Collected Thoughts

Evening, everybody. Here in Minneapolis, it is SPRING! TIME! That means it's been at least 60 degrees fahrenheit for a little bit every day since yesterday! Fantastic. Here are some collected thoughts.

1. Olympia lager has changed its can design! Today, I was at Sentyrz Grocery in Northeast Minneapolis, and I grabbed the last Olympia 12-pack with the typical blue/gold on off-white color scheme. Lined up behind them, like unarmed Russian foot soldiers from World War Two backing up the front line of troops, who happened to be the only ones for whom the government could afford rifles (average number of bullets: three), were these weird orange/off-white 12-packs. Not cool. I've always thought Olympia had the best can art of any beer. If this change is permanent, then I'll have to find a new main squeeze.

2. The new Gateway District album is less country, but no less rocking, than the first one. Highly recommended! The best tracks thus far are "Leaving Me Behind," "Sirens," and "Queen Ave." My uncle and his family live six blocks from 6132Queen Avenue South. You really needed to know that.

3. Reports of the Milwaukee Brewers's death have been greatly exaggerated. After dropping the first four in a row, the team won three straight, and let's face it, the Brewers SHOULD have won that first game. Brandon Phillips ran off the base path to avoid the tag! So Brewers fans, we're working from a "should be" record of 4-3, not 3-4. All that aside, it's nice to see that Shawn Marcum can pitch well, Yovanni Gallardo is one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball (especially when you include his ability as a hitter), Ricky Weeks's golden club will more than make up for his leaden glove, and John Axford's 2010 season was not a fluke - since opening day, he's been dominating in the ninth inning for the Crew.

4. Are you a DJ? Do you need a 20-minute break? But are you afraid that people will look down on you for just letting a record play uninterrupted for that long? I have the remedy: Rare Earth "Get Ready" on LP, side two. DO IT. You'll thank me 21 minutes from now.

5. Shaw's Bar in Northeast Minneapolis has the MLB Extra Innings package, and a 4pm to 7pm happy hour featuring half-price appetizers and $6 pitchers. Me and Johnny B from the Annandale Cardinals have already enjoyed quite a few games there, including the Minnesota Twins opening day loss to the shrieking beaks. I'll see you there!

Over and out.