OSCARS 2012==>big whoop!!

OK ... let’s get right to it ... and by it I mean last night’s Oscar 2012 ... which I can sum up with this statement ...

THE ARTIST, a slight black-and-white French movie that almost no one saw but beloved by cinema snobs won Best Picture==>big whoop!!

It was another circle-jerk by the Oscar voters in their vain attempt to separate their “art” from the perceived backwater tastes of their ticket-buying audiences.

And, how come it took longer to award the Best [whatever] Shorts than it did to award the Best Picture? Boring!!

Thought Billy Crystal did an adequate job, much better than the disaster last year.

I got back to PHC last night around 9:00 so I was able to watch most of the program and I have to say that a majority of that time the mute button was on and I was doing crossword puzzles.

Yeah, without a doubt my doubleheader was way more entertaining than this piece of donkey-dung ...

So ... why don’t we get right to Billi Pod’s report cards ... starting with ...

PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA @ Avery Fisher Hall==>A+.

The performance earns this high grade despite starting the program with the NY premiere of an atonal piece of dreck by someone named Steven Stucky.

This transgression was quickly corrected by violinist Hilary Hahn’s epic performance of Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 1. It was sublimely beautiful and that is putting it mildly.

The orchestra’s rendition of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 put the finishing touches on a wonderful afternoon’s entertainment.

When the concert was over it was way too cold for Billi Pod to walk all the way over to the Eastside for his evening’s entertainment event, so he took multiple subways instead. Had plenty of time for coffee and something sweet.

Then it was the second part of the doubleheader ...

NOW OR NEVER, exploring the musical career of writer/performer Peter Land==>A.

The show was extremely well written and performed and I learned a lot about Land’s star-studded career here in the US and in London. This was the final performance of his 3 weekend run.

Yes, Billi Pod’s Sunday entertainment doubleheader was indeed stellar, in my humble opinion.

This posting is a bit later than usual because I opted to get my errands and stuff done before sitting down in front of this ‘puter.

I am also getting into the mental countdown for my Thursday trip down to PFC aka Polk F**king County for my 60th High School Class Reunion. Will post more info tomorrow.

Tonight’s entertainment event is yet another classical music concert ...

8:00==>NATIONAL FESTIVAL CHORUS @ Carnegie Hall - “Works by Handel, Whitacre, Puccini, Prokovfiev, Dvorak and others.” (complimentary ticket)

This choral group usually does outstanding work, so I am looking forward to this evening.

So ... let me close with the following for your further thought and consideration ...

Think about it.

GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

ALEX-188

A Yankee Partial Season Ticket Holder’s Rant

OK, you are forewarned about what is going to happen in this posting ... but ... please take a deep breath and stay with me ... because Billi Pod needs to vent because he is really pissed off ...

A couple of weeks ago I got an email from my new Season Ticket Sales and Service Account Executive, Chelsea Duffy, advising me that shortly I would receive the renewal information for my 41-game season ticket package.

In response, I sent her an email advising that I was very very interested in moving my seat location, Section 212, row 5, seat 17, to a location underneath an overhang. And, yes ... I deliberately brought the “age-issue” into play. Whorish, yes ... but I did it ...

We later had a nice telephone conversation, leaving me with the definite impression that my request would be honored. That made me feel good although I didn’t like the idea of leaving the friends that I had developed over the past 3 seasons.

Well, the renewal package arrived Thursday and guess what ...

(1) The same seat location (with no explanation)

(2) An increase in ticket price from $70 to $80 per game.

(3) A Byzantine new ticket exchange policy that limits the number of exchanges and the games for which they may be exchanged. Plus, the exchange must take place at least 14 days before the date you want to change.

(4) No reference to post-season privileges. I assume it will be the same as last year, which was 1/2 of what it was originally, something we 41-gamers have been majorly pissed about.

The things that attracted me to the 41-game package in the first place were the generous exchange policy and the right to buy the same seat for all of the home post season games. Both of these privileges are now gone.

All of this harks back to my gut feelings from Day One in dealing with Yankee management==>they really don’t care about anyone with less than a full season ticket plan.

They know that for the most part we partial season ticket holders are pretty frugal with our expenditures at the games. For example ... I spend absolutely nothing at a game. I buy a bottle of water outside the stadium for $1.00 and bring it with me into the stadium.

Management would much rather have someone in my seat who is there for the first time, who will be buying beer and hot dogs and popcorn at horribly inflated prices.

Oh, management gives lip service to our “loyalty” but it is really just a bunch of bullshit ... they know it ... and we know it.

