My Pittsburgh Penguins are singing We Are The Champions and I am so proud, Hockey God is blissed out, our auntie Mia is hap-happy watching the game with my in-laws in Iowa City… and my late friend Regis is smiling in heaven, wearing a suit and a tie, lookin’ good just like Mario Lemieux.

My Psych 311 text and…

Interview with Rob Ingram in Portland Family (“We are people! By nature that makes us imperfect. Forgive often, love hard, laugh good and live life! Hey, it is supposed to be fun so why not enjoy it and why EVER let anyone else steal your thunder. Work hard, play harder!!!” Love that. Rob is a great guy and a force of nature in our community, thank you Rob for all of your hard work and wise words) and…

the Saturday Oregonian (why? I do not know) and…

Accidentally on Purpose, by Mary F. Pols and…

Whiteness as Metaprivilege.

May go to a BlogHer meet-up between 3-5 today at Posies, if I remember. Oh! And game 5 is tonight, Pens and whatever the name of that team is that they’re playing. Go, Penguins!

(PS — Brain, please come back. Mama needs you.)

Chez Wacky is happy to report that the Pittsburgh Penguins just KICKED HOCKEY ASS. They won Game 7 tonight in the eastern conference semi-final over the Washington Capitals and will ADVANCE to the conference finals gooooooo PENS! (They’ll play Boston or Carolina.) My late, hockey-lovin’ friend Regis is, no doubt about it, happy about this news, so happy. Somewhere in a peaceful locale, Heaven, Nirvana, what-have-ya, he’s wearing a tie and a dress shirt, just like he did here on Earth whenever the Pens won, to celebrate this happy occasion, clicking his heels together and grinning that great big grin. (Regis was originally from Pittsburgh, as are Hockey God and his dad. Hi, Poppy!)

Mia already knew the score, no DOUBT, as she most likely watched the game live, not tivo-ed. (Mia, the kids knew we wanted to watch the game and boycotted bedtime. It is almost 11 here, for cripe’s sake.)

Quote of the night, from one of the announcers: “The cheese does fall off the cracker now and then.”

Yeah, we’re watching a lot of play-off games over here for the Stanley Cup. Swear to God if the Rangers don’t win this game (they’re down now — score is 5-2, Washington, in the last four minutes of the third period aiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii Dubi, Dubi, Dubi… And their coach is in the frickin’ penalty box for the whole game)… (why? you ask? Why is their coach in the penalty box — not even box. Room. He’s in the penalty room — well. Because a fan spit on the bench personnel and went all homophobic, and the coach squirted water in his face. Then threw a water bottle at him or something, so what? If someone is being all homophobic and spitting at you, don’t you have the right to throw something at them? Especially if it’s a corn dog, or a water bottle? I would say so.)

Hockey God, happy as hell: “You don’t see that in basketball. They don’t even carry sticks in basketball.” (Yeah, we’re watching the Blazers later, Rip City guys, c’mon…)

Anyway. Final score: Washington Capitals, 5, Rangers 3. Harsh toke of a game. See ya for game 7. (Edited at 9 p.m. to say — another harsh toke. My Blazers lost.)

My Pens wrapped it up yesterday, though, so I’m happy about that. Here are my two favoritest ads from the season…

Facebook, you have turned me into a slut. Just sayin’.

World, I didn’t go to the PTA meeting at my kids’ school tonight because I knew they would nominate me Queen of Something or Another and I CANNOT LIVE WITH THAT KIND OF PRESSURE.

I’m a little tipsy. I went out to Yetti’s with A and we drank a bottle of Terrapin Pinot Gris, plus we had bacon-wrapped dates (don’t tell my vegetarian son, because he’ll wail Why would you eat meat when there are so many other things to eat in the world? Yes, son, but none of them taste exactly like bacon. Except BACON that is) and we also had a dish of mixed nuts.

Did I mention that we’re watching the Pens play the Flyers and THEY JUST WON 3-1!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Woooooooooooo-hoooooooooooooo, we love Pittsburgh. Three games to one, let’s hope we wrap it up and move on.

Blazers won, too, by the by. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiip City. That’s right.

Wooooooooooooooooo you would think it was Facebook or something, the way I’m writing this. Damn you, BlackFriend for getting me all over the Facebook. It is awfully fun.

* Adjust and overcome

* Edge

* Puck control

I think we can all learn a little something here. Adjust and overcome, edge, puck control. And this: “You got to play with that edge, but you can’t cross that line.” And… “You got to know where the edge is.” (May I add, You also need to know what the edge is, when they keep talking about edge, edge, edge.)

