Tuesday, February 23, 2010

An Award! The Pulitzer, You Say? The Hugo? The National Book Award? No, The...

Manly Sweaty Doll Blogger Award!




Rockin'. I feel the testosterone. Thanks, Susan, for the sweaty award.

But, apparently, to accept this award I have to answer some questions and provide some manly information.

So, some things about myself... I taught myself how to drywall and do wall framing and carpentry. Very rugged. Mucho testosterono. But I admit I don't like pickup trucks. Possibly I get my membership revoked for that.

Favorite Manly Guy Book? The Things They Carried. Men. War. Death. But with achingly beautiful prose. Very me. And, for Susan (since she's all about books for boys), I'll add my Favorite Mini Manly Guy Book (well, series, actually): The Prydain Chronicles by Lloyd Alexander. Great fantasy series following a boy's growth from childhood to manhood and responsibility.

Favorite (and please notice my adoption of American spelling out of deep respect for the Sweaty Doll Award) Manly Guy Movie? The Bourne trilogy. Though I admit that I'm pretty keen on Bloodsport. How can you not like a movie where the main character says twelve words in the entire film?

Favorite Manly Music? Metallica. I'd sing, but there are limits to my shame.

Favorite Sports Moment? Ooh... this needs a list.

Game 4, ALCS. Red Sox down three games to the Yankees. Bottom of the ninth, Yankees leading... and Red Sox storm back to take the win, and then the next three games, and then the World Series to end the Curse of the Bambino. Oh yeah. My father was a huge Red Sox fan, and he'd passed away a couple years before. So I enjoyed this one for him.

Michael Jordan against the Utah Jazz, NBA finals. He has the flu and can barely stand. Pippen has to help him to the bench at each halt of play. Jordan goes for 40 regardless, dominating on will alone, and the Bulls win.

Lance Armstrong, The Look and The Crash. The Look: goin' up the mountain, all his rivals on his wheel... he gives this look back. Judging. Dismissing. And then with utter calculation he simply rides away from everyone and breaks the field. The Crash: Another mountain, and Lance makes his move, starts accelerating, his rivals trying to stay with him... but his handlebar snags a bystander's bag and he flips down to the ground. The rivals all go streaming by. He gets up, fixes his bike, and then pedals furiously to catch everyone. And when he does catch up he simply rides right through them and keeps on going. Did I mention this was going straight up a mountain? Win.

Man United versus Bayern Munich, Champions League final. Bayern is up 1-0 in extra time, but in the blink of an eye Man U scores two goals and claims the Champions League crown, as well as the vaunted Triple (English League Title, FA Cup, Champions League). Oh the looks on the faces of those Bayern Munich fans...

Favorite Food With No Nutritional Value? Cookies. Oh yes, I am a veritable Cookie Monster. Particularly for the chocolate Peek Freans in the Assorted package... Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.






13 comments:

Susan Kaye Quinn said...

I tried drywalling once. It looked like a Roman frieze of a horror movie.

I totes have The Prydain Chronicles on my TBR list for my mini men. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the growth-to-responsibility thing will actually work out.

Feel better soon! :)

Christi Goddard said...

I had to hang drywall and mud my entire house I built. I hate sanding, but mudding was fun.

Deb said...

Cool award! I love Jason Bourne. All hail Robert Ludlum...

dolorah said...

Dude; you're not like, a sports fan or anything huh?

I'd invite you over for glass of wine and some literary talk about "The Things They Carrier", but my TV doesn't get sports channels. It's the weirdest thing . .

Though its been picking up the Winter Olympics quite regularly.


........dhole

Bryan Russell said...

Lol, Donna. Yeah, I'm a wee bit of a sports fan. I was quite the jock growing up. Well, nerd/jock maybe. They did call me Doogie Howser. But I was a high level soccer player with dreams of playing professionally before I permanently blew out an ankle. Never been able to shake the sports obsession. My wife's kind enough of to humour me. Though I watch very little of the sports she finds less than palatable, like baseball and football (the thought that you can sit and watch football all day on Sunday makes her cry).

The rest of my time, of course, is devoted to deep intellectual pursuits. And cookies.

Unknown said...

I danced in the street after that Man Utd v Bayern result the only other time was when England beat Germany 5 - 1!

Ben Carroll said...

award! yay. i hardly ever comment over here, but i pop into read about once a week. you deserve plaudits, no doubt.

i'm an Arsenal fan, but even i couldn't quite pretend not to LOVE that final. i just had to think of it as Englnad vs. Germany, like the 5-1.

Nick said...

I would be lying if I said I can't appreciate that final, but imo the Reds have one up on The Other Reds when it comes to epic sports moment. Three words: Miracle Of Istanbul. Just thinking about it still gives me chills. And of course, I could dip back a few decades to 59, but that's just not playing fair.

And come to think of it, this is the first time I've commented here in a while. Although to be fair I usually just pop in every few weeks to see what the latest biz-naz be.

Bryan Russell said...

Whew. Very lucky. If you guys had been Chelsea fans I would have had to do something drastic.

Thanks for the props.

Mira said...

Lol. This is very funny.

I love Prydrain! Grew up with Tara, Elonwy (Sp?), Coll, the pig. I've read and re-read those books more times than I can count.

A very manly post. Rock on.

Mira said...

Taran. THAT was a typo. Unforgivable to not know that name.

Bryan Russell said...

Eilonwy!

Gotta love the old Welsh names.

And Gurgi, of course! Crunchings and munchings! Oh yes, Gurgi will crunchings and munchings after all the gnashings and bashings!

Bryan Russell said...

And the oracular pig Hen Wen, of course.