I decided to let several days pass before responding, so ... today I sent Chelsea an email detailing my disappointment and displeasure. Have not heard back from her but I feel that I probably will.

After walking around the apartment sucking my thumb for these several days I have concluded that unless my seat relocation request is honored, without making me jump through a bunch of hoops and stuff, I will not renew my 41-game season ticket package.

OK, now calm down a bit ... this does not mean I have stopped being a Yankee fan or that I will not be seeing games in the 2012 season. NO!!

I love the Yankee team, but ... I HATE Yankee Management.

It means I will see fewer games and will see them totally on my own terms. Once the season starts I will go out to the stadium to purchase individual game tickets (probably 4 or 5 games at a time), thereby saving the horrendous service fees for purchasing online. Remember, it ain’t a big deal for me to go from PHC to Yankee Stadium via subway.

Why am I posting this rant now? Well, because I want to and because it makes me feel a little better.

Is there a risk of "retaliation" from Management? Possibly.

Will keep you loyal and faithful readers advised.

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

ALEX-98

It’s Sunday Night==>Billi Pod Reports His Entertainment Stats for October

It is a nice Sunday evening in New York City and Billi Pod loves living in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World, and this is why ... stay with me ... OK? ... please ...

I will start this rather late posting by giving you loyal and faithful readers what you have been breathlessly anticipating==>Billi Pod’s entertainment stats for the past month ...

In checking my daily log (log, not diary - real guys don’t keep diaries) I find that during the month of October 2011 Billi Pod attended/saw/did the following:

3 Broadway shows (Chinglish; How To Succeed In Business Without Even Trying; and Man and Boy); 16 Off Broadway shows; 3 Classical music concerts (all New York Philharmonic); 1 movie (50/50); and, 1 Yankee post season game, which we lost

The Yankee’s 2011 season record for games attended by Billi Pod: 23 wins and 19 losses - not good, in fact, very barfy. He will, however, renew his 41-game season ticket package.

Billi Pod was able to spend quality time with several of his AA buddies (you know who you are) and with John Scott Reed.

Of course the downside for the month was losing my dear friend Gil Goshorn of Gainesville. I went down to Gainesville to be with Gil’s wife, Linda, and their family and friends.

During the month there were 5 days/nights that Billi Pod stayed in without attending some entertainment event, each as a direct result of the baseball post season and/or the weather.

Billi Pod was also out of town for 3 nights during the month, which includes part of his trip down to Florida.

Another interesting group of stats - during the month there were 1,732 blog page views and I posted to the blog 28 times.

I think these are pretty awesome stats, and they reflect the reason why I live here, but, as always, it is up to you loyal and faithful readers, because ...

I report - you decide.

Now, on to other things ... like ...

Billi Pod’s report card on last night’s CHILDREN by A. R. Gurney - “A wealthy family is celebrating the Fourth of July in their summer home off the coast of New England, when an estranged son unexpectedly arrives.”

The grade is==>B<==wanted to like it much more but it was yet another dysfunctional family comedy/drama filled with the usual clichés - family secrets, too much booze, overbearing father-figure, anger, yelling etc etc etc.

The 4 member cast is excellent, however, especially the woman who plays the family matriarch.

Having said this==>It is worth seeing.

What can I say about the GATOR/GAMECOCKS Game? Well, about the only thing is==>Thank God Coach Muskrat didn’t embarrass us again on national TV.

Hopefully we can get a win next week against Ferment University, to prepare ourselves for the final ass-kicking game of the season against Half Ass U. That one ain’t gonna be nice folks, trust me on this.

Billi Pod had a wonderful time this afternoon at his entertainment event ...

2:00==>NEW ENGLAND SYMPHONIC ENSEMBLE AND CHORUS @ Carnegie Hall - “Works by: Haydn, Ray, Wilberg and Hanson.” Comp. ticket

My comp. seat was in The Dress Circle which is the second level above the orchestra seating. I was in the first row, aisle seat, middle section. Awesome.

Going in I had toyed with the idea of just staying for the first half and then heading out to a movie, but ... the first half was really excellent, with a small chorus and a lone piano ... so ...

I decided to stay and I am sooooooooo glad I did because as good as the first half was ... the second half doubled it. There was a full orchestra and a 170+ person chorus. The sound was awesome.

It was 4:00pm when the concert was over. I felt really good. The weather was clear but just a bit brisk. Billi Pod decided to walk back to PHC, a distance of about 1 1/2 miles. It felt nice.

