Brian Golden

Ah, yes, that wonderful feeling of knowing one has bragging rights for an entire year, as my beloved New York Giants pulled out a ridiculously sweet victory Sunday night over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI.

What can I say? I’m giddy.

In other news, Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum pulled out a surprising three-state victory over fellow GOP hopefuls Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich. I think I’ll file this one away in the “I-could-really-care-less-because-none-of-you-will-get-my-vote” cabinet. Sorry, but the thought of Santorum, Romney or Gingrich in the White House is simply … terrifying.

Thank the stars Bachmann and Palin never made it this far … I shudder to even consider the possible ramifications for our country.

As for me, I’m thinking I’d better start saving my pennies considering the absolute whopper-esque number of motion pictures coming this way that must be seen in the theater, as far as I’m concerned. “Marvel’s The Avengers,” “The Dark Night Rises,” “The Amazing Spider-man,” “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” “Prometheus,” “G.I. Joe: Retaliation,” “Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace (in 3-D),” “Battleship,” “The Hunger Games,” “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter,” the list goes on and on (and on). With those I just listed (ten films in all), I’m guessing I’ll need to save up at least $1,175 for tickets, popcorn, soda, nachos and other snacks.

Going to the movies just isn’t the same nowadays, is it?

On a personal note, I’m looking forward to getting out there this weekend and playing some guitar. Besides the most recent Master Thieves’ studio session and a shortish, hour-and-a-half “acoustic” performance at the Bohemian Moon, I can’t remember the last time I picked up the good ol’ Stratocaster and cut loose. And speaking of Stratocasters, my stepfather recently threw me an extensive selection of Jimi Hendrix recordings that I can’t wait to sit down and … err … experience. All I can say is that I’ve had Jimi on the brain lately. In fact, I almost used the legendary guitarist as my topic for today’s column.

Oh well, there’s always next week (or maybe tomorrow … don’t be late).

Brian Golden

I just love a forecast of heavy rain in late January, don’t you? And while it is just a bit disconcerting (if you’re like me and actually buy into that whole climate change conspiracy), I must admit, it’s better than two feet of snow on the ground, a temperature well below the freezing mark and the requisite ear muffs, gloves, scarf and the like.

But I’ll bet you those snowmobile fanatics (I’m certainly not one of them) – not to mention skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts – across the county aren’t very happy about it. Me? I’m hoping for an early, early spring … and sunshine … and shorts … and sandals.

On a more ridiculous (yet absolutely hilarious) note, my favorite ‘30 Seconds’ entry of the day (the online version).
“ … Romney was on the ‘Today Show’ and admitted he likes to read the ‘Twilight’ books and watch ‘American Idol.’ If elected, he would be the first Mormon and the first 13-year-old girl to be president.”

Oh my, you ‘30 Seconds’ folks are a hoot, let me tell you. But I did laugh/snort out loud at that one.

Moving on to the “most-eye-catching-story-of-the-day,” which I discovered while perusing CNN.com, a mysterious object found at the bottom of the Baltic Sea. Nobody’s quite sure what the strange, 60 meter wide structure and/or spaceship really is, but I’ll be damned if it doesn’t bear a striking resemblance to the Millennium Falcon. Just saying.

Obviously, I’ve been thinking about the Star Wars, Episodes IV, V and VI, Blue Ray collection I received for my 35th birthday – which has been collecting dust for the most part over the past two weeks – far too much.

Which brings me to this interesting little tidbit. Did you know that our News Edit spell check does not, in fact, recognize the terms “lightsaber,” “Jedi,” “Sith,” “Corellian,” “droids” or Wookie.”

What, may I ask, is wrong with this picture?

With that in mind, my quote of the day … “That’s ‘cause droids don’t pull people’s arms out of their sockets when they lose … Wookies are known to do that.”

Take that, spell check.

