Unexpected.

I didn't know I was throwing for the 180 . . . which probably helped with the third T20.

Nice when that happens. Ryan Searle has that advantage over the rest of us.

91/50

Thinking about Snake . . .

. . . nah, not Escape From New York Snake, Darts League Snake. Nice guy . . . even if those three corks of his on Monday night resulted in someone else's brain melting. How's that for a combination of major league jargon and the low rent cryptic? 

No, I'm not telling.

87/50

Bad Manners . . . bad manners . . .

. . . were playing on the TV when I hit this 180. 

Never really got Buster Bloodvessel and the boys but their 'Walking In The Sunshine' is a stone cold classic.

86/50

Photoshop delivers the goods . . . and Celtic wins the cup. Business as usual.

Nicked from a Celtic group on Facebook.

And they will be greeting. It's the hope that ki . . . oh, I forgot, they died in 2012.

 

 

* The context of this pic is that some R*ngers Ultras recently produced a banner with a reworking of Trump's infamous campaign slogan. Photoshop did the rest.

Kevin Turvey investigates . . .

Is it just me or does Roberto Bettega look like the late Rik Mayall in this Panini sticker from 1982?

A serious Rik Mayall. A Rik Mayall who'd just discovered that the film studio weren't making a sequel to Drop Dead Fred.

"Like that scene from that Harold Lloyd movie . . . "

How close was that third dart to falling out? Put it this way . . . just after I took the picture, our dog passed by the dartboard passing gas and the dart fell on my foot impaling my big toe. 

I'm writing this post from the ICU of Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. Blood poisoning, since you ask.*

85/50

* I may have embellished this tale a tad.

Stagecoach (1939)

 

How bazaar . . .

I can't remember the last time I used the 'If I was in London . . . ' label but if I was in London right now, I'd be popping along to this tomorrow in South London:

"100s of books and records"? Where's that Fry meme when you need it?

Back on the Ayn Rand flights . . .

I'd thrown for three 180s in the previous 10 minutes but kept straying into either the 1 or the 5 beds with my third dart. And finally one stayed on course. My first 180 since December 1st. 

I'm not sure what's happened in the past week and a half. The Dartitis doesn't help, of course, but I wonder if it was yet another attack of hubris on my part? I had an especially good November on the 180 front, hitting 30, and I think I got into my head that I was on course for 100 180s in 2024. 

Such over confidence is always fatal for me. I've lost count of the number of times where I've got it into my head that I'm a better dart player than I actually am, and reality every time has kicked me squarely in the bollocks for such smug arrogance. Ho hum, so it goes (Vonnegut, get out of my fucking head, man.)

84/50

A Kurt Vonnegut fan investigates . . .

I can't believe that my previous post was the first time that Kurt Vonnegut merited a label/mention on the blog. I used to read his books back in the day . . . well, some of them. Yep, the usual suspects.

I dug out the details of that second 14-darter. (Obsessed much?) I can't actually accurately date it but I know that I hit it sometime in mid-November. For my future biographer, my stats were 85, 140, 42, 134 and a checkout of 100 in 2 darts.

If Kurt Vonnegut played darts.

Another 14-darter. I think it's my third at this point. I noted the first on the blog but didn't get around to posting details of the second. In retrospect, that's fucking annoying.

Anyway, I threw for a 13-darter but missed the D20. So it goes.

A 107.4 average with scores of 100, 100, 125, 136 . . . and checked out 40 in 2 darts.

The good stuff you find on Twitter . . .

 . . . capitalist politics in a nutshell.

Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary (2024)

 

Would I Lie To You?

115 points on Lexulous.

If you don't know what the word means, I advise you that you keep it that way. Don't google it. 

I only know the word cos it once came up on an episode of Call My Bluff. I believe Joanna Lumley and Frank Muir were on the panel that day.  

Funnily enough, the back story of me knowing what that word means is far more weird than the b/s story of the fragrant Ms Lumley or Mr Muir in his customary bow tie telling us in their dulcet tones what 'felching' is.

