Total steps: 50,838
Daily average: 7262.6
Author / admin
Top 200 Albums – #151 – 158
Nearly 4 years ago, we first counted down the Top 200 albums in my iTunes library. Since that time, I’ve successfully managed to migrate my music collection to a new PC with the stats intact. So, I figured it was time to take another look, based on number of plays from late 2007 through January 1, 2018.
We continue things with the next batch of 10 albums that rank between #151 and 158, including 7 studio recordings, 2 soundtracks, and 1 live performance.
#158: Icona Pop – This Is… Icona Pop
iTunes stats: 50 plays
Previous Ranking: N/A
A single entry, used as part of my White Sox playlist, allows this album to make its debut.
#158: R.E.M. – Automatic For The People
iTunes stats: 50 plays
Previous Ranking: 141
5 songs, led by the first single Drive, make up this total for the Athens, Georgia based group.
#158: Various Artists – OST – Veronica Mars
iTunes stats: 50 plays
Previous Ranking: 100
2 different tracks, from The Dandy Warhols and Tegan & Sara, make up the total for the soundtrack from the cult television show, which suffered a huge drop.
#151: Bon Jovi – VH1 Storytellers
iTunes stats: 51 plays
Previous Ranking: N/A
A strong debut for this live offering from the boys from New Jersey, thanks to 8 different tracks.
#151: The Strokes – Is This It?
iTunes stats: 51 plays
Previous Ranking: 127
One of the 4 songs making up this total, New York City Cops, was dropped from the American version of the album, released weeks after the 9/11 attacks.
Those Non-Acting Oscars
The 90th Academy Awards are going down next Sunday night, so here’s my uneducated predictions for the non-acting awards. I have seen a couple of these movies, so I will still mostly be going on gut feel and word of mouth with just a little bit of personal experience.
Best Original Screenplay
Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani, The Big Sick
Jordan Peele, Get Out
Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird
Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor, The Shape Of Water
Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
I’ve actually seen three of these films, and, while I would love for Emily and Kumail to win, my money is going on Jordan Peele for Get Out.
Best Adapted Screenplay
James Ivory, Call Me By Your Name
Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, The Disaster Artist
Scott Frank, James Mangold, and Michael Green, Logan
Aaron Sorkin, Molly’s Game
Virgil Williams and Dee Rees, Mudbound
I’ve only seen one of these, but my guess is that the legend behind the story of The Disaster Artist will earn it the nod.
Best Animated Feature
The Boss Baby
The Breadwinner
Coco
Ferdinand
Loving Vincent
I’ve only heard of two of these, one of which is from the good folks at Pixar, so I’ll go with that.
Best Cinematography
Roger A. Deakins, Blade Runner 2049
Bruno Delbonnel, Darkest Hour
Hoyte van Hoytema, Dunkirk
Rachel Morrison, Mudbound
Dan Laustsen, The Shape Of Water
Well, again I’ve seen none of these, so I will go with the war epic Dunkirk.
Best Costume Design
Jacqueline Durran, Beauty And The Beast
Jacqueline Durran, Darkest Hour
Mark Bridges, Phantom Thread
Luis Sequeira, The Shape Of Water
Consolata Boyle, Victoria & Abdul
Another category where I’m at a loss, so I’ll go with the live action Disney hit.
Continue reading →
All Time Batting Leaders – Through 2017
Last week, we took our annual look at the all time leaders in pitching stats for the 882 games I’ve attended (and identified) between 1984 and 2017. With the full White Sox roster reporting to camp on Saturday, it’s time to move over to the other side of the ball and take a look at the offensive stat leaders for those games, starting with our first category:
Home Runs
| Name | Total |
|---|---|
| Paul Konerko | 93 |
| Sammy Sosa | 42 |
| Aramis Ramirez | 41 |
| Derrek Lee | 40 |
| Jermaine Dye | 40 |
Hits
| Name | Total |
|---|---|
| Paul Konerko | 366 |
| Alexei Ramirez | 300 |
| Derrek Lee | 255 |
| AJ Pierzynski | 239 |
| Aramis Ramirez | 234 |
Runs
| Name | Total |
|---|---|
| Paul Konerko | 200 |
| Derrek Lee | 140 |
| Alexei Ramirez | 134 |
| Aramis Ramirez | 120 |
| A.J. Pierzynski | 106 |
RBI
| Name | Total |
|---|---|
| Paul Konerko | 235 |
| Aramis Ramirez | 158 |
| Alexei Ramirez | 140 |
| Derrek Lee | 134 |
| Jermaine Dye | 108 |
Doubles Continue reading →
FB4: Week 3
Total steps: 49,093
Daily average: 7013.3
Top 200 Albums – #161 – 165
Nearly 4 years ago, we first counted down the Top 200 albums in my iTunes library. Since that time, I’ve successfully managed to migrate my music collection to a new PC with the stats intact. So, I figured it was time to take another look, based on number of plays from late 2007 through January 1, 2018.