Brian Golden

We Evening Sun staff writers can whine and moan all we want, but when it’s all said and done, there’s definitely something special about living through another successful year of the controlled chaos that is Progress Chenango. Sure, it means extra work. And yes, it can be more-than-a-little stressful, but in the end, it really is worth it, which is why today’s column was dedicated to our annual Progress Edition.

And now that it’s over, onward and upward.

Well, I completely forgot all about last night’s State of the Union address, much to my dismay (thank God for You Tube, right?). Not that it matters, really, considering all I have to do is check out ‘30 Seconds’ and – more often than not – I can get a feel of sorts for how it all panned out. Republicans and other right-leaning voters calling our president names and blaming all manner of problems on his decisions (many of which have absolutely nothing to do with his decisions)? Chances are (if that’s the case … which it was), I would’ve applauded our Commander in Chief. Sorry, but I happen to think the middle class deserves a chance and – if Obama is not re-elected – let’s just say I’m of the firm opinion that we’re pretty much … err … you know … done for.

Never a dull moment, eh? Just about to put dinner in the oven yesterday afternoon when a call came in over the scanner reporting a two-car motor vehicle accident in the Town of Oxford. And even though it’s my job to jump in the car and proceed to the site of such events (as quickly as possible, I might add), that doesn’t mean I get any kind of warm, fuzzy feeling when it happens. Personally, I try to look at it from a different perspective, in that it’s my responsibility – a privilege, really – to snap some photos of our county’s emergency and law enforcement personnel in action. I certainly hate to see people get hurt and – if that should ever change – I suppose it would be time to call it a day. I may be a journalist, but I do have a heart. Really, I do.

In other news … my New York Football Giants are headed – unbelievably – to the Super Bowl. Not sure how they got there, but I can honestly say I’m beyond excited. What can I say? I have fond memories of Super Bowls XXI (vs. Broncos), XXV (vs. Bills) and XLII (vs. Patriots). Super Bowl XXXV (vs. Ravens) … well, not so much. This time around it’s the Patriots once again and (obviously) I’m hoping for a repeat performance from Big Blue. GO GIANTS!

Brian Golden

Yes, I know, it’s been eons since I last blogged. And no, I have no excuse for my laziness, I’ve simply been busy with other things, namely Progress Chenango.

I’d like to say the Progress monster has – at long last – released me from its tenacious grasp, but that would simply not be true. I have one last assignment to take care of Friday and then – and only then – shall I be set free. Our esteemed editor, on the other hand, is now in the midst of the controlled chaos that is Progress and – it must be said – I feel for him.

At least the end – as they say – is in sight, right Jeff?

Moving on, however, it must be said that this week’s column was a long time coming, and it’s a topic I’ve discussed at length over the past several weeks. What can I say? I simply do not understand how anyone can justify getting paid to relay – let alone forecast – something as unpredictable as the weather.

As for the continuing laughingstock that is the Republican race for the presidency, well, I honestly don’t know what to say. There’s not a single Republican candidate that I would trust to balance my checkbook (if I had one, that is) let alone tackle the many issues facing our country today. Sorry (not really), but none of them – not … a … single … one – seem to have any kind of empathy for your average American and if one should ascend to the presidency, I have a strong feeling that we, the middle class dregs of society, will be the ones to suffer.

The mega-rich corporations (not to mention those wealthy folks that make up the one percent), on the other hand, look to make out pretty good if that should happen. Just saying.

Personally, I’m sick and tired of politics, politicians and the upcoming presidential election already. And it’s only January. Which is not a good sign. If only there was a way I could alter time, speed up the harvest or teleport myself off this rock …

Too much Star Wars since I received Episodes IV, V and VI on Blue Ray for my birthday, I guess.

Brian Golden

Well, it’s certainly looking (and feeling) a lot more like winter out there, isn’t it? And here I was, just last week, bemoaning the unlikelihood of a white Christmas. I guess I should’ve kept my mouth shut, because this is not my idea of fun.

What can I say? For someone born and raised here in good-old Chenango County I have very little in the way of tolerance when it comes to freezing cold temperatures. And – if you hadn’t noticed – it’s freezing (and cold) out there.

