Their commercial just came on my TV. That's why they made it as the subject of my blog. That and the fact that they have killer reception most everywhere I go. So all in all, I've been pleased. I'm also extremely pleased with the honeydew melon candle that I just bought. If you could smell Heaven this would be it. It's amazing and it's one of those huge ones with three wicks. My room will be smelling heavenly for multiple days now ... nay weeks.
I have a couple of beefs this week. The main one being television commercials. It seems like everything in life has a shelf life. Food obviously has a shelf life. Jokes have a shelf life. Those of you in the Christian realm know that praise songs have a shelf life, although still too long. I can only sing, "Yooooou came from Heaven to earth to shoooooooooow the way ... from the eaaaarrth to the cross myyyyyyy debt to pay." The shelf life should have been oh I don't know maybe two years shorter. Heck even commercials on the radio have shelf life. It seems the one thing in life that doesn't have a shelf life happens to be the one thing we get bombarded with the most - commercials on TV.
I was watching the final four the other night when I noticed three commercials: Lebron James shooting really far jump shots, the old zoom zoom Mitsubishi commercial, and finally the stupid commercial for cialis. Problem one. I'm sick of seeing commercials for a year. I may be slightly dumb and I may not have a great attention span, but there are only so many times I can laugh at a commercial. There are only so many times that I can sit there for thirty seconds and let you have my undecided attention. All commercials should have to be pulled off within a year max. I dare say 4 - 6 months.
Problem 2 - These commercials have nothing to do with what the product is. Zoom zoom has nothing to do with cars. Mitsubishis are not sweet enough to go zoom zoom. They're crappy little cars. Lebron James cannot hit huge jump shots the whole length of the court, nor does it have anything to do with Powerade. Nothing at all. Finally that purple or red couch has nothing to do with Cialis or getting it up for your wife. Ever. Frankly I find those commercials offensive. It starts with this, and then it's the slippery slope. Some day we're watching commercials of naked girls on TV like they do in Europe and wondering how we got there. You know where it starts, with commercials about old dudes who can't get it up for sex. Yeah then it's the next step about something that enhances sex even more. Then it's about naked dudes and naked chicks and the clothing that maybe they put on. Bam - moral degradation.
Problem 3 - These commercials suck for the most part. Let's move on from the aforementioned commercials. Take McDonalds for example. If you watched any NFL this year you saw the one with the dude who comes in and throws food down the coffee table and he talks about his "Tbago (or whatever) and it's a decorative sham that protects." This has nothing to do with food. It also doesn't make me want to eat McDonalds. Some dudes sitting around talking about shams. Maybe if they watched football and played video games it would be sweet. That might make me say (if I was a pawn who fell for this crap), "Hmmm good idea some burgers while playing Madden." As is I'm not saying, "Burgers while talking about shams."
Exhibit two commercials for beer that talk about taste loss. I usually like beer commercials. They're really flashy and for people with the attention span of a slug a.k.a. me. But when you talk about beer taste loss and that's why I should drink Miller; you make one enormously wrong assumption. I don't drink beer that makes me feel like I've lost all my taste. I don't drink crap beer like Bud Light. I drink good beer like George Killians. So don't make beer telling me to drink yours cause the other beer sucks. Either make me laugh in a good way that I can relate. Or tell me why your beer is better. And no the fact that I can save 25 cents on yours is not good enough.
Exhibit three commercials for cars that are just flat out horrible. Showing me your car doing a 360 on a dark street isn't going to cut it. I CAN'T DO THAT WITH MY CAR! I GET ARRESTED FOR EVEN TRYING! Show me how the car does when it hits a pot hole. Show me how the car does driving down interstates. Is it going to always pull to the left? How does my car do getting off the stop light or turning through the drive through that has a tight turn. Am I going to have to three point turn it? I hate that. Tell me that my car won't have to three point turn in incredibly inoppurtune spots.
You throw all three of these problems together and it makes TV almost unbearable to watch at times. I wish that they would pull commercials. Do they not know the power these bad commercials have? I have already decided never to purchase any McDonalds, Burger King (thanks to the gay king and singing), or Sierra Mist because their commercials are so lame. You have the power to sway me to, or against, your side with a decent commercial. I'm seriously paying attention, so don't make a bad one. It's like marketing execs are so out of touch with people they don't know how to make a good commercial. Just get out of the board room and onto the street.
I was going to rant about some other stuff, but I'll save that for later this week. I feel like I got a lot off my chest. I think Wednesday I'm going to gripe about business and the lack of choice. We got royally ripped today by our gas company and frankly I'm sick of it. But can I change my gas company? No. Can I change my electric provider? No. I'm stuck. This is why a free society is better. A democracy is key. Capitalism is key. People who don't have the freedom of choice are getting hosed. Today's run in with the gas company showed me more than ever that people deserve a choice. It's what drives better effort and business. But until then, if you're out on your bike tonight ... do wear white.
Monday, April 04, 2005
Sunday, April 03, 2005
The Low Down
Alright I'm back from Retirement to fill you all in on a great weekend of film. As everyone knows, the big film opening in theatres this weekend was Ice Princess. I know everyone was having a hard time getting tickets to the show, so for you disappointed fans who didn't get your grubby hands on a one way ticket to cinema extacy, here is a brief recap:
1) Ice Princess is gay
2) I didn't see Ice Princess
3) If there were an Ice Princess in Sin City, guaranteed Elijah Wood would have eaten her.
