211 Welcome Back,My Friends, to the Show that Never Ends!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Congratulations on surviving 2017, and welcome to this, the very first Steve's Blog of 2018. Before I go any further, I would like to thank the people of Boston, MA, especially the Sheraton Boston Hotel, the Newsfeed Cafe at the Boston Public Library, Newbury Comics, the Reform Action Committee (who hosted a fantabulous Biennial  which I had the pleasure to attend as part of a delegation from GORGEOUS Temple Emanu-El) and everybody at TD Garden, especially the Celtics and Bruins who defeated their respective adversaries JUST FOR LITTLE OL' ME, for a great long weekend from 12/6 to 12/10. I know that NYC and BOS are supposed to be rivals, but they really know how to roll out the old red carpet for tourists!

It may be brutally cold in NYC as I take keypad in paw, but Lord willing and the creek don't rise, I plan to visit Springfield in the aforementioned great state of MA during the Fourth of July holiday to see the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, (also the home of Cumulus Broadcasting's WMAS-FM and WHLL-AM, the latter previously affiliated with Scott Shannon's True Oldies Channel and ESPN Radio, now affiliated with CBS Sports Radio as well as the New York Yankees Radio Network, driven by Jeep, so I shouldn't feel too homesick) the Springfield Cardinals, (looking forward to a whole lot of "Slam-A-Lama-Ding-Dongs," to use a phrase coined by the MLB St. Louis club's lead sponsor, Anheuser-Busch. Hey, "Ballantine Blast," was already taken, and 'sides, Bud, not Ballantine, is a St. Louis beer!) and museums dedicated to other Springfield institutions such as Dr. Seuss and Parker Brothers of Monopoly fame. I'm feeling warmer just thinking about it!

Seventeen may have been a bummer of a year, but, at least Mariah Carey redeemed herself with a spectacular performance of her 1990 classic "Vision of Love" on last night's DICK CLARK'S NEW YEAR'S ROCKIN' EVE! The best thing about it was I watched in the comfort of my warm home. Everybody out there who froze their butts off just to see the festivities, you're a better person than I! (And Rudyard Kipling is spinning in his grave!)

Even though Seventeen took with it "alternate facts," "Fake News," and "covfefe," unfortunately it also took Rose Marie, who boomers may remember as Sally Rogers on THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW, and Sue Grafton, better known as the creator of Kinsey Milhone and her alphabetical adventures. (Z you up in Heaven, Sue.)

Just so you know, portions of the preceding blog were last seen vacuuming confetti in Times Square, all opinions are mine, and friends don't let friends drive drunk or spoil the ending of STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI. (I WILL say the Force is VERY strong with this one!)

Happy New Year, Buckaroos!
Steve out!