We bought a new washer and dryer set a few months ago. The previous set had some significant problems near the end that made every laundry load an adventure. While the new set isn’t perfect, it’s nice to have a functional and dependable washer and dryer.
Recently, realizing that I left a load of towels in the dryer, I called The Moose and asked him to clear the lint trap and turn up the dryer, so that I could fold it when I got home. While I tried to explain what I thought was a very simple process, he struggled to figure out how the lint trap worked. Eventually, it seemed like he figured it out as he turned up the dryer before we ended the call.
When I got home, I found this.
I have no idea what he did to the lint trap, but it no longer goes all the way in. We have a warranty for the dryer, but I’m not sure it covers “13 year-old.” The dryer still seems to work fine, and I don’t know if this is a big concern or not. I also don’t want to spend the time or money on what is hopefully an easy fix. I guess I can probably just buy a new lint trap, but the point is that I haven’t really taught my kids how to use the washer and dryer. That’s going to change soon. Unless he manages to break something else!
On a different subject, I always called this the lint tray instead of a lint trap. Am I the only one?
Whenever I have the opportunity, I like to watch the first 20 minutes of ABC's Good Morning America. Yes, I know that I'm still 15 years away from being part of the core audience age group, but I enjoy the combination of Robin Roberts, George Stephanopoulos, and Michael Strahan. More importantly, I feel like the show's beginning gives me a good summary of what's going on in the world.
On Monday, Jeff Goldblum stopped by the New York studio to talk about his new show, Kaos. You can watch the video below, but I was too busy trying to figure out his jacket to pay attention to whatever he was promoting.
Is it a Pittsburgh Pirates jacket? It looks like a #13 on the sleeve, so is the jacket celebrating Jose Lind, Carlos Garcia, Adrian Brown, Nate McLouth, and/or Ke'Bryan Hayes? Please let me know if you have any information where this jacket is from or who made it.
By the way, somewhat amazing that this is the first time in over a decade of celebrities in Pittsburgh gear posts that Pittsburgh native Jeff Goldblum made the blog!
Update 8/28: Apparently, this is a Prada jacket, not a Pirates jacket that you can purchase from the Saks Fifth Avenue website for $3,850. That's not $38.50 or even $385.00. That's $3,850! At least you get free shipping with the purchase.
It's been a while since I wrote about attending a concert, but you're in store for a special post filled with witty observations and poor concert videos! Over the weekend (as you can tell by the title), I saw Hootie and the Blowfish, Collective Soul, and Edwin McCain perform at Jiffy Lube Live. I saw Hootie perform at the same venue five years ago and Collective Soul at the 9:30 Club in DC nearly 15 years ago. This was my first Edwin McCain experience, and I'll write more about that later.
Let's start with the headliner. Actually, I want to start with the blue, polo shirt club.
Or maybe the Butt Life guy.
No, let's go with the artists.
In 1995, Hootie and the Blowfish were the biggest musical act in the country. Cracked Rear View (released in 1994, so the band is celebrating its 30th anniversary with this tour) was massive and finished as the highest selling album of the year. If you’re of a certain age (like 45-55 give or take a few years on either end like me and much of the audience), many songs from the album are instantly recognizable and received the biggest reaction during the show. I wrote this after the 2019 show and it still holds true today: Darius Rucker has an amazing voice. Alright. Enough of me writing. Let’s go to a video. I really enjoyed Hootie performing covers during the show including of Led Zeppelin's Hey, Hey What Can I Do, Stone Temple Pilots' Interstate Love Song, Kool & the Gang's Get Down On It, and Losing My Religion by R.E.M. Please note that I don’t record full videos of songs. I never want to be the guy who is watching and experiencing a concert through my cell phone.*
Personal highlight of the night. Guitarist Mark Bryan, who is originally from Silver Spring, Maryland doing a brief "Hail to the Redskins" song and getting booed. Even with a brand new owner and QB, the team still isn't that popular right now. Or there were plenty of Steelers and Dolphins (since the Dolphins make Darius cry) fans in the audience.
2024 is also the 30th anniversary of the first studio album of Lective Oul, I mean Collective Soul. Such an underrated band. I was going through their catalog after the show and realized there were several songs (such as Gel, Better Now, and Why, Pt. 2) that were major hits on various rock, adult, and alternative charts that the band didn't play on Saturday night. I guess that's what happens when you're the opening act and have lots of songs. In honor of Aerosmith's retirement, the band incorporated Livin' On The Edge in the middle of Shine. In both this and the cover of AC/DC's Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, they enlisted the assistance of Edwin McCain.
Second personal highlight. Collective Soul lead singer Ed Roland concluded their set by talking about unity and love and had audience members hold hands with their neighbors and raise their hands in the air. Several minutes later, a fight nearly broke out in my section. I don't know what happened, but the wife/girlfriend/mistress/friend of one of the guys involved got him out of there. (They never returned.) A fight at a Hootie / Collective Soul / Edwin McCain show? Really?
Finally, I need to write about Win McCain, I mean Edwin McCain. McCain and Rucker/Hootie and the Blowfish go way back. Apparently, Hootie wouldn't sign a record deal without the record company also signing McCain. My joke before the show was that we might hear McCain play "I'll Be" 2-3 times. I forgot that he also sings I Could Not Ask For More. That's my entire knowledge of McCain's catalog. He performed a few other songs too that I didn't recognize, and I don't have any plans on downloading them. Still, McCain was the winner of the night. As I mentioned above, he joined Collective Soul twice during their set, and he also performed with Rucker during Hootie's set. McCain really seems like a down-to-earth guy who has been able to make a nice career out of music (he referenced hearing his song being played at Home Depot and telling his kids that this was paying for community college) and gets to tour and hang out with his friends. He could not ask for more.
* With that written, if I can make millions on YouTube by posting concert videos, I will definitely become that guy who watches and experiences concerts through my cell phone.
On Wednesday, July 31st, Livvy Dunne (social media star / LSU gymnast / Paul Skenes' girlfriend) shared pictures and videos of herself in Paris for the Olympics. Good for her. She has the opportunity to travel and watch some of the best athletes in the world. She shared more pictures yesterday at the Louvre Museum. Again, good for her. I'm jealous.
While I don't know Dunne's travel schedule (that would be stalking!), let's speculate that she left the United States on Tuesday, July 30th. Why am I bringing this up? On that day, the Pirates defeated the Houston Astros 6-2, bringing their record to 55-52 and 2 games out of the final playoff spot. As I'm typing this in the early morning of Friday, August 9th, the Pirates are 56-58 and 4.5 games out of the playoffs and behind several other teams.
The Pirates have gone 1-6 since Dunne left the country. Sure, most people will point to the bullpen for the team's downturn, but I think there is a correlation between the team's success and Dunne being in Paris. The players know that Dunne isn't watching their games being multiple time zones away. They feed on her support. Therefore, the Pirates organization needs to do everything in its power to get Dunne to return to the United States as soon as possible. Once she's back on American soil, the team will start winning again. Just like the late* George Zimmer says:
* Late of Men's Warehouse. George Zimmer is still with us.
The photo / screenshot above are from Livvy Dunne's Instagram page.
Welcome to Sean's Ramblings! If you're looking for thoughts on pop culture, music, fun and informative links, random DC and Pittsburgh info, sports (particularly Pittsburgh sports), and just what's going on in my life, then you're come to the right place.
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