Ok people I didn't really see Ice Princess, but as you can guess, I DID see Sin freaking City! WOO! While you're all whining that you couldn't get out and see it this weekend, let me help you be a good film consumer. Some of you are all pumped about Sin City just because it has a sweet cast. Other people are pumped about it because it looks like it has mind blowing cinematography. Others just want to see some boobs and blood and this looks like a good ticket. But BEWARE!! Sin City isn't a simple bam bam shoot em up boob flick. In order to help you decide whether you, the discerning budding film critic should see Sin City, let me give you a littany of things that may draw you in/repel you from the movie. You gotta come correct before digesting 2 hours of this bad boy.
Should I see Sin City? Yes, if...
1) You like violence!! I'm not talking Steven Segal violence with accompanying one liners and gay running (have you ever watched Steven Segal run? If not, remember that kid in junior high who ran like a girl in gym class and everyone made fun of? Bam, that's exactly how Steve runs). I've been watching movies for going on 15 years, and I've seen nothing like some of the violence in this movie! It's revolutionary! If you like lots of blood, lots of violence, tons of beheadings (no not Kill Bill stylee) and some sweet guns, you might like Sin City
1) Ice Princess is gay
2) I didn't see Ice Princess
3) If there were an Ice Princess in Sin City, guaranteed Elijah Wood would have eaten her.
Ok people I didn't really see Ice Princess, but as you can guess, I DID see Sin freaking City! WOO! While you're all whining that you couldn't get out and see it this weekend, let me help you be a good film consumer. Some of you are all pumped about Sin City just because it has a sweet cast. Other people are pumped about it because it looks like it has mind blowing cinematography. Others just want to see some boobs and blood and this looks like a good ticket. But BEWARE!! Sin City isn't a simple bam bam shoot em up boob flick. In order to help you decide whether you, the discerning budding film critic should see Sin City, let me give you a littany of things that may draw you in/repel you from the movie. You gotta come correct before digesting 2 hours of this bad boy.
Should I see Sin City? Yes, if...
1) You like violence!! I'm not talking Steven Segal violence with accompanying one liners and gay running (have you ever watched Steven Segal run? If not, remember that kid in junior high who ran like a girl in gym class and everyone made fun of? Bam, that's exactly how Steve runs). I've been watching movies for going on 15 years, and I've seen nothing like some of the violence in this movie! It's revolutionary! If you like lots of blood, lots of violence, tons of beheadings (no not Kill Bill stylee) and some sweet guns, you might like Sin City
2) You like Scantily Clad Women!! A lesser focus of the movie is Jessica Alba's hotness. But she's really really hot, so if you like Jessica Alba and are trying to objectify her instead of picking up new dance moves (Courtney and Mandy I'm looking at you here), go see Sin City. Also if you like naked women, you will probably like Sin City. And if you're a dude and you don't like naked women, go see Ice Princess.
3) You have no qualms about seeing Elijah Wood transform from lovable tragic hero to woman-slaying cannibal. Ok I probably just ruined a lot of the movie there...nuff said.
4) You are a huge fan of old school film noir: I'm talking complete with haggard sounding voice overs, sleazy saxophone music in the background, and women being refered to as 'dames' and 'broads' and 'skirts'. Straight 1940's style. And the fact that the movie is shot in all black and white only further throws back not only to Frank Miller's comic book, but also to the films and cinema that inspired generations of movie goer/makers.
5) You like Chivas Regal: Ok I just made that up. You don't have to like Chivas to like Sin City, but if you don't like Chivas something is in fact wrong with you. Get right!
OK! That's my breakdown for why you should see Sin City. Below are reasons you might not like to see Sin City:
1) If you're taking a girl out and trying to hook up: Big mistake!!!! Sin City is definitely not the movie to take a girl to in order to get her all fired up for post-movie shenanigans. For that I would try Ice Princess. Lord knows doing ANYTHING after that movie (including getting run over by a train) would be a treat compared to sitting through that drivel. But seriously if you're thinking maybe Sin City would be a great complement to dinner, or some other form of date...I'd probably second guess your date planning skills.
2) You're not a fan of boobs/scantily clad women: I don't even know what to say here, but if you read qualification number two and it resounds with you...just, don't go see Sin City.
3) If you don't like awesome violence: yeah that pretty much explains itself.
4) If you're a fan of Josh Hartnett: Lord willing you will answer 'no' to this point with disgust (i.e. "pshhhyeah right. he sucks"), but in the unfortunate instance where you find Josh Hartnett a viable contributor to the cinematic world-this movie is not for you. Yeah he's in the credits, but I think his name is flashed on the screen longer than his presence in the movie. He's basically a glorified cameo.
5) If you think movies are real: Sin City might ruin your view of the world. Try reading the Lord of the Rings trilogy again.
And there you have it. I would highly suggest that you heed my advice on this movie, because as I found out in a fortune cookie this weekend: "Everyone agrees that you are the best". Kid you not...that was in my cookie and I couldn't agree more. I'm the best film critic there is, so rest assured my advice is rock solid. Until next time...have fun at the movies!!
Thursday, March 31, 2005
Live
For those of you that are faithful readers of this blog you know that I have a habit of discussing how things are rated. I get upset when certain things are underrated and horribly angry when things, particularly athletes are overrated. For those of you who are sports enthusiasts, I hate when people say Steve McNair is so underrated. No he's not. Everyone is talking about him. Everyone says he's such a warrior for playing injured. Last time I checked he was a huge weakling / baby for always being injured. Having your player not performing at his highest peak since he can't maintain a base health is not a positive, it's a negative and grounds for being lame. I'm not saying I can do better, just critiquing him against other athletes and how the media portrays him.