"A riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma" . . . otherwise known as cricket in darts

Despite initial appearances that is not a score of 153; it is in fact a Round of 9. 

You have now entered the mysterious world of cricket in darts  . . . good luck.

I'm slacking

There's about 20 180s missing from the blog. Soon peeps, soon.

On second thoughts . . .

. . . buckle down.

I'm not in the right frame of mind to try this film challenge. Other things need to be taken care of, and it's the least of my priorities.

Maybe another month - another year -  when other stuff isn't churning away, and when I've given it more thought. It definitely needs proper forward planning.

Buckle up

First day of the month and I've decided to undertake, arguably, the most pointless film challenge ever. 

If I told you right now what it was, you'd have me committed . . . or you'd be committed yourself 'cos you'd unnerve your family and neighbours with your uncontrollable laughter. 

I'll see how it goes.

Another time, perhaps.

Three minutes later

 . . . and my ego's gone through the roof, I'm ready to call an impromptu press conference, and I really, really need to buy that lottery ticket.

83/50

It'll end in tears  . . . and it will be tears of laughter.

One minute into December . . .

. . . and this happens. I need to buy a lottery ticket.

82/50

A 180 with those flights . . .

 . . . and on St Andrews Day!

Rejoice with a Caramel Wafer bought from a Brooklyn supermarket in a neighbourhood where there's a large Afro-Caribbean population, and if you can't lay your grubby mitts on a can of Irn Bru, do the next best thing: squeeze a dash of Dawn's orange scented washing up liquid into a bowl of hot water - dirty dishes are optional - and breath in that aroma. I swear it smells like Irish Bru. Just don't become overcame with waves of nostalgia and try and drink it. Hospital bills are extortionate in the USA.

81/50

Through a glass darkly . . .

 . . . Christ, did I take a picture of this 180 using a Kodak box brownie? Maybe it should be in sepia?

"Darkly" . . . "dark thunders" . . . the ghost of Sid Waddell haunts this blog.

80/50

Gregory's Girl (1981)

 

Monday morning . . .

. . . and it's too early, nobody's had enough sleep and certain family members are grumpy as fuck. In between making people's breakfasts and waiting for the kettle to boil I switch on the Russ Bray Darts App and resume a marathon 501 game against my digital opponent.

Maybe it's my half-awake state or me just trying to tune out the general morning melee but I hit a 130 checkout - T20, T20, D5 - and it's the second time I've hit that same checkout in the last few days. For some reason, D5 works for me.

All is calm and serene - for me, at least - this Monday morning.

Shit, I've peaked too soon. 

Get Shorty (1995)

 

Dirty Harry (1971)

 

The Mummy (1999)

 

Posting this late . . .

. . . how late? December 12th in the cold morning late.

I'm looking at this 180 and I've got nothing to add. I'm sure I was happy at the time. The board's looking a bit fucked, tbh.

It was the 3rd 180 of the day . . . so that was good. Yeah, I've got nothing and it shows.

76/50

Stems with encrusted diamonds, anyone?

Shouldn't the 75th 180 of the year be marked down as a cause for celebration? It's an achievement of sorts. Only problem is that once you've hit a hundred 180s in a year - 2020 since you ask - anything less than that pales into insignificance. Pathetic mindset, really.

75/50

Blog Darts Housekeeping

The blog is missing some 180s. Please bear with me.

A filthy 180 . . . absolutely filthy

The middle dart was the third dart and it's just 'resting' between the other two darts, barely touching the board. 

If it wasn't for the other two darts, it would be on the ground and I would be staring at it in disgust.

74/50

"This wasn't in the script . . . "

Famous last words, and all that, but Anderson has come steaming back in the Grand Slam of Darts against Luke Littler.

Frankie says . . .

. . . it looks like you need a new board. That 5 segment looks bent out of shape.

71/50

Busted . . . but flush

I was on 60 . . . I needed a single 20 for double tops . . . I hit a triple 20 . . . and just kept going.

. . . still won the leg.

63/50

Filling in gaps on a cold December night

This was the last of my four 180s from November 10th. The first one from that day has already been posted on the blog. I was in a Brand New Heavies mood at the time. 

