Skip to main content

Sunday Sundown Rundown - 10/31/21

3 Up

1. Netflix's Maid - Easily one of the best series I've ever seen. No hyperbole - I loved EVERYTHING about this limited series - it's been a long time since I've felt this way from a screenplay. Margaret Qualley was absolutely fantastic. Just pure beauty in this performance. Please watch Maid for its art, but more so, for its insight into domestic violence, poverty, and the will of the human spirit. 

2. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees - The R&R HOF over the years has expanded it's "Rock and Roll" definition, and thus, we got an awesome collection of inductees this year, including some of my faves - Jay-Z, LL Cool J, and the Foo Fighters. Congrats to all. 

3. New NBA Rules - I'm not even sure if I'm in the majority or minority - I've heard and read all types of opinions. Regardless, I'm loving the new rules in the NBA on calling those...hmmm, well, cheap fouls. The game is so much better. So much better. 

3 Down

1. Haiti Under Seige - I haven't seen this story covered in main news outlets. A sub-headline on a page, sure. Multiple opinions, op-eds, or briefings have been written. Regardless, Haiti is hurting and the people there are in dire help. The latest is the suffering of a country devoid of needs - gas, food, etc...- as gangs have blocked access to the needs. So incredibly sad. 

2. Chicago Blackhawks Sexual Assault Scandal - Stories like this in sports - especially the main four sports in our country - are so maddening. And frustrating. And sad. They all tried to make the story go away. There is a lot of accountability that needs to be dealt out here...

3. 4 Week Family Leave - The Dems promised 12 weeks. Looks like we're settling on 4 weeks due to the Republicans. Why is this such a difficult thing to agree on? Have the Dems done anything? I just don't understand why such basic and human asks can't be a reality - because, politics. 

1 SMH

PETA "Bullpen" - This stunt by PETA is the kind of shenanigans that causes people to move further away from your cause. "Arm barn"? Seriously? 

Cover Photo

Eminem performs alongside 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee LL Cool J on Oct. 30, 2021.

Getty Images

Recently Read

Quick Ponder: Future Self

We always think,  what would we say  to our  younger self? However,  what would  our younger self say  if they met us, today?

Turning 40 - Grateful and Renewed

I became a forty-year-old individual yesterday.  The milestone is very significant for many and has its societal measures and benchmarks that carry some fear for those approaching its gates. Regardless of approach, turning 40 is filled with reflection, pondering (of course), and preparation for what should be a "new" stage of life. A life stage centered around "transitioning" into a stage seen as the "pre-senior" years.  Sure. Whatever.  I won't disagree that the new "4" digit that sits in front of your age feels encompassing even without understanding completely. Yet, as I stated last year when I turned 39 (going into my 40th year on this earth), I was ready for it. Ready for 40. Today, oddly enough, I am not filled with profound life lessons, ponderings, or reflections.  I sit here, punching the keys, filled with gratitude. I am 40, and I love it.   I carry my baggage of life and bear scars from it at 40. I am grateful for so many experien...

Knicks Trauma - Ugh Not Again

Well, that was a kick in the stomach.  Coming off a week where the word "catharsis" was used as the description for the euphoria and release of joy from two and a half decades of suffering, Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers brought about another word - trauma.  Watching the Knicks collapse was the kind of moments that come with these deep runs and moments. NBA Playoff basketball will do that. Yet, this loss - this one - feels about as bad as the 2004 ALCS when the Yankees collapsed in the series to the Boston Red Sox.  That one carries some serious trauma. Luckily, the series isn't over.  Some other quick thoughts from this awful, awful night, New York Knicks Basketball.  - Not to conjure up hyperbole, or even contribute to "hot take" sports reaction culture - but this might have been the worst loss in Knicks franchise history. I cannot think of another in my lifetime, or historically.  - Tyrese Haliburton's "choke"...