to stand out.
Odds of winning: 75-1

12. Becky O'Donohue
She's only here for her looks.  Bad call, judges. Too bad she won't stick around. And if she does, that's just wrong. She was painful.
Odds of winning: 100-1

Just a Taste

Creme tangerine and montelimat
A ginger sling with a pineapple heart
A coffee dessert -- yes you know it's good news
But you'll have to have them all pulled out
After the Savoy truffle.

- George Harrison

Long Island in February

The vines may be resting, but the icy Peconic Bay is breathing and biting.

The Continuing Saga of Dave

In the deep-green forest, Dave Tomlinson crouched behind a diseased sycamore tree, contemplating the merits of "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy!"

He recognized the time-honored oratory skills of Alex Trebek, but found Pat Sajak's moderator skills moderate at best.

In the whisk of a fusion-induced nanosecond, Dave reached for his crossbow and, like a well-trained sharp-shooter, zipped an arrow toward the 8-point buck.

Finally, he could refer to himself as the deer hunter.

Made in Japan

Yikes.

Browsing some music sites the other day I saw that Dream Theater recently played Deep Purple's "Made in Japan" in its entirety in Tokyo and Osaka.

Now, I recognize Dream Theater's talent. There's no questioning the fact these guys can play (I thank my brother-in-law Doug for introducing them to me), but I can't imagine tackling such a classic album.

"Made in Japan" may just be the best live album ever recorded. Lead guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, singer Ian Gillan, drummer Ian Paice, bassist Roger Glover and keyboardist Jon Lord were at the peak of their careers during the recording of this record in 1972, and the Japan shows used on the album were incredibly innovative, groundbreaking and nearly flawless.

If you're into drums, you'd be hard-pressed to find someone with more energy than Paice during the course of these sets.  Listen closely and you'll be drawn in with the frantic pace of Paice's drumming, even during the softer transitions in "Child in Time" and "Space Truckin'."

"Made in Japan" is a tour de force, Deep Purple's landmark statement.

I just can't imagine someone trying to cover this.

Bogeying a Par 4

Standing at the tee box, staring ahead at the 410-yard dogleg left par 4, gingerly placing the Titleist on the tee. Gripping a 3-wood, one practice swing, one real swing, perfect contact with a power hook.

Ball sitting in the first rough, 245 yards toward the goal. A safe 7-iron connects clean with good lift, a decent-looking shot that rolls 20 yards short of the undulating, two-tiered green.

Pitching wedge in hard, a soft kiss of a shot, ball landing behind the hole, trickling off the back of the green.

Finessing a 5-iron to get some speed to the putt, the ball heads right at the hole, but comes up 2 feet short.

After a read from in front and behind, the Odyssey putter smoothly taps the ball into the hole.

"What'd ya get?"

"5."

"Nice bogey."

"Thanks."

Quote of the Day

"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion."

- The Dalai Lama