Moving on … as is typically the case between the dates of December 26 and January 2, the newsroom is a bit … mellower … than normal. Thank goodness we have Progress 2012 to keep us busy, right? Regardless, I’m feeling confident at this point (deadline is only a hop, skip and jump away) and I’m looking forward to putting another Progress Chenango behind me.

Oh, and turning 35, as well. I’m looking forward to that, too. Unfortunately, Progress + birthday falling on day before Progress deadline + Progress deadline falling on Friday the 13th = scary and not a whole lot of fun.

Being the liberal-minded, Obama fan that I am, I must admit I’m thoroughly enjoying the scrambling, name-calling and all-in-all ridiculousness of the GOP presidential front-runners as the Iowa caucuses approach. Sorry, but one would think the Republican party could come up with at least one halfway decent candidate for the presidency. No offense, but this current group of GOP-ers – no joke – scare me half to death. In fact, they seem so out-of-whack in regards to the real problems facing most Americans that I truly wonder if they really even care. These days, it’s more about power, greed and money than it is about serving the general public … and that’s where things have gone wrong, wrong, wrong.

Watching the 2009 family science fiction adventure “Aliens In the Attic” with Renee and the kids the other night, I just had to laugh when both 12-year-old Jade and 8-year-old Blaine asked what that weird looking thing with the rotary dial and the handset was (a old-school, 1980’s type rotary phone). In fact, the entire conversation concerning communication in the days before the cell phone (let alone digital, cordless phone) was my inspiration for this week’s Evening Sun column. Kids are awesome.

And now, back to Progress. Must … focus …

Brian Golden

A preliminary warning to all you Scrooges out there … don’t read this blog. And before I continue, I feel truly sorry for all those who can’t take a moment to be thankful for what they have this holiday season. Believe it or not, there are a lot of people out there who have it a helluva lot worse and you should be grateful. Me? I have my health, a wonderful family and – more than anything else this year – I’m looking forward to a spectacular Christmas with my lady and the kids.

Well, it’s two days to Christmas and I’m proud to say my shopping is 99.9 percent done. Which is, in fact, a record of sorts for me. Simply put, this will be the first year I can ever remember that I won’t be shopping last-minute on Christmas Eve. Just a few more items to pick up this afternoon and then it’s all about family, relaxation and … eggnog! Unbelievably, I haven’t had a single glass of eggnog yet this year, which is both depressing and just wrong, to say the least.

And now … exciting new releases I was able to experience for the first time this week. Namely Ridley Scott’s “Alien” prequel-of-sorts, “Prometheus,” and Peter Jackson’s first installment of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit.” Both directors offered up trailers for their respective films this week and – even better – both are spaced out nicely. Scott’s sci-fi thriller will be in theaters this June (can’t wait), while Jackson’s furry-footed adventure will come to the big screen in December of 2012 (also can’t wait). Now if they’d only put together a film adaptation of Robert Jordan’s “Wheel of Time” novels, my life would be complete. Then again, I can’t see many actors wanting to sign-on for what would be – at the minimum – a series of ten or twelve, four hour-plus movies … but I can hope, right?

Anyway, back to Christmas. I must admit I’m a little boo-hoo about the lack of fluffy white stuff on the ground this year, but I’m holding out for a last minute miracle. It just doesn’t seem like the holiday proper without snow and that’s why I could never live down south year long. What can I say? I like my white Christmas. Once the New Year has come and gone, however, it can go straight to spring. I may be a tad sentimental when it comes to the holidays but I’m no glutton for punishment, okay?

And with that, a very Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holiday to all our Evening Sun readers. Next week we’ll be wrapping up 2011 (and I’ll be hip-deep in Progress Chenango) and then it’s on to bigger and better things in 2012. Here’s hoping that Santa Claus is good to everybody and don’t forget the milk and cookies!