A classic example of underrated, as mentioned before in this blog, is the snack food Gummy Bears. Do you ever begin a roadtrip and stop at the gas station to fuel up, grab a drink, and some snacks for the road? I'm sure most of you have. Now think with me for a second when was the last time one of your friends yelled from the car, "Hey grab me some gummy bears!"? That's right, probably not ever in your entire existence. Why not? They're tasty, addicting, not too too horribly unhealthy. What makes Doritos so much better ... or any member of the Frito Lay family for that matter? I'm not quite certain. Finally, why the heck does the gummy worm get all the stinking attention? How much cooler is it to eat a bear than a worm? A lot freaking cooler.
So what has been so grievously underrated or overrated that I've been moved to blog you ask? I'll tell you. The band Live. I was listening to their greatest hits CD, Awake - The Best of Live, the other day and let me tell you it's so good. So I'm listening to the CD with my sister and she makes the comment, "Live has to be one of the must underrated rock bands." And after much thought I agree with her.
Why is this? Why has Live not received a whole lot of attention? Go listen to some of their music, it's really good. Lyrically strong, solid tempo as well, and ultra good energy. The band is good. I think that since a lot of their songs sound the same, people forget how many good hits they truly do have. They're kind of one step away from being from being Nirvana, yet one step away from sounding like Scott Stapp from Creed. This band is infinitely better though. So I guess I'm writing just a random musing to complain how underrated Live is. For those of you that haven't heard any of their music, go find someone who has some, buy the CD, or heck just download some songs. Here are some recommendations:
1.) All Over You
2.) Lightning Crashes
3.) Heaven
4.) Lakini's Juice
5.) Selling the Drama
6.) I Walk the Line
Yes I forgot some, but that's a good sampling. Great music and good times. What really floats my boat is how some other garbage bands like (no matter who I mention here I'm going to offend someone) Creed or stinking 98 degrees get huge attention and bands like Live fall through the crack. So it is my job to push some good music your way and really make sure you guys give Live their due. This is coming from a huge U2 fan, but I like to step out and listen to some other stuff too. Some other things that are underrated while I'm thinking about it:
1.) Snack Packs - They were on the verge of being overrated when Billy Madison came out, but it died down completely. So good, so full of goodness.
2.) The smell of saw dust - It usually signifies some good hard work and a job well done. It's so fresh and so clean clean.
3.) Live - Oh wait that's what this blog is about.
4.) Toaster ovens - Not really rated at all. Think about it. It takes half the time to heat up as an oven, you can toast your whole sandwich to make it into a melt, or you can broil and toast stuff as well as bake things. It's really a remarkable invention and it's cool to say you have one.
Things that are overrated:
1.) Little kids selling lemonade - Not nearly as entrepreneurial (I don't even know if that's spelled right) or as cute as people think. I really love paying 25 cents for watered down crap.
2.) Hot Showers - Look, I love a hot shower, but they're getting way too much publicity.
3.) Frito Lay snacks - Ok I'm just bitter now.
4.) Rap music - Let me say this. I do like some rap music and listen to it from time to time. But the lyrics are ignorant, most of the rappers don't even produce their own music, and they can't sing. Have you ever heard a concert? All they do is come out with their entourage and yell ... probably because they're no talent hacks.5
.) The ACLU - It's horrible and is ruining America. It stands for a good idea, but has morphed to horribleness and evil.
Alright, that's all for now. Go listen to some Live and tell me what you think.
A classic example of underrated, as mentioned before in this blog, is the snack food Gummy Bears. Do you ever begin a roadtrip and stop at the gas station to fuel up, grab a drink, and some snacks for the road? I'm sure most of you have. Now think with me for a second when was the last time one of your friends yelled from the car, "Hey grab me some gummy bears!"? That's right, probably not ever in your entire existence. Why not? They're tasty, addicting, not too too horribly unhealthy. What makes Doritos so much better ... or any member of the Frito Lay family for that matter? I'm not quite certain. Finally, why the heck does the gummy worm get all the stinking attention? How much cooler is it to eat a bear than a worm? A lot freaking cooler.
So what has been so grievously underrated or overrated that I've been moved to blog you ask? I'll tell you. The band Live. I was listening to their greatest hits CD, Awake - The Best of Live, the other day and let me tell you it's so good. So I'm listening to the CD with my sister and she makes the comment, "Live has to be one of the must underrated rock bands." And after much thought I agree with her.
Why is this? Why has Live not received a whole lot of attention? Go listen to some of their music, it's really good. Lyrically strong, solid tempo as well, and ultra good energy. The band is good. I think that since a lot of their songs sound the same, people forget how many good hits they truly do have. They're kind of one step away from being from being Nirvana, yet one step away from sounding like Scott Stapp from Creed. This band is infinitely better though. So I guess I'm writing just a random musing to complain how underrated Live is. For those of you that haven't heard any of their music, go find someone who has some, buy the CD, or heck just download some songs. Here are some recommendations:
1.) All Over You
2.) Lightning Crashes
3.) Heaven
4.) Lakini's Juice
5.) Selling the Drama
6.) I Walk the Line
Yes I forgot some, but that's a good sampling. Great music and good times. What really floats my boat is how some other garbage bands like (no matter who I mention here I'm going to offend someone) Creed or stinking 98 degrees get huge attention and bands like Live fall through the crack. So it is my job to push some good music your way and really make sure you guys give Live their due. This is coming from a huge U2 fan, but I like to step out and listen to some other stuff too. Some other things that are underrated while I'm thinking about it:
1.) Snack Packs - They were on the verge of being overrated when Billy Madison came out, but it died down completely. So good, so full of goodness.
2.) The smell of saw dust - It usually signifies some good hard work and a job well done. It's so fresh and so clean clean.
3.) Live - Oh wait that's what this blog is about.
4.) Toaster ovens - Not really rated at all. Think about it. It takes half the time to heat up as an oven, you can toast your whole sandwich to make it into a melt, or you can broil and toast stuff as well as bake things. It's really a remarkable invention and it's cool to say you have one.