“Edge! Play the blues.” — Bono, U2

Hockey God, rolling his eyes way back in his head, “Edge, who can’t hardly play guitar.”

One more, from the announcer: “Take the puck, with a sense of purpose, to the paint.” Got it? Now drop the frickin’ puck! It’s Stanley Cup season! (Even though TV Turn-off Week  is right now — it always falls during hockey play-offs — no problem — we make a special exception for my husband and the NHL. No TV unless it’s hockey. Sorry, kids. I know it seems unfair but you can deal.) Ready? Steady? Go!

“They’re all growing their play-off beards, you don’t see that in the NBA. Not since Bill Walton.” — Hockey God, pleased as hell, watching the Washington Capitals/N.Y. Rangers game

(And another quote from Hockey God, while watching a Blazer game last week: “Foul? You call that a foul? They didn’t even touch each other.” Me, mouthing what he always says: These basketball players — they go out there and just, like, hit each other with their purses, oh, I’m sorry, did I hit you with my purse? Oh, excuse me, I think you just fouled out! The ref wants you to go now. Oh, no problem!)

Etc.

I still like basketball more better, but que sera sera.

Did I mention that when I woke up this morning I thought I wasn’t assigned to a school next year, but now, end of day, I have found out YES I am assigned to my school again? Yes, I am. (Budget cuts are brutal this year, we’re all a little worried.) (“A little” is a huge understatement.)

Oh, being gainfully employed, what a beautiful thing. I was so thrilled that I cut my class and took Steve out to lunch to celebrate.

Spring break is fun. For kids. For moms it just goes on and on and on while you get nothing done except pulling out more hair.

But the visit with the outlaws has been excellent and tonight at dinner? Guess which Blazer stood right by our table?

That’s right.

And no I won’t tell you where we were cuz even tall, tall, tall men who are NBA supastars need some anonymity.

He is almost 7 feet tall, no fooling. Go look at his stats. And when you see that up close in person, even if you’re 5 foot ten inches tall you feel rilly rilly wimpy and short.

Man.

After a slammin’ great season, my beloved Lady Demos (shown here last season) lost tonight to Willamette at the University of Portland. The Nekkid Neighbors and I would like you to join us in a few moments of mourning.

Ready?

Thank you.

We love you, Demos. Thanks for playing so hard.

That’s right,

“I’d rather be blind, crippled and crazy/
somewhere pushing up daisies/
then to let you break my heart/
all over again…”

I’d rather be all that, rather than letting the damn Portland Winter Hawks break my damn heart again.

Would it kill them to score some goals?

The Vancouver Giants won against them tonight, five-nuthin’.

Former Blazer Kevin Duckworth dies
12:33 PM PDT on Tuesday, August 26, 2008
By FRANK MUNGEAM, Kgw.com Staff

Former Portland Trail Blazers center Kevin Duckworth has died
Duckworth, 44, passed away Monday evening in Gleneden Beach, Oregon

Duckworth played for the Blazers between 1986 and 1993. He was part of the Blazers’ 1990 and 1992 Western Conference Championsihp teams, and was voted most improved player in 1988. He was named a Western Conference All-Star in 1989 and 1991.

“Today is an extremely sad day for the Trail Blazers family,” Trail Blazers President Larry Miller said. “Kevin will be remembered by fans as one of the most popular and recognizable players to ever wear the Blazers uniform, but to people who knew him, he’ll be remembered as one of the warmest and biggest-hearted.”

Duckworth remained in the Portland area after his playing career ended. He was an avid fisherman and outdoorsman, and a skilled carpenter, and served as an ambassador for the Trail Blazers. Duckworth was at the Oregon Coast representing the Trail Blazers as a Heritage Ambassador on the team’s 19-city Statewide Summer Tour.

The cause of his death was not immediately known.

— 30 —

(I liked Duckworth. I liked the way he played ball, I appreciated what a team player he was, I thought he was a cool man. I interviewed him once for the newspaper and he was just a big sweetheart. After he left — along with Terry Porter, Danny Ainge, Clyde Drexler and all of my other favorites — the team changed so much. I couldn’t give them my support. I switched my allegiance to hockey. Of late, I’ve become a big fan of high school basketball, though, so maybe the Blazers will get my devotion again, someday. But I wouldn’t count on it.

This is very sad news — he was so young. My thoughts and love go out to Mr. Duckworth’s family.

wm)