Brian Golden

Ah, yes … Progress Chenango. Oh, how I’ve missed thee, let me count the waves. Indeed, yes, it’s Progress time once again here at The Evening Sun and I am knee-deep in the process of setting up interviews, typing madly as our January deadline approaches and – all-in-all – stressing. One would think, considering this is my third go-round with Progress, that I’d be numb to all the pain and suffering. Alas, I am not. It doesn’t matter, however. Progress never has (and never will) get the best of this intrepid journalist.

Who am I kidding … Progress will chew me up and spit me out before it’s all said and done. Such is life.

Chenango County Court has been a fairly busy place lately, what with Michael Victor’s sentencing (not to mention Pierce and Sabines day of reckoning). Hopefully, this type of thing sends a message to criminals and drug dealers across the county that … a) you will get caught and b) you will go to prison. A life of crime doesn’t pay, as they say, and unless you want to spend the next six, nine or even thirty-nine years in state prison, harken back to the wise words of E.T. (the extra-terrestrial) and “BE GOOD.”

And now, I take this moment to offer the dedicated reader out there this link to today’s column – “What’s up, Doc?” – in which I lament the quality (and cost) of healthcare in our fair nation.

Well, the Christmas shopping is almost done and I, for one, couldn’t be happier. And I must admit I did a much better job than in previous years in regards to that whole “waiting until the last minute” nonsense. Needless to say, I’m quite excited for this year’s holiday festivities and (most of all) I can’t wait to see the kids’ expressions when they open their gifts. Merry Christmas all!

Me? I’m hoping I’ll finally get that authentic Red Ryder B.B. Gun with a compass in the stock and “this thing which tells time.”

“You’ll shoot your eye out, kid!”

Brian Golden

Less than two weeks until Christmas and (no surprise here) I still have a ton of shopping to do. Then again, I’ve always been a wait-until-the-last-minute kind of holiday shopper so I’m sure everything will be just fine. And when you get right down to it, my lady Renee and I actually have a bit of a head start, so maybe it won’t be so bad this year after all.

Who am I kidding? I can practically guarantee I’ll be spending a ridiculous amount of time putting the finishing touches on my Christmas shopping right up until December 24th. You’d think I’d be used to it by now, right?

As for the here and now, the Norwich middle and high schools will hold their respective Winter Concerts this week – NHS on Tuesday … NMS on Wednesday – and I’m looking forward to checking out at least one performance, if not both. It’s always exciting checking out the new talent and – as I’ve come to expect – it’s sure to be a great pair of shows. These are some truly talented and hard-working kids, to say the least, and I hope both shows are well attended (in other words, get out there and support what continues to be an extremely successful music program here in Norwich).

On a personal note, I’m not sure why this cold refuses to go away, but I sincerely wish it would. What can I say? I’m getting pretty tired of all the coughing, hacking, headache-that-is-never-truly-gone and blowing of the nose. Typically, I’ll get sick maybe once a year and – even then – said sickness only lasts a day or two (or three … tops). Which is probably why this week-long-plus dose of punishment and suffering feels like it’s lasted for about a month already. Needless to say, a good night’s sleep would be great right about now.

Of course, staying up to watch the finale of the Giants game last night did little to help in the sleep department, but I can honestly say it was well worth it. Actually, now that I think about it, anytime I get to watch my beloved Big Blue put a beat-down on the Cowboys is worth it, no matter how sick I might be. As for you Dallas fans … well … I’d speak my mind if I could without getting myself in trouble. And don’t tell me you wouldn’t do the same if the game had turned out the other way around, because we all know better than that, don’t we?

As for the rest of the evening, it’s this month’s Norwich City School District Board of Education offering, which means my plans are – for the most part – set in stone. After that, however (depending on the length of tonight’s meeting), it’s Two and a Half Men (CBS), Diners, Drive-ins and Dives (Food Network) and, of course, the new Fear Factor (?), a show which I would gladly try out for if it weren’t for the whole eating-of-disgusting-stuff challenges. Jump out of an airplane? Sure. Surf the Interstate on the back of a tractor trailer? No problem. Eat a handful of live dung beetles? Nope … no way … no how.