Things that are overrated:
1.) Little kids selling lemonade - Not nearly as entrepreneurial (I don't even know if that's spelled right) or as cute as people think. I really love paying 25 cents for watered down crap.
2.) Hot Showers - Look, I love a hot shower, but they're getting way too much publicity.
3.) Frito Lay snacks - Ok I'm just bitter now.
4.) Rap music - Let me say this. I do like some rap music and listen to it from time to time. But the lyrics are ignorant, most of the rappers don't even produce their own music, and they can't sing. Have you ever heard a concert? All they do is come out with their entourage and yell ... probably because they're no talent hacks.5
.) The ACLU - It's horrible and is ruining America. It stands for a good idea, but has morphed to horribleness and evil.
Alright, that's all for now. Go listen to some Live and tell me what you think.
the fart machine
The Fart Machine is the greatest invention ever. Don't ask me, just talk to Keith about it. He stinking loves the thing.
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Andrew's Dilemma and My Beef
Andrew,
I totally understand your problem. I experienced the same feelings of boredom, hopelessness, and general overall despair. It was called the end of the Steeler's season. We just need to dig down and remember why we decided to blog in the first place. I know the reason I let you suck me into this horrible experience was to rail against any of the following: the liberals that are ruining America (yes I whole heartedly believe that statement), MTV for sucking (the subject of my blog today), and blogging about people doing good deeds (which I've failed at lately.) Somewhere I got sidetracked along the way. I realized that I just don't have enough material in my life, since I work all day, to talk about any more. It's the plight of the working man. Life gets a little more boring.
I'm going to begin doing several things. I'm going to blog maybe once every two or three days. With this and my website that I write articles two times a week for, www.youvegottalovesports.com nothing like a shameless plug, I just can't write any more. Both of them suffer. Thing two that I'm going to do. Try to do a few different types of blogs a week. One will be like the one today, railing agains leftist America or horrible television. The other one or two will just be random musings. Like when did Step by Step jump the shark? Ok that was a bad example, clearly when Lily was born and was seven years old next season yet no other character aged seven years. Horrible mistake. How about this script writers, ADOPT A FREAKING CHILD. So there will be a couple types of blogs. Finally, I'm not just going to hastily throw rants on here, I'm going to commit some time to those few blogs (in theory until I get lazy and do it quickly). That way my blog won't read, "MTV sucks I hate it!" So stay strong Andrew, I'll keep the ship afloat until your glorious return.
Todays blog will deal with the horrible state of MTV. MTV for those of you ignorant of any pop culture stands for Music Television. I don't know when it started, I said I'd put thought in my blog, not actual research. (Side tangent people need to quit putting so much time and research into their blog. You are amateur journalists at best. Really you're just another hack who just wants to have someone care about their thoughts. Less research on your blogs people.) So back to the subject at hand which is MTV. I have several beefs with MTV. I don't really know to the extent that I want to blog about all of them, but I will mention several of them.
MTV, like ESPN, has diluted it's product beyond the point of no return. Case in point for ESPN. The other night, they were running that gay poker drama Tilt on ESPN and ESPN U was showing the Big 12 conference tournament, actual sports. That would be great if my cable company carried ESPN U, but they don't. So instead of getting the Entire Sports something Network I get poker dramas and Dale Earnhardt movies. The same is true with MTV 2. That's the station that carries music information and videos, but you only get it if you have Direct TV satellite.
Not only do they not show music, but the few shows that do, don't. Take TRL for example, which is people who watch MTV and want to see music videos, requesting to see certain videos in the top 10 countdown format. They talk on the show, show screaming people on TV, talk to washed up celebrities or the newest one to release a CD, and then show maybe on average 27 seconds of the video. That's horrible. That's the POINT OF THE FREAKING SHOW! Show music videos for goodness sake. VH1 on the other hand shows all the videos in their countdown and only shows clips of the ones that drop a lot, a.k.a. the ones people don't want to see as much.
This blog is approaching way to long, but stay with me. MTV Choose or Lose voting campaign. A total joke. It's great if you want to register people to vote, but when you do so with the likes of: Ashton Kutcher, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Dixie Chicks, Cameron Diaz, Kirsten Dunst, and Brad Pitt (all at democratic conventions with Kerry - Edwards posters behind them) it's kind of biased and swayed. Oh yeah, they may have briefly mentioned republican celebrities like Ted Nugent, way to be fair MTV. They could use what little popularity in pop culture they still have as a TV station for good, but no they go completely biased and one sided saying choose or lose, but basically saying choose for the democrats to run this country. Way to throw Cameron Diaz out there or Ashton Kutcher (both of whom I am sure are well versed on politics and the state of America) and have them support voting for democrats and voting in general. Of course they're democrats. They don't want any sense of accountability at all. Abortions are great since we sleep around all the time and need to get rid of a few kids. They don't care about taxes, they have a ton of money to waste and throw away. Protection for the American people, who cares they have entourages. What a bias joke MTV.
Last straw for me comes last night. My good fellow blogger Andrew and I are out a local bar. I'm eating a few nachos, drinking a beer, and smoking a semi-decent ... ok awful ... cigar. But it's a good time. The TV in front of me has MTV on. They're not showing sports as normal because the only sport on last night was women's college hoops. No one wants to watch a basketball game where no one dunks, they barely can hit a 3, and the final score is something similar to 49-44. Way to go NHL by being on strike we really could have used you last night. MTV though is running some dumb show about Real World fighting Road Rules and they all vote each other off blah blah blah. I'm used to it. We have no sound in the bar, just pictures. But all I know is the next show that comes on MTV MUSIC TELEVISION is some show with Cameron Diaz (liberal) and Eva Mendez, and like Method Man, on an elephant somewhere in some middle of nowhere hole. They're cleaning the freaking elephant. They show shots of the elephant pooping in the river and the girls getting all dirty while trying to clean the elephant / ride it. If anyone, ANYONE, can tell me what this has to do with music television in the slightest sense, I'll give you a dollar. And you can't say Method Man is a former rapper, he wasn't even talking about music or rapping. This is a waste and is so far off the beaten path. This show should be on discovery or outdoor network or animal planet. Why the crap is it on MTV!?!
