One of the sports-themed podcasts I listen to has started a new gimmick where every Friday they talk about their latest obsessions, mostly related to the world of sports. They aren’t really “obsessions” in the true sense of the word but rather things that they have found super-interesting recently and are excited to see more and learn more about.

This is neither a sports-themed podcast nor is it a Friday, but I’m not letting that stop me from stealing someone else’s gimmick and using it for my own purposes. My most recent obsession is with all things Scottish. I don’t know if it’s because my trip to Scotland in the summer of 2019 was the last big trip I did before the COVID-19 pandemic shut everything down (absence makes the heart grow fonder), but for the past month or two I have found myself seeking out anything and everything Scottish. A few examples:

• Only watching TV shows* set in Scotland. My favorites so far have been Outlander, Case Histories (starring Jason Isaacs, who also played Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter movies, which was extremely disconcerting once I made the connection) and Shetland, which is a great show featuring fantastic sweaters.
  
  *Not entirely accurate as I have also watched both Queen’s Gambit and Lupin during this stretch. I enjoyed them both, but was annoyed neither of them took place in Inverness or the Isle of Skye.
• Liked the sweaters that Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez wears on Shetland so much that I researched them online and bought one for myself from a store in Buffalo, NY, for more money than I realized anyone would actually pay for a sweater. I was later informed this was considered a reasonable price. I wish I was making all of this up. (Note from Scott: we demand a photo)
• Bought the book Clanlands: Whisky, Warfare, and a Scottish Adventure Like No Other, written by Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish, stars of Outlander. My wife is a huge Outlander fan, and I read this to her while she is knitting or puttering around in the kitchen. The book is a precursor to a forthcoming Clanlands TV show and has its own Instagram account, which I follow. There are pictures of McTavish wearing rugged sweaters and, yes, I have googled “graham mctavish sweaters.” The results were poor.
• Joined the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, a Christmas gift from my thoughtful and patient wife. As a card carrying member of the SMWS, for which there is a yearly fee, I am now able to spend even more money on bottles of scotch that only members can purchase. Yes, I spent money for the privilege of spending more money. Quite a brilliant business plan they have (Note to Scott: can’t we get the interns to figure out a similar plan for CMEpalooza??) I have bought three bottle so far, one of them accidentally. Don’t ask.

But enough about me and my crazy Scottish obsession. We’re here to help those of you who just can’t get enough of CMEpalooza. I’m not going to call it a CMEpalooza obsession because that’s sort of creepy ([looks at blog post title] [shrugs and quickly moves on]), but if you are anxious to watch as many CMEpalooza sessions as possible, I have some good news for you, friend.

The CMEpalooza Archive has been updated to include all the sessions from CMEpalooza Fall 2020!

Woo!

We also are going to be releasing our agenda for CMEpalooza Spring next week, so there’s that, too. While you’re waiting for the exciting news, I recommend relaxing with a wee dram and a couple episodes of Shetland. Sláinte!

 

The team at CMEpalooza HQ is hard at work putting the finishing touches on our Spring agenda, and we hope to have something for you relatively soon. As a reminder, CMEpalooza is a little earlier than usual this year (Wednesday, March 24), so if you haven’t already marked it on your calendar, please do so now.

[looks at calendar for March 24]

[realizes he forgot to block it off for CMEpalooza]

[quickly adds it]

[breathes sigh of relief and chuckles that Scott will never know]

In the meantime, I thought I would give you all a sneak peek at one of the new sessions we are planning. I don’t want to ruin the surprise by revealing too many details, but I think it’s a cool idea and thought we could have a little fun with it now.

Basically, the session will be based on the party game “Would You Rather?” which I would imagine many of you have played at some point, you know, back when we went to parties (sigh.) I put together a few sample questions for Scott and I to respond to, some related to CMEpalooza and some not. Our responses are below. Feel free to play along at home and leave your answers in the comments. It’s fun!

(Side note: I told Scott he wasn’t allowed to say “It depends” and he did a good job sticking to it. The same applies to you and your responses.)

Would you rather…have a boring speaker with crystal clear sound or an entertaining speaker whose sound cuts out for 2 seconds every minute?

