I have a knife that my Grandpa made by hand in his younger years. I wish there were more people around who took that kind of passion in their work that the elders of past generations did...who could fabricate a part that's broken instead of taking it to the shop or ordering a part. Manual labor at it's finest. Very few people take pride in their work anymore from what I've seen...people mostly have desk jobs that they just go to for a paycheck. Just imagine all those guys working in the Ford and Chevy plants in MI way back in the 50's who can remember bolting the steering column onto the very first Corvette...what they must've felt that day. Or those very few who built their own house. Goddamn, that must have been an awesome feeling.
One of my dearest possessions is a custom knife my dad had made for me for my first deer hunt with him. I think I was 16. It's nothing special, but it was hand made by someone who is now a friend of the family. Part of the deal was that I got to watch him do the last day's worth of work on it in his little shop behind his house, and he taught me how to sharpen and hone it, and made me practice and prove that I could do those things before he let me leave with it. I quite like the fact that every animal I've field dressed has been with that knife.
Yeah, but my grandparents did that sort of shit a) so they wouldn't have to live in post-war Europe, b) so that I wouldn't have to live in post-war Europe, and c) so that I wouldn't have to do that sort of shit. Worked out well enough, all things considered. I am also highly tickled by two pilot officers sitting around bullshitting about the finer points of an honest day's manual labour. Now if only Mr. Diablo were in the Air Force and not the Marines, and this joke might actually work.
Anyone know if DixieBandit's on the chain gang yet? Saw these videos, thought of him... And is it wrong that I lust after a 78 Flaming Chicken?
I've never kept a knife long enough (or had one worth keeping that long), but is it getting smaller at all from all the years of sharpening? I'd imagine that after a long enough time, you'd grind off enough metal that it would shrink.
Not really. I think I've had it properly ground/sharpened twice, and I only use a wet stone and leather strap on it to keep the edge probably 5 times a year. It's not like I use it daily and the metal is of a very high quality, so while it's not brittle, it keeps an awesomely sharp edge on it. One sharp enough that you could shave with it, if you wanted to. It's also a pretty beefy knife, so it's got some half decent weight to it. I also never abuse it, and take good care of it. I'm sure it'll outlast me, assuming I don't lose it or something stupid like that.
So I just spent 45 minutes on Wikipedia and Youtube, trying to glean some sort of understanding about cricket. I can safely say that if somebody asked me tomorrow to join them in a game of cricket, I would still have no idea what the fuck is going on.
Seriously? It's not that different to baseball. Someone throws a ball at you, you hit it and you run. Someone catches it you're out. Hit it far enough and the running concept doesn't matter as much
That's your understanding of cricket? That's like saying NFL is just throw the ball, run, catch it and keep going until the end. Basically true, but so over generalised as to be completely useless. 45 minutes will not get you a decent understanding of cricket. It's one of the, if not the, most statistically heavy sports in the world. Even having someone sit down and explain it to you takes a decent amount of time. Sometimes I think baseball was invented for people who couldn't be assed getting their head around cricket.... and if true, I wouldn't blame them. I mean, come on, the game has terminology like silly mid off, fine leg, googly, cover drive, slips and night watchman.
And also. Tea break. Other reason why cricket is impenetrable to north americans is that the players are supposed to be gentlemanly on the field, letting the umpire know if they were out and such before they even have to call it.
