Bill’s Content

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If you happen to be one of the many regular listeners (20, maybe 30) to my late-unlamented Sunday night show on WXCLFM 104.9, you no doubt find this voice quite familiar. I do a pretty good second fiddle when there’s a seasoned DJ in the room. But the sheer terror I occasionally experienced when the equipment glitched made my vocal chords tighter than a spinster’s you know what.

It sounded sorta like this.

Still, I got to read a lot of blog entries. And the weather. And a ton of mediocre country music.

[tags]WXCL,radio,Stephen Colbert[/tags]

A certain Peoria blogger — who shall remain nameless — likes to talk about his two favorite high school football teams. Well, now that Richwoods has clinched a share of the Mid-State 6 Conference championship, he’s talking up the Knights, forgetting all about his new-found loyalty to the Pekin Dragons. He’s even talking smack about Friday’s Richwoods/Woodruff matchup.

PUH-lease. People who’ve seen both Richwoods AND Woodruff play in person give the Warriors the edge in the matchup. The Warriors have all the tools this year and anyone who thinks a Richwoods victory is a forgone conclusion (as does the JS apparently, considering the the loving attention they heap on the Knights) just isn’t paying attention to the revolution going on in the 1800 block of Northeast Perry.

And I have never, ever, ever been of divided loyalties regarding which high school I root for.

Eat ‘em up, Warriors! Northside pride!

[tags]Woodruff High School,Woodruff Warriors,Richwoods[/tags]

Enough with the bood-related posts. Woodruff High School with face Peoria High School at 7 p.m. Friday at Peoria Stadium. I’m really lookjing forward to it, as I’m certain WHS (5-1) will deciminate the hapless Central Lions (1-5).

I’m trying to convince the Walker Clan — Rob and Angie — to meet up with me at the stadium. They are Central grads, I believe, and I want to gloat after the inevitible Woodruff victory.

[tags]Woodruff High School,football,Warriors[/tags]

As I mentioned on Peoria Pundit, I attended a gathering of the Woodruff High School Class of 1981. The official reunion is tonight, which I’ll miss because of work, but I will attend the after-reunion bash at American Pi tonight after I clock out.

I almost decided to not go to anything associated with the reunion. Oh, I had all the usual reasons. My job isn’t the most spectacular, and I didn’t want to look like a loser to all these other people I competed against in high school.

And I was nervous about running into any of the girls on whom I had a crush. I was really bad about that. At least once a semester, I’d develop a crush on some unsuspecting girl and follow her around like a puppy. All it woduld take was her smiling at me, or having a friendly word or two. It was quite embarrassing and noticeable. I think I’m better at such things these days, but I didn’t want old habbits to resurface. Yet, I still wanted to catch up.

But in the end, the chance to meet up with old friends was too tempting and I went anyway. I missed the 20-year bash and I regretted it.

Woodruff High School had cliques like every other high school. I don’t think they were as pronounced there as they were at schools at which I’ve taught as a sub or I’ve covered as a reporter.

For the most, that nonsense melted away. I mean, Jesus, who cares who snubbed who in the hallway 25 years ago. Were there still some folks who didn’t spend any time talking to people outside their social strata? A couple.

There were some interesting conservations. At one point, someone tried to tell me I wasn’t considered a nerd back then, just creative. My only real interest back then was photography. I ran the freekin’ video camera for the wrestling team. I was on the stage crew. Somewhere, someone has a pic of me wearing a pocket calculator in a case attached to my belt.

Please. I was a nerd. Don’t yank my chain.

I’m a nerd now. How many alpha males do you know who blog a couple hours a day? Not many.

Speaking of blogging, not one person there mentioned ANYTHING about knowing that I run Peoria Pundit. One mentioned that he had heard me on the radio. I was just fine with that. I barely mentioned the site, cause I didn’t want to spend the whole evening explaining blogging to middle aged peoeple.

I spent most of my time talking to folks who attended Glen Oak School with me. Touching base with people I’ve know all my life, kids from the neighborhood, left me feeling … settled, I guess. I felt happy with my place in the universe. There’s something about being among people who knew you when, and whom you just just as well. There’s no pretense possible.

I was shocked at how many of these folks still live in Peoria, but whom I never talk seem to run into or socialize with. That’s gotta change. I’ll be starting a new Web site with a message board for the Class of 1981 (and others) to trade emails and messages. Details later.

And the girls on who I crushed? None of them showed up last night. Oh, there were girls I had little minor crushes on (who shall remain nameless) but no with whom I was seriously in puppy-dog love. Maybe tonight.

I’ll wear by best calculator pouch, just in case.

[tags]Woodruff High School,reunion[/tags]

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You’ll catch a local television personality on this blooper tape.

[tags]Chuck Collins,WMBD,bloopers,youtube[/tags]

… most bloggers are into boobs. Not legs.

Or maybe that was “most bloggers ARE boobs.” I forget.

[tags]polly peoria,fishnet stockings,legs,high heals[/tags]

Suck up to the Webmaster.

A Peorian of my acquaintance has started an blog, “Good Evening Godless Sodomites.”

It’s an anonymous blog, as well it should be, since he jumped the shark on his second post. And he might want to know that the very phrase “Jumped the Shark” at least three years ago.

Some foslks say Peoria Pundit jumped the shark. My hit counts beg to differ.

Heh.

[tags]good evening godless sodomites,jumped the shark,peoria,bloggers[/tags]

So what’s the deal with Avanti’s?

It used to be one of The. Best. Places. to eat pizza or spaghetti in Peoria. Honestly, I was more fond of the spaghetti than the pizza, although owner Albert Zeller’s minions used to be able to cook up a mean thin crust special. It was all in the handmade dough. One of my fondest childhood memories was of Dad loading my brother and me into the station wagon to go to their Tuesday night Spaghetti Feast. Mom stayed home to a) have some time to herself and b) avoid having to see the men in her family shovel plate after plate of pasta into their mouths.

Well, a recent family outing took the entire extended brood to Avanti’s. The pasta was watery and overcooked. The sauce was right out of a can. The meatballs were frozen and smelled of preservatives. Remember that sweet tasting, homemade bread for which Avanti’s was famous? No more. It’s frozen now.

Aparently, the owners — I have no idea who owns the chain now — has decided to coast on memories and good will and serve its diners the cheapest stuff they can get away with these days.

Feh. It’s a mistake they will regret.

Full disclosure: When I was in college, I worked for Avanti’s as a delivery person, and got fired for blowing off work to interview for a job I thought I would like better. No anomosity, though, I obviously deserved it. I’ve eaten there many times since.

[tags]vantis,Italian food[/tags]

Scott Janz reports that his Nightmare on Illinois Avenue is just about over.

[tags]contractors,rental[/tags]