Buffa's Buffet: 5 things on my mind

All the news that is fit to not OFFEND.

The best way to kick Monday’s ass is to have a good and plentiful weekend experience. One of the reasons I don’t get Captain Crunched drunk that often anymore is due to the fact that the recovery time for a 40-year-old male is gargantuan these days. You feel like utter garbage, think the world is hell, and generally don’t feel like moving much.

Friday night was spent with Old Man Buffa, aka Richard, as we prowled around the city of St. Louis, smoking and talking. The Mary Jane concoction allowed into the long blue boat we rode in was Grape Runtz, a subtle yet effective indica strain that takes the “holy shit” right out of your week. We talk, bullshit about, and ruminate on whatever you would with a best friend, someone who can take the positive and the nasty of your life with a grain of salt.

Before the day job rerouted the arrangement of events, we would ride on Tuesday or Thursday. Now it’s a Friday or weekend thing. There isn’t a big meaning to this opening; just another reminder to cherish the time with your friends and family. Sometimes those two groups are the same thing.

For example, the last few weeks on the job have been stressful. When I talk it over with my dad and lift the lid off the pot, it’s not just venting to a dad or a friend. He gives me both perspectives and some laughs, so the ultimate weight of it all isn’t too much to bear. We just have fun in our presence, I guess.

Old Man Buffa also came by yesterday for some Sunday Funday action. We watched the first episode of “Tulsa King,” which was entertaining and hooked all three of us, my wife included. That’s another good thing. The wife, dad, and myself all hang together most Sundays. Last night, aka Sunight, we enjoyed some Mexican cuisine at an underrated STL spot: El Paisano.

The Blues righted the ship and won Saturday night, placing themselves on the verge of a winning streak this week. All losing streaks end eventually, and it took eight games and three weeks-plus to get it done. Thank you, Sharks and Golden Nights. If it weren’t for you scoring less goals than the Blues these past few days, the fan base would have gone nuts. I watched little of both games, so commenting further on them isn’t wise. The record is 5-8, which sounds a lot better than 3-10.

Imagine the cold coming into town and a ten game losing streak?! I am not sure a St. Louis sports fan can handle that.

Let’s go back to “Tulsa King,” the new Sylvester Stallone show on Paramount Plus. Created by Taylor Sheridan and Terence Winter, it’s a best of all worlds scenario playing out. Stallone’s first TV role is a lead one, playing a recently paroled gangster who kept his mouth shut and served 25 years. Upon his release, he looks for
”adequate compensation” for his loyalty, which comes in the form of Tulsa.

Since no one’s running anything in the rural city, the bosses give Stallone’s Dwight free reign to rule, conquer, and collect. It’s not what he wanted, but the adventures he does get into should make for an exciting first season. Ten episodes (all any show needs), weekly (PP+), with a nice combo of action and comedic one liners. I’m in. The wife and dad are also in.

“Tulsa King” follows the network juggernaut in “Yellowstone,” Sheridan’s other (and highly popular) series. It kicked off Season 5 last night, with the Dutton family (led by Kevin Costner, Kelly Reilly, and Cole Hauser) bashing up politics, threats, family legacy, and all the other drama shows this series creates. The good thing is the writing and acting are great, and remain that way as the show ages. The ones that can keep up their ferocity late in the game are the keepers.

Paramount Plus’s Sunday nights are HBO-like these days. Hello, streaming. But the inclusion of Stallone is the difference maker here. Aside from being an action icon, he’s a two-time Oscar acting nominee, and owns an Oscar for writing. An underrated actor and someone who can spin a funny one liner, Sly’s voice has held up as well as his body at the age of 76. Pretty good work for a guy who was a million-to-one-shot, just like his famous Rocky.

On “Tulsa King,” he gets to unleash a gangster persona that’s been under wraps since “Oscar,” the half-baked mafia comedy released back in the 1990s. Sheridan, Winter, and the cast are good, including Domenick Lombardozzi under a smooth hairpiece. But Stallone pushes this one to its premium enjoyment level. He’s better than ever.

Update on the Cardinals: They aren’t playing, are interested in lots of free agents, and will be making some calls. Ladies and gents, there’s nothing to report here. If John Mozeliak plays poker early and makes a Jhonny Peralta-type move, I’ll be impressed and very surprised. Leaning realistically on a catcher acquisition over a big SS add, unfortunately. We shall see… when there’s something to actually see. Let the paid sportswriters take runs at the available list of bodies.

Let’s do a few questions related to things I saw on social media or in real life over the weekend.

Did John Candy deserve an Oscar nomination for “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles?” You bet he did, but the Academy doesn’t understand the artistic beauty behind a performance that takes place in a comedy genre. A sad but true fact that still lurks in nominating circles today. Hearing the late Candy defend his way of life and personality to Steve Martin’s bullish co-passenger in that hotel room scene is empowering and emotional.

Does a jam-packed Aldi scare me off from a Sunday shopping errand? Nope. It was packed to the gills in each aisle. People on their phones or checking notebooks, searching for the things they’ll stuff in their body later that week. My stealthy tactics make a trip into a big crowd seem easier. Have a damn list. Call your wife. Ask somebody. Don’t go in unprepared. Simple as that. Have a budget, act like your answers, and get it together.

Do I miss long-form writing? Yes. The very reason why I am here pounding away at the thoughts in my head.

Is the Aubrey Plaza 2022 film, “Emily The Criminal,” any good? Yes. It’s very good, and the credit sits on her shoulders. She plays a down-on-her-luck single woman crashing through her 30s who runs into a credit card scheme that’s too hard to ignore. With a criminal record blocking her potential job status and shrinking her bank account, Plaza’s protagonist turns to an illegal racket to right her life. The movie has a social commentary that’s not preachy, putting on display the cut-off predicament that ex-cons of all ages run into.

Plaza just keeps getting better and better. The movie is available on Redbox.