Aviously

Because, aviously…

Ahead of Sunday’s home opener which I will be going to (and likely talking about next week), New York City Football Club (NYCFC) held media day at the stadium. A chance to meet some of the players, as well as the coach and sporting director.

Thanks to Fox Business I was able to tag along to the event for a preview of the team.

So out I headed to “The House That Jeter Built” in The Bronx, for an early glimpse at what’s to come…unfortunately the field was closed to the press (although some sneaky reporters did go through to see the surprisingly unfinished product).

01 Stadium Collage

For the first time I entered The Stadium through the press gate and got a neat little press pass.

04 Press Pass

At the actual event I wasn’t able to take pictures with any of the players…but you can be sure that I took pictures OF them, as well as chatted with a few of them. The players and coach were all very down-to-earth and gearing up for Sunday’s home opener.

Player Collage

1. Chris Wingert — 2. Josh Saunders — 3. Ned Grabavoy — 4. Sebastian Velasquez — 5. Jason Hernandez — 6. Claudio Reyna — 7. David Villa — 8. Mix Diskerud — 9. Jason Kreis

As we left the Stadium I was able to grab autographs from a few players on an NYCFC soccer ball that I had bought.

Signature Collage

Mix — Villa 7 — Sebastian Velasquez 26

Here’s to hoping for a great game on Sunday!

Matchmaker, Matchmaker
Make me a match
Find me a find
Catch me a catch

Matchmaker, Matchmaker
Why do you offer to others
Yet look right past me

Matchmaker, Matchmaker
You ask my opinion on your matches
Yet forget that I am there too

Matchmaker, Matchmaker
Look out for those closest
As your supporters are your biggest allies
Yet dissenters can be harmful

Matchmaker, Matchmaker
Overlooking can be hurtful
Right in front of your eyes
Yet far from your mind

Apple unveiled their iWatch yesterday *yawn*.

I remember when I used to watch the Apple Conferences and announcements with excitement, waiting to see what new device and technology they were going to roll out.

From the iPods to the iPads, their were some pretty cool devices, and advancements in technology. But that has long gone out the window.

The latest iPhone was years behind Android….yesterday they announced Apple TV advancements…and by advancements I mean “they lowered the price of their old one and didn’t come out with a new one”, as it continues to fall behind the Amazon Fire TV, Roku, and even Chromecast.

And of course the big one for the day, the one everyone was waiting on, the Apple iWatch. Coming years behind Android Wear watches rolled out, and half a year after my favorite (the Moto 360) came out.

apple-iwatch-004

But with the announcements yesterday, there are two points that needs to be focused on:

  • The Price: The base model is $349 with the “Sport Edition” at $399 — This is $100 more expensive then the Moto 360, and equivalent to some of the higher end Samsung models —— It is also the same price as some of the iPads…are we at the point where the simple smart watch costs as much as a tablet?
  • Weight: One of the things I was worried about with my watch was “Size” and “Weight”, because if you’ll have it on your wrist all day you’d like it to be comfortable.
    They didn’t yet announce the weight of the standard watch…yet the sports edition will be “30% lighter”.
    This to me translates as: Standard will be at least 30% too heavy…with the 360, the cheaper it was, the lighter it was…as the weight came from metal vs. leather.

Good luck Apple, and all you Apple $$$ wasters. Here is yet another product behind in times, and overpriced.

And don’t even get me started on the “new Macbook”.

NYCFC (New York City Football Club) will be kicking off a brand new franchise this Sunday in Orlando, followed by next Sunday being the historic home opener!

 

This is a friendly reminder that I have tickets available! So feel free to email me for more info! (Or check that tab on the left 😉 )

Today is indeed a Jewish holiday, but if you ever aren’t sure you can check on that HERE!!!!
<isitajewishholidaytoday.com>

This year, with snow in the Purim forecast, my costume is perfect for it 🙂

IMG_20150302_183211474

My Mishloach Manos is themed as well:

IMG_20150302_183243079 IMG_20150302_183249996 IMG_20150302_183500771

Happy Purim everyone!!!

Kelly Clarkson seems to have taken a few years hiatus from standard music, taking the last few years to put out a Greatest Hits and a Christmas album.

But piece by piece, this new album by Kelly makes us remember why she was the 1st American Idol winner 13 years ago.

Starting off the album reminds us something that Kelly seems to have forgotten as well: How to enjoy her music: “Been so long I forgot how to turn it up” rings the opening lyrics to Heartbeat Song.

So this is my apology
For saying all those shitty things
I wish I didn’t really mean
I’m sorry I’m not sorry

-lyrices from Someone

Kelly works with numerous artists on this album, including Sia and John Legend, regardless what Twitter may have said…

This album helps “Reveal the things that we’re tryna hide” (War Paint) and “Don’t be sad that it’s over” (Nostalgic), just hit repeat!

Overall I am thrilled with Kelly’s return, adding her album to my collection, and giving it a solid 9 out of 10.

set_kelly_clarkson_piece_by_piece_album

Today is the best day of the year to be on Twitter.