Have had my usual afternoon fruit and cheese plate, although a bit later than usual, and have been working on this posting for you.

So, my loyal and faithful readers, I will post this somewhat tardy posting and then settle in to watch some football. Both the Giants and the Jets games are going to be on.

Hope all of you Worker Bees had a great weekend. Please remember to go to bed early and set your alarms for not later than 6:00am so you can be at your desks/cubicles at the required 8:00am beginning-of-work time. It Is So Ordered!!

GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

ALEX-81

Kinda Strange Day So Far ....

Ever had one of those days when things just don’t go completely right?

You know what I mean ... one of those days when things aren’t 100% wrong but one of those days where things keep getting stranger and stranger as the day wears on. What am I talking about? Well ... here’s what I mean ...

The morning in The Big Apple was really strange looking ... hazy and foggy ... but also very bright. The temperature was OK ... but it was just ... very very strange looking. It has cleared up a bit as I write this posting around 2:00pm.

I finally got around to contacting my trusty and highly professional travel agent, Blanche Bryant, to make my plans for my sojourn down to Columbia, SC, to spend Christmas with family. I knew that the fares were going to be high, but ...

OMFG!! ... the airlines have stuck it to us holiday travelers yet again with fewer flights and higher fares and the frustrating thing is ... ain’t nothing we can do about it, is there?

Then ... after getting off the phone with Blanche I began writing this post and was about 90% finished when I decided to go online and check the offerings on my various ticket services. As I was bouncing around between various websites I accidentally deleted the draft of my blog posting ... damn ... and double damn ...

So, I had to start all over again ... and this is it ...

Don’t know what else is down the line because Billi Pod really feels kinda out-of-sync.

Anyway ...

Billi Pod really enjoyed last night’s ALL-AMERICAN, especially the young guy playing the nerd/geek/outcast twin brother.

It is yet another show about a highly dysfunctional family, but, happily, each member ultimately reveals some indications of redeeming qualities.

I have to say that the young actress portraying the starting quarterback on the best high school football team in California was way too fragile looking to be believable. Not a major problem ... jus sayin’

The show clocks in at 90 minutes, without intermission, but I had no problem remaining focused.

Billi Pod’s report card==>B+<==definitely a “see-this” show.

Tonight's entertainment event is ...

8:00==>LOBBY HERO - “Drama, comedy and romance collide in the lobby of a Manhattan high-rise apartment building when a hapless security guard gets caught in a power struggle between his boss and two police officers investigating a murder.” (Off Broadway - $9.00 TDF ticket)

The play is written by Kenneth Lonergan and I like his work. I saw the original production several years ago and really enjoyed it. I had several other options for tonight, of course, but this show won out.

My theater-nut buddy, Dian Crystal, has given the show a thumbs-up ... so ...

We shall see ... moving on ... with ...

AWESOME!! Billi Pod’s entertainment schedule for the next 13 days has only one open date. Yes, I have already booked almost everything. I will post the details now for the edification of you loyal and faithful readers out there in the hinterlands ...

Thursday (Nov. 10) - 8:00==>LOBBY HERO (Off Broadway - $9.00 TDF ticket)

Friday - 9:00==>QUEEN OF THE MIST (Off Broadway - discounted ticket)

Saturday - noon==>GATORS/SO. CAROLINA (CBS)

8:00==>CHILDREN (Off Broadway - discounted TDF ticket)

Sunday - 2:00==>NEW ENGLAND SYMPHONIC ENSEMBLE AND CHORUS @ Carnegie Hall (complimentary ticket)

Monday - 8:00==>LYSISTRATA JONES (Broadway - discounted TDF ticket)

Tuesday - 7:30==>NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC @ Avery Fisher Hall (subscription series)

Wednesday - 8:00==>BONNY & CLYDE (Broadway - discounted TDF ticket)

Thursday - 8:00==>THE ABSENCE OF MEMORY (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

Friday - gasp ... open at the moment

Saturday - 2:00==>THE AGONY AND THE ECSTACY OF STEVE JOBS (Off Broadway - discounted TDF ticket)

Sunday - 3:00==>TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (Off Broadway - $9.00 TDF ticket)

Monday - 7:30==>IRON CURTAIN (Off Broadway - discounted TDF ticket)

Tuesday (Nov. 22) - 7:30==>NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC @ Avery Fisher Hall (subscription series)

Yep ... this is why I love living in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World.

GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

ALEX-78

We Are Still Here

Well, guess what==>it didn’t end==>we are all still here!!!

