Sunday update

Now that I’m going to The Price Is Right Live at the Orpheum on April 1, I’ve been paying close attention to the prizes they give away on the show. I have to ask myself: How much of this crap would I actually want? Let’s examine:

The cars

The last time I drove a car was October 24, 2018. Not having a car is total freedom to me. No insurance bill to pay. No monthly parking garage fee. No driving the car every couple of weeks just to keep it from falling into disrepair from lack of use. Do I really want to give up that lifestyle?

Camaro – This sounds like a dream prize, right? Wrong. Have you ever listened to the description of the Camaros they give away on the show? 2-liter engine. It is a SIN in my opinion (and generally I don’t even believe in sin, but that’s a topic for another post) to put a 2-liter engine in such a fine car. I realize cars can do more with less engine than in the ’80s when I bought my first one. But if it’s a Camaro, I want a 5-liter V8.

Then there’s the fact that a car is an income-consuming asset – you have to pay for gas and to insure it. State Farm thought my last two cars (Saturn, VW Jetta) were boring and therefore my premiums were low. That would not be the case with a Camaro. Their actuaries would possibly worry that I’d be out doing donuts in the intersection of Second and Monroe like all the other fools in this town.

Hyundai Elantra – It would be stolen within the first month of my owning it. Don’t understand why? Read this.

Kia Soul – See Hyundai Elantra. They are cool cars though. I got to ride home from Sunset Symphony in a Soul one time years ago.

Chevy SUV – like Price Is Right Camaros, these are sinfully underpowered. 1.4 liter is the typical announced engine size. Driving such a car would make me feel like a mom picking up the kids from band practice. In my opinion, any Chevrolet product with less than a 2.5 liter engine should be called the Nova – because in Spanish, “no va” means “doesn’t go.”

I’ll be back with future installments of things I could win on The Price Is Right Live: the trips, the cash, the random crap. But now, let’s get on to the news.

Blind Bear is trying something new – a book club. The first meeting of the Boozy Bear Book Club will be this Thursday, February 23, from 7:30 to 10 PM. The topic of discussion this Thursday will be The Shards by Bret Easton Ellis (I first saw the Facebook event listing for the book club after having “a few” beverages and thought the title read, “The Sharts.” That made me laugh really hard). Allison Douglass will host the book club meeting.

South Main gift shop Feelin’ Memphis will be closed through March 1 so they can knock down a wall and expand into the space next door that was their holiday pop-up shop. Can’t wait until March? No problem, you can shop online.

Today is National Chocolate Mint Day. My favorite ice cream flavor!

Memphis could hit 76 on Wednesday, tying a record.

Longest-lived American president Jimmy Carter has entered hospice care. Carter is 98 and left office 42 years ago. As recently as 2 years ago he was building Habitat for Humanity homes.

Smart City Memphis thinks the Main Street Mall is shameful and offers a solution to fix it.

KWAM 990 has an interview with Bryan Duffel who is opening Birdie’s indoor golf & bar on South Main. The revised projected opening date is said to be before The Masters in April. Duffel points out that you can complete 18 holes of virtual golf in far less time than it takes for 18 holes of real golf.

Congrats to Jaren Jackson Jr., recently elected a Vice-President of players’ union NBPA.

Happy 43rd birthday to former Grizzlies player and Tigers assistant coach Mike Miller.

That’s it for today. Headed to Bardog where there will be sports on TV but NO NFL FOOTBALL! YAY!!!!!! Remember the schedule for today:

  • Tigers at 2 Houston, 2:00 PM, ESPN
  • NBA All-Star Game, Team Giannis vs. Team LeBron: Draft at 6:30, game at 7:30, TNT. Ja will be a starter and Jaren will come off the bench.
  • And best of all, NO NFL FOOTBALL!!!!! Some stupid golf tournament is on though.

Back tomorrow with more news.