It's a very basic understanding, but at least it can be expanded on from there. Was just trying to make it as simple as possible. And for it being a gentleman's sport. Try saying that when the Aussies and India play
Hahhahahah... you can't make cricket simple. That's just not cricket (completely culture specific in-joke). It's supposed to be a gentlemanly game. When it became professional, that started to go out the door - like in most sports. "Sledging" is now an honoured tradition whereby you drop shit on anybody you can. When a batsman can be out there for hours upon hours, concentration and focus are key. If you can break that, you get the advantage. Sometimes it backfires and the comebacks are better than the initial digs. It's an undervalued art form. Some of my favourites: Spoiler - Ricky Ponting & Shaun Pollock - After a couple of balls going straight past Ponting, Pollock told Ponting: "It's red, round & weighs about 5 ounces." Unfortunately for Pollock, the next ball was hammered out of the ground. Ponting to Pollock: "You know what it looks like, now go find it." - Merv Hughes & Viv Richards - During a match in the West Indies, Hughes (bowling) didn't say a word to Viv, but continued to stare at him after every ball. Viv said, "This is my island, my culture. Don’t you be staring at me. In my culture we just bowl." Merv didn't reply, but after he dismissed him he announced to the batsman: "In my culture we just say fuck off." - Robin Smith & Merv Hughes - During a famous match in England, Hughes said to Smith after he missed the ball: "You can't fucking bat". Smith to Hughes after he smacked him to the boundary - "Hey Merv, we make a fine pair. I can’t fucking bat & you can't fucking bowl. - Ian Healy (wicket keeping.... think catcher in baseball) to Arjuna Ranatunga when he called for a runner on a particularly hot night during a match in Sydney... "You don’t get a runner for being an overweight, unfit, fat cunt!!!" This was picked up on the audio feed on television. - And classic, but simple. Rod Marsh & Ian Botham - When Botham went into bat in a match, Marsh welcomed him to the wicket with the immortal words: "So how's your wife & my kids?"
Honestly, I've been making such efforts occasionally for years. Nothing. Nada. That game is completely and utterly inscrutable to anyone outside the Commonwealth, and even most Canadians don't know what the fuck is going on with that. I'm sorry, but the entire sport has the air of a silly Monty Python sketch. Wickets? Night watchmen? Googly? This game is just ridiculously silly.
Maybe there should be an "ask somebody who knows about cricket" thread so someone can educate those poor souls who don't know cricket. I believe that one of the problems with the game is that often even if you learn the rules, you might not like the sport. I feel that is a sport that you only really get after watching many, many tests.
It's a beautiful sport, it really is. I'd say the reason most people outside the Commonwealth don't or can't understand it is because they don't show it on TV outside those places. Seriously, watch a televised match and I'm sure you'd get what's going on. Obviously, you'd have to learn the more niche rules (leg-before-wicket, etc.) as they come up.
Cheers, Thanks for not banning me when I was a total dipshit, Chater. Glad to be here though. Time for presents! NSFW Happy Birthday!
Fuck me. The whiskey is calling right now. Unfortunately, I have to be up early so I can drive an hour to job training so I can have powerpoint slides read to me for 8 hours. I still have SOA to watch and apparently Tucker Max will be on loveline which can be pretty good radio. I'm also sort of jacked up on adrenaline. I was just about to work on getting into bed when I had to go get involved in what I later learned was a domestic dispute. So this guy and what I assumed was his current girlfriend went to hassle the guy's ex who lives here. They also decided to bring their infant and two year old along for the ride. I walk up and after a bit of hassling get them to go. They were about to drive away the little two year old says, "Bye-Bye" out the window. Her buffalo of a mother thought she was saying bye to her man's ex and said, "Don't say bye to that nigga, she a hoe."
Before I head off to what is my Monday morning, I present you with this reading. As members of Justin Bieber's former #1 fansite, you'll want to take a moment to revel in this: A rule breaker indeed!
I just denied an old homeless lady the personal joy of purchasing a brand new still in plastic Halloween voice changing megaphone because she was eight dollars short. Upon being denied she looked at me with a wily gleam and said simply, "I'll be back." Now I'm watching her out on the street begging for spare change so she can claim her prize. As I watch I find myself tempted to give her the toy just to see the oddity of watching her whip out and wield it at unsuspecting early voters crossing the street. In fact, all the election signs across the street would make a perfect back drop for the "Kodak Moment" that would ensue. Taking any pleasure whatsoever at the expense of the homeless seems fundamentally wrong, but she really wants the toy and I know that having it will make her very happy. What should I do? I thought about posting this on the advice board but wanted anyone, especially drunks, to be able to comment. Happy Birthday, TiB.