Sorry, but a guy’s got to draw the line somewhere.

Brian Golden

Blues guitarist, singer and songwriter Jimmie Vaughan said it best, I think, when he penned the song “Six Strings Down,” which can be found on his 1994 album Strange Pleasure.

“Heaven done called … another blues stringer back home.”

Needless to say, I was saddened yesterday by the news of legendary blues guitar-slinger Hubert Sumlin’s death at the age of 80. Sumlin, guitarist for the equally legendary Howlin’ Wolf, was a huge influence on modern blues (and that’s putting it mildly), influencing the likes of Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Keith Richards and many others (including myself).

And that’s not to say the man didn’t lead a prolific life … he did (although the lack of a Grammy Award after four nominations says something about that particular awards committee). No, what’s sad is that there are so few of the “original” bluesmen left these days. Actually, when you get right down to it, Sumlin was more of a second generation bluesman. Any yet, that’s one of the reasons I’ve always loved the blues … there’s always another generation of musicians on hand to take the form in another direction, all the while preserving both its history and integrity.

With that said, rest in peace Mr. Sumlin. The musical legacy you leave behind will not soon be forgotten and I’m sure you’re in good company up there in blues heaven. And if you think of it, tell Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Albert King, Albert Collins, Freddie King, Robert Johnson, Jimi Hendrix, SRV and all the other guys I said hi.

Brian Golden

Thursday was – by far – my favorite day of the week growing up, for a number of reasons. When I was younger, it meant a new episode of The Cosby Show (a classic, to say the least), not to mention Cheers (another classic), which I was – every once in awhile – allowed to stay up and watch.

Needless to say, I had a much better grasp on the comedy of that particular series as I got older.

What I truly loved about Thursdays, however, was the opportunity I had – once I was old enough to stay home alone for a few hours – to kick back and enjoy the fact that I had the house to myself. On top of that, I was typically thrown $5 for a Doug’s Subs foot-long every week. And I’m not talking about the “new and improved” Doug’s Subs that moved to what was once the Two Sisters Cafe, I’m talking about the original Doug’s Subs, just south of that location. Don’t ask me why, but after they relocated, those wonderful submarine sandwiches just didn’t taste the same.

Those were the good old days, let me tell you. And it’s not that I didn’t enjoy spending time with my folks back then (because we certainly had our share of fun), I simply reveled in that three hours of freedom while my parents worked the Thursday night shift at McLaughlin’s.

It was a great time for imaginary games, of course (cowboys and Indians, zombie apocalypse, alien invasion … you know what I mean), and I had a blast re-arranging the furniture, thereby making it easier for me to jump over, around and on to. What can I say, when battling hordes of vicious aliens (or zombies), a guy needs some cover … right mom? Steve?

Obviously, things haven’t changed all that much in 20-plus years, except that now, instead of gunning down my imaginary adversaries, I write about them (I can just feel that first science fiction novel begging me for a chance to see the light of day).

Then again, some nights I would simply throw in a movie (VHS, of course), crank up the “surround sound” (back then, it was just a pair of stereo speakers … but they sounded great) and enjoy. My favorites? Back then? Well, I can honestly say most of those flicks are still some of the best (in my mind) … “Krull,” “Time Bandits,” “Transformers: The Movie,” “Howard the Duck” (that one almost hurts to admit) and any of the original Star Wars movies. Other times, it would be John Wayne, of course … “Big Jake,” “Rio Bravo,” “The Alamo” or “John Wayne and the Cowboys.”

Regardless, I have great memories of that time. It was – as our younger days always seem – much simpler back then. Not that I have any regrets … I don’t. Yet I must admit I find it humorous (in a sad way) to hear kids these days complain on how there’s “nothing to do.”

When I was their age, that was never a problem. In fact, the only issue we had back then was … why isn’t there more time to do it all?