I'm never watching MTV again. Ever. I went home last night and deleted the channel from my lineup. So when I'm channeling up on my TV, it skips channel 39 the worst channel ever in the history of cable. MTV, you've gone so far away from music and basic reality that you just lost a longtime viewer who was on the fringe. Good bye forever MTV, hello VH1, Fox News, and ESPN ... for a while at least.
I totally understand your problem. I experienced the same feelings of boredom, hopelessness, and general overall despair. It was called the end of the Steeler's season. We just need to dig down and remember why we decided to blog in the first place. I know the reason I let you suck me into this horrible experience was to rail against any of the following: the liberals that are ruining America (yes I whole heartedly believe that statement), MTV for sucking (the subject of my blog today), and blogging about people doing good deeds (which I've failed at lately.) Somewhere I got sidetracked along the way. I realized that I just don't have enough material in my life, since I work all day, to talk about any more. It's the plight of the working man. Life gets a little more boring.
I'm going to begin doing several things. I'm going to blog maybe once every two or three days. With this and my website that I write articles two times a week for, www.youvegottalovesports.com nothing like a shameless plug, I just can't write any more. Both of them suffer. Thing two that I'm going to do. Try to do a few different types of blogs a week. One will be like the one today, railing agains leftist America or horrible television. The other one or two will just be random musings. Like when did Step by Step jump the shark? Ok that was a bad example, clearly when Lily was born and was seven years old next season yet no other character aged seven years. Horrible mistake. How about this script writers, ADOPT A FREAKING CHILD. So there will be a couple types of blogs. Finally, I'm not just going to hastily throw rants on here, I'm going to commit some time to those few blogs (in theory until I get lazy and do it quickly). That way my blog won't read, "MTV sucks I hate it!" So stay strong Andrew, I'll keep the ship afloat until your glorious return.
Todays blog will deal with the horrible state of MTV. MTV for those of you ignorant of any pop culture stands for Music Television. I don't know when it started, I said I'd put thought in my blog, not actual research. (Side tangent people need to quit putting so much time and research into their blog. You are amateur journalists at best. Really you're just another hack who just wants to have someone care about their thoughts. Less research on your blogs people.) So back to the subject at hand which is MTV. I have several beefs with MTV. I don't really know to the extent that I want to blog about all of them, but I will mention several of them.
MTV, like ESPN, has diluted it's product beyond the point of no return. Case in point for ESPN. The other night, they were running that gay poker drama Tilt on ESPN and ESPN U was showing the Big 12 conference tournament, actual sports. That would be great if my cable company carried ESPN U, but they don't. So instead of getting the Entire Sports something Network I get poker dramas and Dale Earnhardt movies. The same is true with MTV 2. That's the station that carries music information and videos, but you only get it if you have Direct TV satellite.
Not only do they not show music, but the few shows that do, don't. Take TRL for example, which is people who watch MTV and want to see music videos, requesting to see certain videos in the top 10 countdown format. They talk on the show, show screaming people on TV, talk to washed up celebrities or the newest one to release a CD, and then show maybe on average 27 seconds of the video. That's horrible. That's the POINT OF THE FREAKING SHOW! Show music videos for goodness sake. VH1 on the other hand shows all the videos in their countdown and only shows clips of the ones that drop a lot, a.k.a. the ones people don't want to see as much.
This blog is approaching way to long, but stay with me. MTV Choose or Lose voting campaign. A total joke. It's great if you want to register people to vote, but when you do so with the likes of: Ashton Kutcher, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Dixie Chicks, Cameron Diaz, Kirsten Dunst, and Brad Pitt (all at democratic conventions with Kerry - Edwards posters behind them) it's kind of biased and swayed. Oh yeah, they may have briefly mentioned republican celebrities like Ted Nugent, way to be fair MTV. They could use what little popularity in pop culture they still have as a TV station for good, but no they go completely biased and one sided saying choose or lose, but basically saying choose for the democrats to run this country. Way to throw Cameron Diaz out there or Ashton Kutcher (both of whom I am sure are well versed on politics and the state of America) and have them support voting for democrats and voting in general. Of course they're democrats. They don't want any sense of accountability at all. Abortions are great since we sleep around all the time and need to get rid of a few kids. They don't care about taxes, they have a ton of money to waste and throw away. Protection for the American people, who cares they have entourages. What a bias joke MTV.
Last straw for me comes last night. My good fellow blogger Andrew and I are out a local bar. I'm eating a few nachos, drinking a beer, and smoking a semi-decent ... ok awful ... cigar. But it's a good time. The TV in front of me has MTV on. They're not showing sports as normal because the only sport on last night was women's college hoops. No one wants to watch a basketball game where no one dunks, they barely can hit a 3, and the final score is something similar to 49-44. Way to go NHL by being on strike we really could have used you last night. MTV though is running some dumb show about Real World fighting Road Rules and they all vote each other off blah blah blah. I'm used to it. We have no sound in the bar, just pictures. But all I know is the next show that comes on MTV MUSIC TELEVISION is some show with Cameron Diaz (liberal) and Eva Mendez, and like Method Man, on an elephant somewhere in some middle of nowhere hole. They're cleaning the freaking elephant. They show shots of the elephant pooping in the river and the girls getting all dirty while trying to clean the elephant / ride it. If anyone, ANYONE, can tell me what this has to do with music television in the slightest sense, I'll give you a dollar. And you can't say Method Man is a former rapper, he wasn't even talking about music or rapping. This is a waste and is so far off the beaten path. This show should be on discovery or outdoor network or animal planet. Why the crap is it on MTV!?!
