The Royce Files

L ast year I made my somewhat untruimphant return to the football pitch. I joined my company's soccer team after being out of the sport for years. I kind of regret not playing in college when there was opportunity to play on a club team. I had other interests then. We completed the first term of the indoor soccer season winless. It is a pity because there were a few opportunities for victory. Last night's match was a real barn burner. We were up a against a rather athletic but slightly inexperienced side. We played them earlier in the season. Now we were at full strength with 2 viable strikers up front, Caroline and Bernardo. Our opposition came out with all guns blazing in the opening minutes. We were able to contain them for a while but then the goals spilled in. We were down 3 goals to none when our Mexican colleague, Bernardo, slotted one through to end our goal drought. Unfortunately, a few moments later one of our other strikers got booked for a slide tackle. According to...

I wasn't invited to Sundance this year. I think it is probably because my only credit is in some internet webisode mockumentary . Perhaps if I appeared in Chad Vader , maybe I'd have some Sundance cred. Maybe I've got underground indie web movie cred. Nonetheless, U2 makes an appearance at Sundance this week with the premiere of their 3D movie. Now don't go thinking that Bono, Edge, and Dreamworks got together and mapped out a new album aimed at children who liked Little Nemo or Toy Story and made the movie as a gigantic marketing scheme. Instead it just shows U2 doing what U2 does- make music. Filmed during the Vertigo tour of a few years ago, Bono had some misgivings about making this film which he addresses in this article . I'm sure I would too if a close up of me appeared on a 40 foot screen in front of people I did not know,

The search for Bobby Fischer is no more . A giant of recent chess history has passed onto eternity. The peculiar Fischer held the title World Chess Champion back in the early 70s but dropped off the grid a few years later in 1975. Almost twenty years later he emerged in the former Yugoslavia for a chess exhibition much to chagrin of United States officials. Apparently that kind of action by an American was not allowed due to sanctions on Yugoslavia before the big deconstruction of the Balkans. It seemed Fischer's further exploits and comments continued to irk his homeland. After 9/11 it is claimed he said something akin to the United States should be totally wiped out. I'm sure him and Phil would have had a great chat. A book should be forthcoming entitled Deconstructing Bobby Fischer but heaven knows when that will happen. However, adieu to the Grandmaster!

Although Phil did not make this video I am sure he would approve of it. Looks like it draws some inspirations from Batman, Power Rangers, and Transformers. However the battle for humankind against the squirrel armies is mostly true. Phil would probably concur since he has face their onslaught.

My friend Neil wrote about one of his cats last year. Pretty good article about how we are often like a stray cat; out in the cold, undernourished, fending for ourselves. You may be surprised by his conclusions. My family had a cat once. She was white Angora named Lady. She was a typical cat- independent and stealthy- but did not like to be held. This cat hid more than she was seen. I am told, as a child, Lady did not like me. I guess trying to cover the cat with all my 3 year old girth oncedid not endure me to her. In later years she was more cordial.

I t's just a few days late but the skin on this new year is smooth and silky. I've had plenty to report on but have not had the opportunity to post it and I suppose most of you think I'm on strike too. Well. that's partially true. I have written very little since I put the Christmas Radio Show to bed last month. In bigger news, Erik Kallio has written a new lyric to a old Christmas Carol. He calls it "Come Thou Long Awaited Kallio." Erik and Em (and Ezra and Asher) welcomed the latest Kallio edition into the world the other day. I think it was January 2nd. So far this son is unnamed so I'm sure you could e-mail them a few names or perhaps work out a commericial deal. How about Coke Isit Kallio? Or what about Neo Google Kallio? Or then you can try an old standby- Mark Haugenma Kallio. Congratulations Kallios!