This time, I'm just listening to the kettle boil and wondering if I'll watch the rest of Robert Powell's portrayal of Richard Hannay in the 1978 version of The 39 Steps. 

By mentioning the film on the blog, it's almost as if I'm trying to blackmail myself into watching the rest of it. As if that matters. Though I will say, Ronald Pickup plays a good villain. And David Warner just plays . . .well, David Warner in arch nemesis mode. That was half his movie CV when you look back at it. I used to see David Warner at demos back in the day in London. Funny how lefty actors could play such good villains. David Calder is cut from the same cloth.

Anyway, back to the 180s and the 2024DartsChallenge.

59/50

Midnight at the Oasis apartment

I liked the Brand New Heavies back in the day, and I don't give a fuck who knows.

56/50

Bushfires in Bushwick?

Apparently, there are smoke warnings across Brooklyn right now. What can I say  . . . my darts are on fire.

. . . nothing like a bit of hubris on a Saturday night. Bay Ridge did used to be a Greek neighborhood, after all. (American spelling, folks.)

55/50

'Don't quote me on this . . . '

. . .  but this 146 might be my highest ever check out. And, funnily enough, I threw for a 156 checkout about 10 minutes later. Of course, I missed the D18 . . . I hate the D18 as a rule.

That Paul Rudd meme

I'm scrambling for *checks notes* witty post titles . . . so, sometimes, I just have to go with whatever noise is happening in the background at the time of writing. Step forward Mr Rudd and that meme/gif . . . whatever the fuck it is.

54/50

14 Darts

According to a significant section of the political chattering class, a fascist is back in the White House. 

I don't buy it myself. Trump will always fall into the category of a klepto-capitalist, who is just in the job to enrich himself, to avoid jail and for the added shits and giggles. And enough people bought it. Never knew there were so many Shy Trump voters out there. You live and learn.

The weird thing is that I can't help feeling that - with the benefit of hindsight - the Democrats would have done better with a doddering Biden against Trump.

Okay, that's enough highfalutin political analysis. In happier personal news, I just hit a 14 darter. My best ever score in a 501 game. Okay, I'm playing a Dart App  . . .  it's not a real game . . . but I'll take it.

For the completists among you, my darts were 140, 180, 95, 30, 56. A 56 checkout in 2 darts. 

A Triple 1 instead of a Triple 18 - and it was on the bastard wire - denied me the chance to throw for a 11-darter. That would have been fucking wild.

The eagle-eyed amongst you will notice a 180 in amongst that lot. Here it is:

53/50

'Your lipgloss seals my fate . . .'

 

51/50

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)

 

A turnip for the books . . .

47/50

That is so weird. My 46th and 47th 180 of 2024 are almost identical. I had to look more than once before I was totally sure I hadn't just posted the same pic twice. What are the chances?

Rutabaga Rumble

 

46/50

The Ghost Writer (2010)

 

Bad Monkey (2024)

 

Con Air (1997)

 

Slow Horses: Spook Street (2024)

 

Ooh La La

No more moaning about Monday evenings . . . famous last words.

45/50

'It's not a Monday night though, is it?

. . . I really need to stop with the that fucking line. We get it . . . I'm not getting it on a Monday night.

Something to be said for breaking out the mini ladder to get the better camera shot, though. Silver linings and all that jazz.

44/50

Play for Today: The Long Distance Piano Player (1970)

 

A Monday afternoon is not a Monday evening, is it?

One of those weird 180s where I knew it was coming. Could I have some more of them please?

43/50

Payback: Straight Up (2006)

 

An Afternoon Delight

One of those 180s where I didn't realise I was throwing for a 180. I wish they were all like that. Calms the nerves.

It was actually during a game against the Russ Bray dart app, and it was part of a 15-dart winning leg.  That might be my best ever leg.

140, 53, 65, 180, 63. (100.2 average)

42/50

Pinch, punch, first of the month . . .

. . . it's not a Monday night, though, is it?

41/50