I'm never watching MTV again. Ever. I went home last night and deleted the channel from my lineup. So when I'm channeling up on my TV, it skips channel 39 the worst channel ever in the history of cable. MTV, you've gone so far away from music and basic reality that you just lost a longtime viewer who was on the fringe. Good bye forever MTV, hello VH1, Fox News, and ESPN ... for a while at least.
hhhyytrreee
I think I've officially run out of things to blog about.
I know this sounds preposterous coming from the man who blogs about such enlightening topics as winter, semi trucks, horrible canadian pretzels, and Christine Lakin. But honestly, I'm in a dry spell. I am so pedantic that I always love reading my own blogs...even that passion has faded! And it seems like everything I blog about inspires people to not comment. I like to go to Lillet And Tray's weblog (www.whatdidweeverdotoyou.blogspot.com) and make comments just to dialogue with someone, and even they've stopped talking to me!! I'm probably the only Republican who ever posts there, clearly giving them the opportunity to debate vehemetly with me about any and all types of issues. But they don't, and I'm also attributing that to my dry spell.
This dry spell is killing me! The only cool thing I can conceive about talking about is freaking Terri Shiavo, and how she will hopefully die in her sleep today. But everyone's talking about that, and I'm not one to tow the line. So Terrible Terri is out of the picture. I think I'm going to need to take a few days off and regroup. I also need to find some cool picture to put in my blogs, because too much text is starting to hurt even my own self seeking eyes. Ok kids, I'm off to reflect...don't do drugs.
I know this sounds preposterous coming from the man who blogs about such enlightening topics as winter, semi trucks, horrible canadian pretzels, and Christine Lakin. But honestly, I'm in a dry spell. I am so pedantic that I always love reading my own blogs...even that passion has faded! And it seems like everything I blog about inspires people to not comment. I like to go to Lillet And Tray's weblog (www.whatdidweeverdotoyou.blogspot.com) and make comments just to dialogue with someone, and even they've stopped talking to me!! I'm probably the only Republican who ever posts there, clearly giving them the opportunity to debate vehemetly with me about any and all types of issues. But they don't, and I'm also attributing that to my dry spell.
This dry spell is killing me! The only cool thing I can conceive about talking about is freaking Terri Shiavo, and how she will hopefully die in her sleep today. But everyone's talking about that, and I'm not one to tow the line. So Terrible Terri is out of the picture. I think I'm going to need to take a few days off and regroup. I also need to find some cool picture to put in my blogs, because too much text is starting to hurt even my own self seeking eyes. Ok kids, I'm off to reflect...don't do drugs.
Monday, March 28, 2005
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Christine Lakin! That was the girl
Yeaaahhhh Chistine Lakin was the little girl, Al! Dang she blossomed. That was the girl who I had a crush on, I forgot. Does anyone have here digits so I can give her a call. Amanda, at this point any cynical comments or insulting remarks that you're about to make can be sublimated into actual productive work at Nyack. I know that don't pay you to chat online with boys...all day.
And the moral isssssss
First,
Let me agree with Keith. Step by Step is a great show, and all throughout junior high I totally had the hots for what's her name, the dark haired girl. Actually, turns out I still do. I'm going to go find her fan club and ask her out on a date.
Secondly!
The moral of the story is this...and it actually hearkens back to Keith's do-gooder philosophy on life. As I'm driving through the snow, there is only one set of car tracks to let me know where the road is. That's the only way that I know that the road is underneath me. I was comforted to know that someone had braved the snow, and had laid a little path for me to follow, unbeknownst to them. At one point in my travels, I passed everyone on Interstate 86 and no one was in front of me...well, at least no one had been in front to leave a trail. At that point I was blazing my own trail. Granted it wasn't a straight line, and it certainly didn't clear enough of the road to make driving safe; though I was scared to death to drive on this tundra that used to be a road, I knew that people behind be would be able to see my tracks and say "Ok there's a road underneath me". Either that, or they would see where I skidded off the road onto the exit ramp and say "Woof I'm not going to go that way!! That leads to certain doom!"
I think you can see where I'm going with this people. I wasn't out on the road intentionally to blaze a trail in the snow. The trail blazing was in effect a biproduct of my being on the road...of life!! We do have the choice to live a life that blazes a trail. We have the opportunity to lay a path in the snow of life and say "Hey, it's ok to drive here, there's solid ground underneath you". And even when we derail in life, and everyone can see how we screw up, it still gives us the chance to look back from our wrecked car and tell people "HEY! Don't drive there (pointing to skid marks). It's really not a good place to be". However you blaze your trail in life, just keep in mind that you are indeed blazing a trail whether intentionally or unintentionally. And if you value your posterity, you'll try to stay on the road!
That's the object lesson I learned from the paths, or the lack thereof, in the snow on Interstate 86 between Arkport and Olean, NY. It may sound cheezy, but I just thought I would share it with you all. Keep on rockin'.
Let me agree with Keith. Step by Step is a great show, and all throughout junior high I totally had the hots for what's her name, the dark haired girl. Actually, turns out I still do. I'm going to go find her fan club and ask her out on a date.
Secondly!