It is the NHL Trade Deadline today, which always features a flurry of last second trades, and Twitter is the best place to stay on top of them.

From fake accounts of NHL insiders (Will the real Bob McKenzie please stand up?), to last minute head fakes (Iginla to Boston?), literally anything can happen as the deadline approaches (and even for a little bit after).

Last year I was glued to my phone in the waning minutes, and I am certain this year won’t be any different as teams try to solidify their rosters as they make playoff/championship runs.

It’s gonna be a great day for social media 🙂

nhl_twitter_logo

The Last Man On Earth is an upcoming show on FOX starring Will Forte.

The show takes places 2+ years after “The Virus” has cleaned out America, and Phil Miller has finished roaming the United States in search for other life.
He has crossed out 50 States, leaving “Alive In Tuscon” spray painted across the country, just in case someone is still out there.

He has picked up knickknacks from all over, Presidential seals to Paintings, disobeying all laws, as their is no one around to say otherwise.

That is until Episode 2 when the all-proper, ever-law obeying, Carol (Kristen Schaal) shows up, and forces him to start playing by the rules. Stopping for stop signs, not taking the “Handicap Parking Spots”, and cleaning up after himself.

The show has some minor potential, but it is very minor at this point, as they try to repopulate the world…and overall it is a 4 out of 10.

lastmanonearth_poster_whole

Last night brought a joyous end to Parks & Recreation, and through it all Mayor Gary was told to “Have some dignity” (Tom).

The show was full of flash-forward in which we see where everyone is holding in the future…as if the Season taking place in 2017 wasn’t future enough!

  • Donna —– 2023 —– Living in Seattle, with her husband, as a highly successful real estate agent. Together with April she starts “Teach ‘Yo Self” a program to help bring math programs back to schools.
  • Craig —– 2019 —– An amazing singer, getting married, and being brought down to a calming level (or at least trying to be)
  • April & Andy —– 2022 —– Living in D.C. — Andy wants kids, but April is worried about bringing demon babies into this world. After a talk with Leslie and Ben they decide to go for it, and on Halloween 2023 they give birth to little “Burt Snakehold Ludgate Karate Dracula Macklin Domon Jack-o’-Lantern Dwyer” or ‘Jack’ for short.
  • Jean-Ralphio —– 2022 — Running insurance scams, including faking his own death (and having “Bend Over by Lil John” playing at his funeral) to get the money to open a casino in Tajikistan with his sister.
  • Tom —– 2019 —– Working on a 20-city expansion on Tom’s Bistro, until the markets crash and he loses everything (as seen in the self-made documentary “Gone Wrong”. He’s still with Lucy, and goes on to write a best-selling book “Failure – An American Success Story” featuring all the “types of people you can be”, which are of course based off his friends.
  • Garry —– Mayor for a few weeks, before actually being elected in a large write-in vote. He continues to be a 10X Mayor of Pawnee, and dies on his 100th birthday, with his wife still looking amazing. At his funeral they give him the ultimate notary honor of a 21-stamp salute. And of course they spell his name wrong on his tombstone.
  • Ron —– 2022 —– Retires from Very Good Building and Development Co. He goes out and diversifies his portfolio by becoming a 51% investor in the Lagavulin Distillery. He is then appointed Superintendent of Gryzzl sponsored Pawnee National Park, and you seem him sailing across a lake on his “Lucky Boy” canoe, with a huge smile on his face…which is a great sight for Ronald Ulysses Swanson.
  • Leslie & Ben —– 2025 —– Washington D.C. —– Playing charades with Joe Biden, both are approached to run for Governor of Indiana, against one another…so they do the only thing they can think of: Go back to Pawnee for a giant reunion with everyone, including the Beautiful Mermaid Ann.
    And of course Leslie and Ann have plans for their kids to fall in love with each other…
  • 2035 —– 2-term Governor Leslie Knope is presented an honorary degree at Indiana University, and they name the library after her.

All in all, this was a great finale for an even greater show…the episode gets a 10 out of 10 for a show that is easily at least an Overall 9 out of 10.

parks-and-rec

Whenever a disaster happens, people tend to start giving to charities again…and now with all the cold weather I heard reports last week of an increase in the usage of Red Cross and how they were requesting donations and funding.

Me, well I refuse to give to the Red Cross and rightfully so. The story goes like this:

November 2005. Awoken at 1AM to the smell of smoke, the noise of detectors, and the sounds of fire engines. There is a fire in the downstairs apartment.

Thankfully everyone gets out okay, and the fire + water damage is contained to mostly one room. But the house is filled with smoke on a cold night in November, and the electricity has been turned off by the FDNY.

The Red Cross shows up, and offers the tenants a place to stay for the night, since the fire happened in their apartment.

When we walk up to the Red Cross agent on the scene, the response was: Well, since the fire wasn’t in your apartment, we can’t help you.

Well Red Cross…we can’t help you either.

And one day, when I am rich, whether via Lottery winnings or hard work, I won’t forget you Red Cross and all the greatness and caring you do for those right here at home in America.