• Scott: Let’s go with the krr-gzz-krr speaker whose sound cuts out every so often. You know that a boring speaker is never going to get any better. For someone with tech issues, you can always hope they will magically resolve themselves.
• Derek: I have to go with the boring speaker with crystal clear sound. I die inside a little bit every time we have a speaker with bad audio quality and listening to a glitch every minute would be agony. Nothing makes me happier than a glitch-free session.

Would you rather…time travel back to the 1980s or 1990s?

• Scott: The 1990s. I came so close to being able to dunk a basketball when I was 18 (note from Derek: define “so close.”} I would spend all week practicing with the lone goal of the weakest dunk in history. But it would count in the record books.
• Derek: Unlike Scott, I actually could dunk when I was 18 (barely), so I am going to go with the 1980s. Such an iconic decade. Also, Philadelphia sports teams won two championships in the ’80s and I could never pass up a chance to attend the 1980 World Series or 1983 NBA Championship.

Would you rather…produce a CMEpalooza session done entirely as a Broadway musical or a session where one of the panelists is a mime?

• Scott: Little known fact about me – I love musicals! (note from Derek: I did not expect this. I am stunned.) I would pay good money to hear you “announce” all of our sponsors in the key of G minor. Let’s add that to the spring to-do list.
• Derek: Little known fact about me – it is my dream to someday have a CMEpalooza: The Musical! I am a very bad singer and would not sing the announcements (keep your money, Scott), but if anyone wants to do a musical for the fall ‘Palooza, apparently Scott and I are both open to it!

Would you rather…eat every meal with only a spoon or every meal with only a fork?

• Scott: What a stupid question – of course a spoon. How do you eat soup with a fork? (Ask my 9-year-old son though and he’ll happily respond, “Neither. I’d just use my fingers like I do anyway.”)
• Derek: Definitely a fork. You can always drink soup from the bowl. How the heck are you going to cut a steak with a spoon? Eating peas with a fork would be super-annoying, though.

Would you rather…moderate a CMEpalooza session wearing a Dallas Cowboys jersey or a Boston Celtics jersey?

• Scott: There is one rule in the Kober household – the day you dare say anything nice about the Cowboys or Cowboys fans is the day you are no longer welcome to live here. Plus, when it’s Jerry Jones vs. whoever owns the Celtics (I have no idea), it’s an easy call.
• Derek: It can be argued that the Eagles/Giants rivalry is on par with the Eagles/Cowboys rivalry. There is no question about who the Sixers biggest rival is. We hate the Celtics, and a Boston Celtics jersey will never grace this body (sorry, that got a little weird).

Would you rather…the only thing you can watch be an episode of 80’s sitcom “Webster” or the only thing you can listen to be 90’s hit song “Macarena”?

• Scott: I have often considered legally changing my last name to Papadopoulos (“What’s the name for the reservation?” “Papadopulous. Do you need me to spell that?” “Of course not. I loved Webster too”). Does that answer your question?
• Derek: Ugh, this might be the worst one. I guess I have to go with Webster, too, but that show is terrible. I can live without watching TV, but I couldn’t handle only hearing the Macarena every time I put my airpods in. That is a bridge too far.

 

Dashing through this post
On a crappy old laptop
Scott hates these the most
Laughing, I can’t stop (ha! ha! ha!)

We have news for all
We think it’s pretty neat
Palooza dates for spring and fall
Let’s sing them to the beat! Oh!

Twenty-fourth, Twenty-fourth
Twenty fourth of March
Oh! What fun it is to watch
In a warm house eating starch. Oh!

October, October
October 13
Oh! What fun it is to watch
On a 13-inch wide screen

Be sure to mark your calendars for CMEpalooza Spring on Wednesday, March 24 and CMEpalooza Fall on Wednesday, October 13. More details to follow. When the agenda is ready, Scott promises to announce it using modified Dominick the Donkey lyrics.

Side note: Dominick the Donkey ranks high on my worst holiday songs list. Here are my Top Three Worst Holiday Songs (all rankings final):

3. Dominick the Donkey
2. I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas (note from Scott: This is the clear winner. It ages like a fine wine made of dog pee.)
1. Christmas Shoes