(Random) Things

Life can be random …

1. Right now, my favorite coffee is Starbucks Winter Blend. I have only ever found it at Costco; I don't think I've even ever seen it in a Starbucks. Remember a few years ago, when Starbucks had their Christmas cheer and you could get cool deals if you were at the right store at the right time? That was a pretty cool gimmick.
2. Speaking of Costco, there is no doubt that it's my favorite place to shop. I call it Amazon in a store, which is not really true. Costco changes every single time you visit a store, and no two stores are the same, but it's a great place with lots of great items. It is indeed where I stock up on coffee in the winter. 
3. The season premier of season four is coming this weekend for the TV show Yellowstone. We have been catching up on the first three seasons. I think we are about to watch season three for the third time, but we'll be up to speed on all the characters and all the happenings. Sometimes, I can't remember all the names and I refer to people by nicknames I make up, like in season two: "the guy from Desperate Housewives." 
4. Binge watching shows is great. Binge watching new shows just released is greater. But binge watching shows from our youth is the greatest. 
5. I remember when NBC was gearing us all up for the release of CHiPs back in the late '70s. There was no way it wouldn't be a hit show with all the trailers they would put out there. I don't remember what I would have been watching that would have advertised CHiPs, but I remember gearing up for the arrival. 
6. I used to drink a lot more Pepsi and Coke than I do these days. And as far as Mountain Dew … I think I have one every year or so. I had a roommate at CMU who should have bought stock in Pepsico for as much Mountain Dew as he drank. 
7. Speaking of CMU, nice win against WMU. Who doesn't remember the old CMU-WMU games from the early '90s. Those were some fun times. At Central, we called it Western Weekend. At Western, they called in Central Weekend. I bet the university experience is so different these days. Back in the day, we would eat together, almost like a family, with people from our floor. I bet now everyone is on their phones, like when you go to a restaurant ... 
8. I am in the middle of reading the latest book by John H. Cunningham. It's part of the Buck Reilly series. I like his writing style and look forward to his book releases. Buck is a great character. Similar to the work of Steve Hamilton and his iconic character. Alex McNight lives in the UP and used to be a cop in Detroit. His series is fun to read, as are his one–off books. I look forward to his new books, and Bryan Gruley's, as well. I know that Mr. Hemingway said, "Write what you know," but lately I've been following the mantra, "Read what you know." 
9. On the subject of Mr. Hemingway, if you can read Philip Greene's book To Have and Have Another, you're going to enjoy it and then you will decide to enter into one of Greene's awesome classes where he explores Hemingway's beverages in conjunction with where he lived and what he wrote about. Good stuff.