Yep, at 6:00pm on the East Coast as the new day of Friday, October 21, 2011 was breaking in other parts of the World, it didn’t end. Christian broadcaster and so-called “Prophet” Harold Camping was wrong yet again.

Last time he was wrong, on May 21st, he had a stroke afterwards. I wonder what’s gonna happen to him this time?

You know, Harold, maybe you will finally understand that The Good Book says that no one, meaning ... no one ... meaning ... NO ONE ... is gonna know when The Old Man In The Sky decides to pull the plug ... so ... how about keeping your mouth shut in the future, OK?

Anyway ... moving on to other things ...

Last night’s LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA concert @ Avery Fisher Hall was excellent - a great evening.

There were no OWS protesters, either before or after the concert. One reason, I guess, was because the weather was really nasty.

I was very surprised at the number of empty seats at this concert by a internationally renowned orchestra lead by Sir Colin Davis, one of the icons of classical music.

I also learned that there were comp. tixs being offered on several of my ticket services. Make no mistake about it folks, the damaged economy is really hurting the classical music entertainment field.

It is early evening as I write this delayed posting. Had thought about catching a movie, but have decided to just stay in and watch Game Two of The World Series.

Hey, out there ... don’t be judgmental ... remember that Billi Pod is a mega-baseball fan.

GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

ALEX-57

Worker Bees==>Beware The Wrath of Billi Pod!!

Yes, my loyal and faithful readers, Friday’s entertainment doubleheader packed a punch, without a doubt. The only downside was the steady flow of snarky emails, posts and texts from my Worker Bee “friends” who were in their usual jealousy/envy modality.

Hey guys/gals==>just accept the fact that you are and forevermore will be WORKER BEES. It is your fate in life, so just deal with it.

You don’t want to have Billi Pod come after you and bitch slap you ... remember ... he knows who you are and where you live/work ... you are so warned ... especially the following who are on the borderline of incurring the Wrath of Billi Pod ...

Worker Bee #1 - whose name rhymes with==>Peed;

Worker Bee #2 - whose name rhymes with==>Beers;

Worker Bee #3 - whose name rhymes with==>Cypher; and

Worker Bee #4 - whose name rhymes with==>Bris

Anyway ... now about the shows ...

SAY GOODNIGHT GRACIE was informative and very well performed. It clocked in at 75 minutes, without intermission.

Billi Pod’s report card==>A. See it.

But ...

It is playing at the St. Luke’s Theatre on W. 46th Street, one of my least favorite venues because the box office manager there is a flaming asshole who alienates everyone he comes in contact with. One of these days someone, maybe even Billi Pod, is gonna deck him, thereby winning thunderous applause from everyone.

Damn, doesn’t it sound like I am in a bitchy mood this morning? I’m really not, but it certainly looks like it doesn’t it?

Oh, do you loyal and faithful readers understand that Billi Pod thinks the box office guy is an ASSHOLE? Just wanted to make sure.

Anyway, then there was last night’s ...

THE BUS. It is provocative, hair-raising and features a stellar cast, especially the 3 younger performers. It is - small town, big church and lots of secrets. Billi Pod’s report card==>A+

It is playing in Theater C, the smallest venue at the 59th Street Theaters, so the audience really feels the emotions on the stage.

To my NYC theater friends==>folks, you gotta see this show. If you do, keep an open mind until the very last scene. Things aren’t as they originally seem.

This afternoon Billi Pod is seeing a show that is part of the New York Musical Festival (NYMF)...

4:30==>BLOOD (BY THE MUMMERS) - “Birnam High School is a hotbed of supernatural bloodshed and rest assured, blood will spill on the righteous and the damned alike.” (NY Musical Festival - discounted TDF ticket)

Then, back to PHC for ...

7:00==>GATORS/AUBURN TIGERS on ESPN.

Hopefully Tiger blood will spill. As I have posted earlier - I have a bad feeling in my gut about this game.

GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

ALEX-52

The Season Ended With A Whimper

Well, my loyal and faithful readers, this will be shorter than usual (hold the f**ing applause ... Billi Pod knows who you are and ... where you live) because Billi Pod is still reeling from the abrupt end to the Yankee season last night at the hands of the Tigers.

Yes, the Fat Lady sang last night and our season ended with yet another A-Rod strike out. He had a terrible game, going 0-4, striking out 3 times, once with the bases loaded and then to end the game and the season.

Once again we couldn’t get hits when it counted. It was an extremely difficult game to watch, trust me on this.

