HOT BUTTERED SOUL

Ah, St. Valentine's Day. You know, once I got married, I haven't been such a fan of the holiday. It's not that I don't love my lovely wife, but when you're married, your Valentine's Day is called "your anniversary." Valentine's Day, at that point, is a pretty silly notion. Nonetheless, we celebrated--kinda. A sheet of new snow was just enough to keep us indoors. We ordered two medium pizzas, I made my super dessert and we watched a program on TLC in which this Romanian woman had a 160-pound tumor surgically removed from her backside. I'll be working to remove the pizza and super dessert from my backside, but I'm hoping it won't require surgery. Yeah, we're low key. It's just the paparazzis are so rabid on Valentine's Day.

Celtics snapped their 18-game losing streak. Uh, great job?

Bobby Knight and the Red Raiders snapped their 5-game losing streak by beating #6 in the nation, Texas A&M, in College Station. I'm telling you, he makes sure he wins the big game. Although, it was really Jarius Jackson that won it for him.

I heard my lil' Yankee fan, Eric, was surprised that I've never been to Fenway Park and actually found it kinda funny. He also mentioned to a trusted source that he's glad I'm finally going to make it to Fenway so I can see how trashy Red Sox fans actually are. I'm paraphrasing.

Drinking.

Jumping from the upper deck.

Walking the streets wearing inappropriately cut t-shirts.

Loving the stars of their team.

Punching the opposition in the face while the ball is in play.

Thuggin'.

Still drinkin'. Shirtless--how we do it in Texas.

"Mannin' up." Some would call this the "Yankee Choke."

Rappin'.

Eric, I'll take plenty of pictures and pick you up a few souveniers. It's a eight-hour airport tour for me, a two-hour drive for you. If I drive two hours in any direction, I'm sitting in the parking lot of a closed convenience store looking for a landmark taller than a telephone pole so I can find true north. Oh, baseball's almost here. Thank the good Lord because the Celtics couldn't beat my brother and I playing blindfolded with our shoelaces tied together.

Clint, thanks for the recommendation on the Isaac Hayes, Hot Buttered Soul. That's an incredible record, my man. I heard "Walk On By" before, of course, but not the 12-minute marathon version. I got a new-found appreciation for Isaac Hayes. That's for damned sure. Hot Buttered Soul to Shaft is like the White Album to freakin' Yellow Submarine. When Clint tells you to buy something, buy it.

It's 7 degrees in Yellow as I type this. Probably be driving this morning. Take care, folks. Today, tell a Yankee fan to relax, keep your hands to yourself and recognize you have a problem with your drinking.