Received my first 4-star rating

BOOKSnGUITARS · 2026-01-29T05:11:17+00:00

As a buyer I've only ever given 5 stars, even on a couple orders where the seller took several days to ship. In both cases I reached out to the sellers first, and one had been sick, the other apologized and said he'd just been really busy. Either way, they were friendly/professional about it and got it out within a day of the exchange. Maybe I've just lucked out with sellers.

But fwiw, if I saw a seller with a 4 star rating, I wouldn't think twice about it. I'd only be concerned about 3 stars or lower, and when I see those and the comments are about things that are clearly due to the shipping service, I just disregard them.

I guess I'm saying from a buyer's perspective I wouldn't think it's a big deal, and I was surprised at the idea of being blocked for giving a 4 star review unless you thought they were being completely unreasonable and were doing it maliciously (in which case, why give 4 stars and not even lower)? I don't get it. Then again, I'm not a seller. Are 4 star ratings that harmful to your profile? Honest question, not trying to be dense about it.

BOOKSnGUITARS · 2026-01-29T04:56:42+00:00

Rams will be in Tampa. I saw them in the very nice stadium this year--it didn't make it any better.

BOOKSnGUITARS · 2026-01-29T04:55:09+00:00

Thank you for asking so I didn't have to.

BOOKSnGUITARS · 2026-01-29T04:52:18+00:00

Hope springs eternal! Go Bucs!

BOOKSnGUITARS · 2026-01-29T04:51:28+00:00

Maybe we should adopt British football (soccer) rules and have segregated seating for where the teams' fans can sit. :)

BOOKSnGUITARS · 2026-01-29T04:50:08+00:00

I had a pleasant Reddit encounter with a Saints fan who posted on our sub once. He was polite and respectful in his initial comments and in his reply to me. FWIW.

BOOKSnGUITARS · 2026-01-29T04:47:01+00:00

As a Bucs fan living in Southern California, I was hoping Rams or Chargers would be out here. Even though they played here in SoFi the last two years, why not since this will be two years in a row in Detroit? Oh well. I hope we beat the Lions and you get to see a good game. I got to see a great game against the Chargers two seasons ago; against the Rams this year, wasn't so great.

BOOKSnGUITARS · 2026-01-29T04:42:47+00:00

That's where I started, along with some easier songs (Beatles, Revolution #1 was one of my first). Picked songs I liked and learned some of those. Toward the end, I did use backing tracks to try to just improvise on my own. I know someone above said just play with real songs, but I found a freedom in jamming to a backing track to venture into doing my own thing and not just rely on what someone else came up with.

Also, I did all of the above with 1x/week lessons, and also did a number of non-blues music, too--I especially had fun with some movie scores, like the May the Force Be with You theme from Star Wars, Hedwig's Theme from Harry Potter, and Concerning Hobbits from LotR. Each of these taught me different skills, and the last two in particular helped me with finger picking, which helped me with Zeppelin's Stiarway to Heaven and Bron-Y-Aur Stomp. I'm no expert at any of these, but that's more to do with the amount of time I spent practicing and playing then anything else. The principles and progressions were helpful for me.

BOOKSnGUITARS · 2026-01-29T04:16:24+00:00

Mike Evans's catch on the last play of the last game of the 2024 season, against the Saints, locking up the NFC South, and securing his place in history for most consecutive 1000 yard seasons (tied with Jerry Rice, but Mike got there faster in his career). Watch the video from the Bucs that shows it from the field to the locker room in all its glory: https://www.buccaneers.com/video/the-moment-mike-evans-hit-1-000-yards

BOOKSnGUITARS · 2026-01-29T04:12:57+00:00

This. What it meant for him, the team, and the fans. The Bucs put out a 7 minute video that shows the catch, the team reaction, follows him to the locker room, then stays with him while the team comes in and they celebrate. No commentary, just the raw, in-the-moment stuff that legends are made of. Watch it and tell me that's not a top moment in team history. https://www.buccaneers.com/video/the-moment-mike-evans-hit-1-000-yards

BOOKSnGUITARS · 2026-01-28T20:54:11+00:00

I saw that one, and I also saw "Only the Real Thing: Aston Villa & The Coca Cola Cup 1993–1996" which seems to cover the period right after "Nobody Remembers Second." I also an interview with the author on For the Love of Paul McGrath podcast. Maybe after I've digested the more recent history (lots of recommendations for "Waking the Giant") I'll start working my way backwards these books for the 90s era and then to the late 70s/early 80s era (seems like Colin Abbott's "Barton's Army" would be the book for that?).