We continue things with the next batch of 10 albums that rank between #161 and 165, including 5 studio recordings, 3 compilations, 1 live performance, and 1 greatest hits package.
#165: Smashing Pumpkins – Siamese Dream
iTunes stats: 48 plays
Previous Ranking: 141
The smash (no pun intended) second album from the Chicago alternative royalty used only 3 songs to make up this total.
#165: Stone Temple Pilots – Core
iTunes stats: 48 plays
Previous Ranking: 181
4 songs, most of which have some sort of problem thanks to a badly scratched disc from which they were ripped, come from the debut album from the alternative superstars.
#165: R.E.M. – Green
iTunes stats: 48 plays
Previous Ranking: 186
The sixth release, and major label debut, from the Athens, GA based alternative band has 3 different songs that I’ve listened to to make up this total, more than double since last time out.
#165: Various Artists – Grease (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture)
iTunes stats: 48 plays
Previous Ranking: 164
The soundtrack to the 1978 hit film had 5 tracks, from film stars John Travolta, Olivia Newton John, and Stockard Channing, among others, contribute to this total.
#165: Various Artists – Saturday Morning Cartoons’ Greatest Hits
iTunes stats: 48 plays
Previous Ranking: N/A
What happens when you take cartoon theme songs from the 60s and 70s and have some of the bigger alternative acts of the 90s cover them? You get this compilation, which makes a strong debut.
Book 6 (of 52) – Every Last Lie
Every Last Lie – Mary Kubica
In her fourth outing, Mary Kubica brings us a tale of a widow who questions her late husband’s death, which has been ruled an accident, while making wild assumptions about the unknown details she finds out about his life. As she digs in to the mystery, her life starts to unravel as she believes the best, and the worst about her husband.
From my experiences to date, Kubica is like the anti-Star Trek, where the odd numbered efforts I enjoy while the even numbered ones leave me a little cold. This one was no exception, as I enjoyed the mystery but had issues with the main character. Specifically her insistence on hiding the death of her husband from their young daughter, for what seemed to be weeks. Had I paid any attention to the title of the book, that might have made more sense, but, as I didn’t, it rang false.
All Time Pitching Leaders – Through 2017
White Sox pitchers and catchers hold their first spring workout today, so it is time for our annual look at the pitching leaders in the now 882 games I’ve attended, and identified, between 1984 and 2017. Not a whole lot of difference from last year, but a few categories have seen new faces join the leader board. So, without further ado, let’s get things started with our first category, the always popular:
Wins
| Name | Total |
|---|---|
| Mark Buehrle | 31 |
| Gavin Floyd | 24 |
| Carlos Zambrano | 21 |
| Chris Sale | 21 |
| John Danks | 19 |
Losses
| Name | Total |
|---|---|
| Mark Buehrle | 17 |
| John Danks | 16 |
| Carlos Zambrano | 15 |
| Gavin Floyd | 15 |
| Jose Quintana | 15 |
ERA (>= 35 IP)
| Name | Total |
|---|---|
| David Robertson | 2.17 |
| DJ Carrasco | 2.20 |
| Nate Jones Continue reading → |
You Can Catch It All On WGN
After spending the last two weeks as free agents following a US Bankruptcy Court releasing them from their contract with Cumulus Media’s WLS, the White Sox announced this morning that they will be moving their radio broadcasts to WGN in a reported 3 year deal. The broadcast team of Ed Farmer and Darrin Jackson will continue with the team for the 2018 season.
The White Sox first moved to WLS in 2016, signing a 6 year deal. This morning’s action gives them their 3rd radio home in the past 4 seasons. that took them away from the Score after 10 seasons. WGN last broadcast baseball in 2014, when the Cubs finished up their 56 year run with the station.
FB4: Week 2
Year 4 continues to get off to a sluggish start, as I again fail to surpass my goal for the week, the eleventh time I’ve done so in the past twelve weeks. Things got off to a slow start on Sunday, where my general lack of activity resulted in less than 3700 steps. Monday should have been a nice bounce back day, but an expected snow storm during rush hour sent me home from work early well short of my new goal. Tuesday, I finally managed to make it over 7000 steps, though just barely. Wednesday was the high point of the week, coming in at nearly 9400 steps thanks to some extra effort around the office. Thursday was back down close to 7200 steps. Another snow storm on Friday kept me home from work, finishing just over 5100 steps thanks to a snow blowing session. Saturday saw more snow, as I combined multiple snow blowing excursions with a trip to the grocery store to mark over 7500 steps.
Total steps: 45,371
Daily average: 6481.6