Sunday Morning Coffee — December 9, 2018 — The Morning Chill and Other Stuff
Damn, it’s cold in the desert.
Vegas daytime temps have been in the high 40’s and low 50’s most of the past week. Overnight we dip into the 30’s. I woke up Friday morning and said to Andi, “Baby, it’s cold outside.” I immediately apologized for my insensitivity.
I’m disappointed Michael Avenatti dropped out of the ‘20 Presidential derby. That would have been fun.
Not a real fan of the circumstances that create a State funeral, but I have a hard time thinking any country can do one better than we do. Last week’s tribute to President Bush was magnificent.
I would have loved to spend fifteen minutes with George41 during his later years.
Funny line from Stephen Colbert, who said President Trump is the only one who can show up at a funeral and actually brings things down.
If you haven’t seen the niche film The Green Book, do yourself a favor and catch it. You won’t be disappointed.
I’ve never experienced reserved seating in a movie theater before arriving in Nevada. I’m still not sure if I like it or not.
For two football seasons, 2015 and 2016, UAB — the University of Alabama-Birmingham — was flagged for having too few players on the field. In fact, they had none as the school’s administration shut down the football program. An unprecedented, incredible story of community fortitude raised the funds and interest to bring the program back to life in 2017. And as good a story as Alabama’s come-from-behind-win against Georgia was last Saturday winning the SEC championship, an even bigger one was at the urban university fifty miles east of Tuscaloosa. UAB won the Conference USA championship as, poetically, Middle Tennessee State was penalized for having too many players on the field which allowed UAB to run out the clock. It was a great day for football in the state.
And parents: if your kid or grandkid is looking for a role model don’t look any further than University of Alabama student/athlete Jalen Hurts. A class act on the field and in life.
Playboy magazine qualifies for Medicare this month. Whatever happened to Joey Heatherton?
Michael Douglas, who’s terrific in anything he does, and Alan Arkin are a wonderful duo in Netflix’s new The Kominsky Method, a breezy thirty minute comedy that’s worth a look.
Never have been a big sauna guy, as was my dad — but Jeff Marth, my personal trainer, is a believer and preaches that not only does it relieve the toxins in your body, but has been proven to help deter the onset of Alzheimer’s. I now sit and sweat for fifteen long minutes, five days a week. I kinda like it.
Last Thursday morning I walked around the house for probably forty-five seconds looking for my gym shorts. I was wearing them. I now stay in the sauna for twenty minutes.
Boxing has become almost as obsolete as a Swanson’s TV dinner and the heavyweight division, without an American champion, beats as lifeless as a world without Duncan yo-yo’s. However last Saturday night there was an incredibly enjoyable World Boxing Council title fight in LA between unbeaten American champion Deontay Wilder and the UK’s Tyson Fury, also undefeated and certifiably nuts. From my seat Fury won the fight but the judges called it a draw to set up what will be a much-in-demand rematch. Vegas sports books report more money was wagered on the fight than any of the college football conference championship games that same day. Maybe there’s hope for a rock-the-baby and walk-the-dog resurrection after all.
The National Center for Health Statistics reports for the first time in fifty-five years the life expectancy for U.S. residents has declined for the second year in a row. In 2018 the overall life expectancy was 78.6 years, down from 78.7 in 2017. The decline was mainly driven by an increase in opioid-related drug deaths. As we get older that number becomes very sobering. Statistically, my over/under would be twelve more years.
Japan at 84.1 and Switzerland at 83.7 are number one and two in the world in average lifespan. That means in eleven years, 2029, I will send you my new address in Tokyo.
And finally words to live by from Eamon Springall, the very successful proprietor of STITCHED clothiers in Las Vegas, DC and Miami: “Successful people who don’t give back are failures.”
Let tonight’s final Hanukkah candle burn the brightest.