When the final out was made the sold-out crowd was stunned, to put it mildly. We had witnessed a promising season end with a whimper. It was also, in all likelihood, Jorge Posada’s last game in pinstripes.

The subway back into Manhattan was crammed but eerily silent. It was 12:45am when I opened the door to PHC and began processing the fact that I had invested a lot of time, money and energy into this season, and now ... it was all over ... and ... WTF ... we hadn’t advanced past the first playoff round for the second season in a row ... WTF!!

When I woke up this morning I have to admit that I was, and still am, in a blue funk.

In the name of fair and unbiased reporting Billi Pod has to share with you loyal and faithful readers out there in the vast hinterlands the following story lines in the local papers ...

A-ROD DOWN, YANKEES OUT - Alex goes woe-for-4 as Tigers dance on - The Daily News

‘K’PUT - Tiger pitchers send whiffing Yanks packing - NY Post

EXITING OCTOBER - Tigers Get Two First-Inning Homers; Yankees Can’t Get Big Hit - New York Times

If and when I get into the mood to post this, I will spend a lot of time today scheduling entertainment events to fill the “Yankees Suck” void in my upcoming calendar.

Oh well ... moving on ... I guess ...

Billi Pod’s entertainment event for tonight is ...

7:30==>SONS OF THE PROPHET - “If to live is to suffer, then Joseph Douaihy is more alive than most. With unexplained chronic pain and the fate of his reeling family on his shoulders, Joseph's health, sanity, and insurance premium are on the line.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

Several friends, including John Scott Reed, have recommended this so-called “dark-comedy.” They better be right because it certainly doesn’t sound very funny to me.

Enough ...

GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

ALEX-44

Billi Pod Is Pissed Off With Billi Pod!!

Yes, Billi Pod is pissed off with himself. Why? Well ... listen up ...

Yesterday, a few minutes after 7:00pm, as Billi Pod was about to walk out of PHC to head out to Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed And Ego Built, he received a text message from a season ticket buddy who was already at the Stadium. The guy said it was pouring and that the game, if played, would be delayed at least 2 hours.

Billi Pod immediately went to the tube and the announcers on YES were doing their pregame under umbrellas and opining that we would be lucky to get the game in due to the predicted non-stop rain. Of course, the tarp was on covering the infield.

Billi Pod took a deep breath and decided that he would stay in. The key factors in this decision were that, as you loyal and faithful readers know, his seat is out in the open and unprotected from the elements, and he knew that the game was a total sell out, meaning no seats would be available beneath an overhang.

So Billi Pod took another deep breath and settled in to watch the 8:00pm GATORS/’BAMA game on CBS. When the Gators scored on the first play of the game Billi Pod knew he had made the right decision, but ...

At 8:30 he switched to TBS to get an update on the status of The Yankee game and was shocked ... and I do indeed mean ... shocked ... to find out that the game was about to begin. The tarp was off. No rain.

OMFG!! Friday they had predicted no rain and==>rain. Saturday they predicted rain and==>no rain. WTF!! Well, nothing he could do because the decision had been made and he had to live with it ...

As you know, it turned out to be a lousy decision because The Gators suffered an ass-whipping, losing to ‘Bama 10-38. Our defense could not contain their running game led by Trent Richardson, who was a human tank.

Our QB, John Brantley, left the game just before halftime with a leg injury. As I post this his status unknown.

It was extremely frustrating toggling between the two games. It highlighted the difference in the pace between the two sports.

The Yankees won the “suspended” game 9-3 behind an excellent performance from rookie Ivan Nova and the bat of Robby Cano, who hit a grand slam in the 6th inning.

As stated earlier, in the name of fair and unbiased reporting, Billi Pod must admit that he is still pissed off with himself over his decision not to head out to the stadium. Had he done so he would have been a part of an exciting victory and missed the horror of witnessing the Gator’s destruction in The Swamp in the second half of the game.

Mea Culpa ... Mea Culpa ... Billi Pod is sorry, GeorgeS, up there in your skybox in the heavens ... Billi Pod begs your forgiveness ... Mea Culpa ... Mea Culpa ...

Anyway ...

This afternoon @ 3:07 is Game 2, with Freddy Garcia on the mound. This was supposed to be a travel day but the bad weather on Friday took care of that. Unfortunately, this year my season ticket package did not include this game, so Billi Pod will be in front of the tube. The weather is excellent.

Tonight I probably will catch a movie, either MONEY BALL or 50/50.

GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

ALEX-39