A New Creed

Hollywood found a new way to make me feel old last night. I was in college when the first (and best) Rocky film came out. Last night we went to see the newest addition to the seemingly endless saga, Creed. If this is the last (not a safe bet) then the series started and ended with absolute gems. The aging part was seeing Rocky as a senior citizen weighed down by life and the loss of everyone close to him. Michael B. Jordan continues his streak of amazing performances and pulls off the cocky youngster without being annoying.

Stallone has become such a caricature of himself with his film roles that you can forget what a good actor he is capable of being. The best parts of the movie were the scenes between Jordan and Stallone, just permeated with realistic emotion. Jordan plays the illegitimate son of Rocky’s long dead friend/rival Apollo Creed. He seeks out Rocky to become a fighter while trying to dodge riding on his father’s coattails. It’s not easy being the son of a great man and the director shows a deft touch in not allowing that to become a distraction. He allows that the audience is intelligent enough to figure that out. The fight scenes were every bit as realistic and exciting as even the bad Rocky movies produced. I had to calm my wife down at one point reminding her it was just a movie and not to worry about the damage being inflicted. I’m not doing justice to this film – it soars, one of the best of the year. It was nice to see the lovable character of Rocky granted some peace in later life; especially handing off to such an exciting replacement in Jordan. Go see this flick.

We were lucky enough to have the next door mafiosos along with us on a double date night for the movie. They’re a lot of fun to hang out with and this allowed my counterpart and I to compare notes on the shopping depredations of our respective spouses. They are fellow enablers in that area. We shared a lot of laughs after the movie and he was saying he felt like getting into a gym and training on a speed bag. I think his wife was a little nervous with his declaration of field expedient training methods; too funny.

Yet another reason to lift spirits on a dreary cold December (Egad! – Already?!) day was the Red Sox turning up the heat in the hot stove league. They signed what they have needed ever since they let Jon Lester leave with a bona fide ace in David Price. I’ve always liked his makeup and this means at least five-six more wins since we won’t have to face him. He’s shown he can pitch in the toughest division in baseball and won’t be intimidated by the big stage or high expectations. I really like this team, but don’t I always, and it’s so much easier in December than the last couple of Octobers.

Cali-Daughter with Rarely Sleeping Progeny

Finally the very best reason to be elated as winter descends is a smallish bundle of joy out in California (you had to know this was coming). The First Blog Reader is experiencing a growth spurt which means more work for the new mom and dad along with decidedly less sleep. Each morning I come down to find some new pictures of my incredibly beautiful granddaughter waiting for me. It’s important to start your day off right and short of holding her myself these are close enough for the nonce. 

Wingman at his Post

Staring Contest with Mom

Grandpa - Let's Talk About Your Descriptions of Me

You're Right Though - I'm Pretty Cool