The Jimmy V Golf Tournament and Burnt Offerings...Oh My!

I don't know about "Jimmy V...", but Burnt Offerings would sure make for another great band name.

As I'm sure a lot of you readers based in Raleigh/Cary/the Triangle region know, today is/was the day of the annual Jimmy V Celebrity Charity Golf Classic Tournament. Say that five times fast.

I hate that I'm going to miss the tourney, with my now being in VA/WV. BUT, at the same time, I think my not getting to go is a blessing in disguise. I think this year's tournament features the most Canes participating since 2003...though, I say "I think" 'cause I almost want to say that last year's featured two or three more than 2003, especially with the Canes then going into post-lockout heavy marketing mode. Aw heck, let's count how many Canes (current AND former) there are this year together...

Kevyn Adams
Bates Battaglia
Jesse Boulerice
Rod Brind'Amour
Erik Cole
Jeff Daniels
John Forslund
Chuck Kaiton
Jason Karmanos (Who, interestingly enough, was not announced as a celeb in 2003, but I *did* see him tee off on hole #1 of one of Prestonwood's courses.)
Peter Karmanos Jr.
Peter Laviolette
Kevin McCarthy
Jim Rutherford
Cory Stillman (It's wonderful Cory is participating...but I sure as heck hope he is not further aggravating that shoulder injury he is said to have. Golf is supposed to *really* exercise the shoulders.)
Tripp Tracy
Glen Wesley
Shane Willis

AND, last but certainly not least...

Lord Stanley's Prize

EIGHTTEEN CANES. I hate math, but that was fun!

That's gotta be a record...it is certainly more than I remember participating in 2003. With that number of Canes there AND the Cup there AND the fact that the Canes won Lord Stanley, I don't even want to imagine what the crowds are like today. I am *very willing* to bet that the number of spectators/visitors will be among the largest ever for the tournament. Oh, and another record I don't want to think about...the heat. It's supposed to hit ninety degrees up here in Bluefield today, which is unusually hot for the area. If it is that hot here, then the temperature in Raleigh/Cary has got to be ungodly, especially with the humidity AND all the people at the tournament.

All that said, I hope the total amount of cash donated when all is said and done is a record too/three. It better darn well be.
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Anyhoo...capping off my weekend mini-horror marathon, I watched, for a second time in either twelve or thirteen years, what was quite possibly the first horror film I ever beheld, Burnt Offerings. I'll never forget how that happened...I was nine or ten years old, and being close to Halloween/my birthday, I wanted to see an honest to goodness horror film for the first time. And I asked my dad at the video store if he knew of any good movies that were not rated R and/or did not contain any blood and gore. After five minutes of searching, we come across Burnt Offerings, and my dad uttered that movie would certainly fit my criteria. So, just about completely forgetting that this was/is my sometimes crazy-a** dad I was dealing with, I took him up on seeing Burnt Offerings.

Well, I'm not sure I could say the entire movie royally scared me, even at the tender age I was when I first saw it...but I remember the ending (a part of which was *very bloody*...see what I mean about having a crazy-a** dad?) left enough of an impression that I seem to recall having a nightmare or two about it. I also swear that I once had a nightmare about the part where the evil house was rebuilding itself.

Ok, that was then...regarding now, wow, what a difference twelve or thirteen years makes. I don't think the movie is nearly as bad as the people at IMDB act like it is, but it *does* have its laughable parts. Namely those involving what was suppposed to be a creepy hearst driver, who just came off looking like a cheesy grinning Ric Ocasek/Hugh Laurie hybrid. Wait, maybe *that* was what was supposed to be scary. But needless to say, I have to admit that I kept waiting for the driver to break out into "Shake It Up" or "Magic" in at least one or more of the victim family dad's dreams...

For some reason, I had forgotten that Bette Davis was one of the stars in the film. And the only reason I care is because my cat's name happens to be Bette Davis...

Well, speaking of lushes, (At least, I think Bette was one...wasn't/isn't everyone in Hollywood? I know she loved her cigarettes, anyway.) it's time for the drink that went along with this movie...forget Dinner And A Movie AND Movie And A Makeover, TBS is *really* missing out on a great idea here...

Absolutely Fabulous

Fill glass with ice.
2 oz. Vodka
1 oz. Cranberry (Cocktail) Juice
Stir.
Top with 1 oz. Champagne.
Garnish with a Lemon or Lime Twist.

I have no idea if the drink is named after the Britcom about the former fashion models who think they still got it, as Ralph Mouth would say, (Great show...particularly the three original seasons. The revival is AWFUL. Why oh WHY did they have to make Saffie pregnant?) or if Absolut simply invented it.

Current Music: "Wild One" by Darius Rucker