The moral of the story is this...and it actually hearkens back to Keith's do-gooder philosophy on life. As I'm driving through the snow, there is only one set of car tracks to let me know where the road is. That's the only way that I know that the road is underneath me. I was comforted to know that someone had braved the snow, and had laid a little path for me to follow, unbeknownst to them. At one point in my travels, I passed everyone on Interstate 86 and no one was in front of me...well, at least no one had been in front to leave a trail. At that point I was blazing my own trail. Granted it wasn't a straight line, and it certainly didn't clear enough of the road to make driving safe; though I was scared to death to drive on this tundra that used to be a road, I knew that people behind be would be able to see my tracks and say "Ok there's a road underneath me". Either that, or they would see where I skidded off the road onto the exit ramp and say "Woof I'm not going to go that way!! That leads to certain doom!"
I think you can see where I'm going with this people. I wasn't out on the road intentionally to blaze a trail in the snow. The trail blazing was in effect a biproduct of my being on the road...of life!! We do have the choice to live a life that blazes a trail. We have the opportunity to lay a path in the snow of life and say "Hey, it's ok to drive here, there's solid ground underneath you". And even when we derail in life, and everyone can see how we screw up, it still gives us the chance to look back from our wrecked car and tell people "HEY! Don't drive there (pointing to skid marks). It's really not a good place to be". However you blaze your trail in life, just keep in mind that you are indeed blazing a trail whether intentionally or unintentionally. And if you value your posterity, you'll try to stay on the road!
That's the object lesson I learned from the paths, or the lack thereof, in the snow on Interstate 86 between Arkport and Olean, NY. It may sound cheezy, but I just thought I would share it with you all. Keep on rockin'.
Step by Step
Ok, I have a confession to make. I enjoy the TV show, for the most part, Step By Step. I can enjoy Patrick Duffy's corny humor, the pseudo Brady Bunch theme, and several attractive girls (ok I'm shallow I know it). But today I stumbled upon an episode that somehow I have never seen. It's on twice at 2 and 2:30 on ABC Family. I got to my hotel just in time to see it. I know why I've never seen this episode, they most likely never show it because it's HORRIBLE.
Here's the quick summary of the show. Dana (Staci Keanan) goes to a bar to see a band perform that she wants to. Frank (Patrick Duffy) and Carol (Suzanne Summers) told her not to go. She goes anyway of course, and her sister Karen (Christine Lakin) rats her out. It's impressive that I can name all the actors not gay. She gets there, and inevitably there are a ton of unsavory characters who want to take Dana home and do not nice family approved Step by Step stuff to her. Cody (Sasha Mitchell who eventually ends up beating his wife in real life) has a hunch that she would go there and comes to her rescue. The whole bar turns on him so he's outnumbered roughly 12 to 1. This is where it goes downhill. THEY BEGIN FIGHTING HIM ONE ON ONE! Forget the fact that they said he was doomed because he's outnumbered. They totally remove that advantage and fight him one at a time. It's gay too. They use gay fight moves. Like a guy takes a pool stick and starts making noises while twirling it. Cody counters with a mop.
Then a guy comes and tries Mortal Kombat (great game by the way) moves on him, he throws him through the window countering with his "Wooooooah who put a window there?!?" They then decide to get up and use all of their strength at once. At which point he's outnumbered and Frank shows up at the last moment and helps Cody clean house. Oh yeah, did I mention that Frank and Cody only have to fight two people at a time. No gang in real life is this stupid. It would have been much more believable if they had maybe 6 members in their gang. Frank, who's old and wearing jeans and flannel, and Cody clean house. Thus the day is saved.
I'm pretty dumb. I'm usually able to suspend reality for a while in an effort to enjoy a tv show or a movie. But this was far too off the wall for me to even buy. I'm not watching Step by Step for the rest of the week. Oh yeah that's only one day ...
Here's the quick summary of the show. Dana (Staci Keanan) goes to a bar to see a band perform that she wants to. Frank (Patrick Duffy) and Carol (Suzanne Summers) told her not to go. She goes anyway of course, and her sister Karen (Christine Lakin) rats her out. It's impressive that I can name all the actors not gay. She gets there, and inevitably there are a ton of unsavory characters who want to take Dana home and do not nice family approved Step by Step stuff to her. Cody (Sasha Mitchell who eventually ends up beating his wife in real life) has a hunch that she would go there and comes to her rescue. The whole bar turns on him so he's outnumbered roughly 12 to 1. This is where it goes downhill. THEY BEGIN FIGHTING HIM ONE ON ONE! Forget the fact that they said he was doomed because he's outnumbered. They totally remove that advantage and fight him one at a time. It's gay too. They use gay fight moves. Like a guy takes a pool stick and starts making noises while twirling it. Cody counters with a mop.
Then a guy comes and tries Mortal Kombat (great game by the way) moves on him, he throws him through the window countering with his "Wooooooah who put a window there?!?" They then decide to get up and use all of their strength at once. At which point he's outnumbered and Frank shows up at the last moment and helps Cody clean house. Oh yeah, did I mention that Frank and Cody only have to fight two people at a time. No gang in real life is this stupid. It would have been much more believable if they had maybe 6 members in their gang. Frank, who's old and wearing jeans and flannel, and Cody clean house. Thus the day is saved.
I'm pretty dumb. I'm usually able to suspend reality for a while in an effort to enjoy a tv show or a movie. But this was far too off the wall for me to even buy. I'm not watching Step by Step for the rest of the week. Oh yeah that's only one day ...
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Quick Quick Blog
I just want to echo Drew's sentiments. I'm in Connecticut, as you know due to my rant yesterday, and it snowed 8 inches here in roughly 4 hours. What the heck! It's like the fastest I've ever seen serious snow come down. To make matters worse it kept sticking to the road signs. I couldn't see street names, exits, or various interstates. It was serious bad news, especially when Map Quest gives you diretions by said street names. It totally sucked. Fortunately I didn't almost die, it just took me an hour to drive what should have taken 15 minutes. Snow is horrible. Long day, now I'm in bed. But don't drive in 8 inches of blinding wet snow alright?