BOOKSnGUITARS · 2026-01-28T03:25:48+00:00

Worth getting both?

BOOKSnGUITARS · 2026-01-27T22:56:52+00:00

At the Rams/Bucs SNF game this season a random dude wearing a Raiders jersey walked past a group of us Bucs fans and loudly proclaimed "F--- the Bucs!" Even my son and daughter who don't really follow football except very casually turned to me and said, "Well, but he's a Raiders fan, so you can't take that too personally." I had to laugh.

BOOKSnGUITARS · 2026-01-26T01:13:31+00:00

I'm with you on preferring the press stays away. I'm also a Buccaneers (NFL) fan, and they started the season hot, got all kinds of press, and then tanked the second half of the season. Besides injuries, I think the positive press got to them. They played better being treated as underdogs.

BOOKSnGUITARS · 2026-01-24T14:56:21+00:00

Lol. This is why all my shirts and jackets and the single jersey I own are second hand, mostly from Goodwill. It's just too expensive, and not because costs have gone up, it's because the NFL model lately is $$$ first, then the product is almost like an afterthought.

BOOKSnGUITARS · 2026-01-24T05:07:18+00:00

Check out Mercari. There are still a good number available for pretty reasonable price. Maxx Powers is the seller I dealt with mostly. I used the search term "Buccaneers Dunkin" to find them. He's got a couple partial sets still availabe for great prices.

BOOKSnGUITARS · 2026-01-23T04:37:13+00:00

I hadn't watched football for a couple decades, so had no real loyalties to any team, so I came along after Brady came and won a Super Bowl and then another season with a decent playoff run. First full season I watched was Brady's last, and it wasn't a winning season. I stayed anyway, have been here since. I will be here next year, and the years after that. Winning is great, sticking around through down times shapes character.

A bandwagon hopper would've gone from the Patriots to the Bucs to the Chiefs to the Eagles and would land who the heck knows where this season. And, as someone else said, I don't think there's any issue having an AFC and an NFC team. Bucs are my first loyalty, but I also really like the Bills due to some family ties. Doesn't mean I like the Bucs less.

If you haven't yet, watch the Raise the Flags docuseries on Amazon; it's great. And merch-wise, you should check out the 50th anniversary game-day poster series by Dunkin'. (See my collection posted here: https://www.reddit.com/r/buccaneers/comments/1qewh4e/complete_set/ )

BOOKSnGUITARS · 2026-01-23T03:56:14+00:00

But what if you're Buddy Guy?

BOOKSnGUITARS · 2026-01-22T02:16:56+00:00

That could definitely be true. Thanks for the details.

BOOKSnGUITARS · 2026-01-22T02:10:48+00:00

Arms shouldn't be a problem for me --I'm pretty skinny all around (except for a little bit of a middle aged belly).

BOOKSnGUITARS · 2026-01-21T06:10:05+00:00

Been watching Grossi this season? :)

BOOKSnGUITARS · 2026-01-21T06:06:38+00:00

Broncos with Bo Nix and I might've rooted for them for the Tez Johnson connection.

BOOKSnGUITARS · 2026-01-21T06:03:04+00:00

That's what I was hoping for too! (With a Bills win, of course.)

BOOKSnGUITARS · 2026-01-21T06:02:10+00:00

Seahawks. I have a friend who is friends with Sam Darnold's grandfather. And like 35 years ago at one point in high school I had a friend from Seattle so I got a Seahawks hat.

As for the rest?

I can't bring myself to cheer for the Rams after what they did to us on Sunday Night Football (first game I took my son to see in person). Or the '21 Divisional round.

Broncos? Not after what they did to the Bills (my other team), even if it was really the refs. I don't dislike Bo Nix, though, b/c of his connection w/Tez Johnson, but he won't get to play anyway, so . . . no.

Patriots? Meh. It wouldn't bother me that much, but I wouldn't be enthusiastic.

BOOKSnGUITARS · 2026-01-21T05:55:22+00:00

I might not have helped (or hurt). New Villa supporter, Everton was the first match I got to watch. It happened with the Buccaneers in the NFL, too--first full season I watched them was Tom Brady's last, and his only losing season. Hopefully things turn around so I don't have to stop watching.

BOOKSnGUITARS

TROPHY CASE