"Oh no...not agaaaaiiinnnn!!"
Sit down kids! I'm going to tell you all a story. Is it a story about how I had another moment of clarity? Yes. Am I going to be pensive? Yes. And You shut your yappin'...George Killian and I are here to tell you how I stared death in the face and then made out with her for a little bit. Go!
I learned a couple of things tonight.
1) Under no circumstances will I ever, ever, ever, ever, ever erve, ever drive MY own car on a school recruiting trip farther away than Walmart. I drove my car out because my appointments were only a few hours away and figured 'What the heck, Smith! Live a little!". So I did and I regret it. For one thing, every truck carrying gravel or dirt within a 60 mile radius of me must have known I was driving my own car because I've been pelted non stop with rocks and dirt since leaving Grove City. I hate semi trucks, as you all know, and I ESPECIALLY hate semi trucks carrying rocks and/or dirt. So my car has enough dings in it to be read by helen keller.
2) Olean, New York is the butthole of America. Nothing good comes out of Olean except refuse... and rcks and dirt. 66% of those things eventually wind up on my car. Even the mall blows here. If I were to rename the Olean Mall, I would name it the Diarrhea Mall, because it stinks and looks like crap. Half the stores in it were shut down. You know it's bad when even a Hallmark store can't stay open in a town. Oh wait at least two Hallmarks have closed in Butler, Pa...hmmm.
3) I almost died today. I know, I know, I tend to be over dramatic when I talk about 'almost dying'. Generally I reserve the very vague statement for instances where I misplace my tie, or make fun of Mandy and Courtney. But today, I literally almost died, and in almost dying was struck with a profound object lesson. This lesson is the real reason I'm blogging, but the other stuff was free of charge...you're welcome.
So I'm driving through this mountain pass reminiscent of the Oregon Trail, replete with scenic overlooks and everything. Unfortunately for Andrew, the road was also covered in snow. The road was also very straight and narrow, wait, no that's wrong, it was one set of switch backs after another down this mountain. As I'm descending the mountain this morning, I lose control of my car. It happens sometimes on snowy roads. I however happened to lose control on a switch back and my car went careening towards the edge of a cliff. So this car is going to go over the cliff, and I'm inside just yelling "Oh Jesus Oh Jesus Oh Jesus!!!" over ad over and over not in a profane way, but in the ultimate cry for divine intervention. Fortunately for myself my savior intervened and my car miraculously cut back onto a small patch of road not covered in snow. I still continued to yell "Oh Jesus!!" over and over but only because I was still thinking that I was going to die and was still invoking God's help...but I lived .
THAT'S TIME NUMBER 1 TODAY THAT I ALMOST DIED!!! Number Two came tonight when I was driving home on again another snowy road. I hesitate to use the word road, because half the time I was not sure if I was actually on a road. It was so potholey and lumpy that, again, if the road was shrunk down to Mini Size, Helen Keller could probably read what it said. It had that many bumps and pot holes. But anyway, the road was also cleverly masked by several inches of snow. So literally at any given point in my 120 mile journey I could not tell where the road was. This became evident at one point, as I was cruising along at 60 mph. I was cruising, doing fine, then all of a sudden I was off the road and on an exit ramp for a small backwoods town. I had no idea the exit ramp was coming up. All the signs had been covered up by snow and that irridescent white paint that we ALL take for granted was nowhere to be seen on any sign. So I go barrelling of the road onto a snowier exit ramp and I can't even tell where the exit ramp ends and the woods begin. Again, I start screaming "Oh Jesus Oh Jesus Oh Jesus!!!!!!" hoping for a repeat performance of the serendipitous car save earlier in the day. Well, wouldn't you know it, the Lord came through again! Though there were several inches of snow on the ramp, and there was no real possible way anyone could EVER stop on a dime, I came to pretty much a screeching halt and made it off the exit without dying. Somehow I regained my focus and made it another 30 miles back to my hotel.
What's the point of this whole story, I know you're dying to know (pun police, is that legit?). Well this entry has gotten too long, so I'm going to save the moral for another entry tomorrow. Stay tuned party people and you can all thank the Lord I'm alive. I know I am.
I learned a couple of things tonight.
1) Under no circumstances will I ever, ever, ever, ever, ever erve, ever drive MY own car on a school recruiting trip farther away than Walmart. I drove my car out because my appointments were only a few hours away and figured 'What the heck, Smith! Live a little!". So I did and I regret it. For one thing, every truck carrying gravel or dirt within a 60 mile radius of me must have known I was driving my own car because I've been pelted non stop with rocks and dirt since leaving Grove City. I hate semi trucks, as you all know, and I ESPECIALLY hate semi trucks carrying rocks and/or dirt. So my car has enough dings in it to be read by helen keller.
2) Olean, New York is the butthole of America. Nothing good comes out of Olean except refuse... and rcks and dirt. 66% of those things eventually wind up on my car. Even the mall blows here. If I were to rename the Olean Mall, I would name it the Diarrhea Mall, because it stinks and looks like crap. Half the stores in it were shut down. You know it's bad when even a Hallmark store can't stay open in a town. Oh wait at least two Hallmarks have closed in Butler, Pa...hmmm.
3) I almost died today. I know, I know, I tend to be over dramatic when I talk about 'almost dying'. Generally I reserve the very vague statement for instances where I misplace my tie, or make fun of Mandy and Courtney. But today, I literally almost died, and in almost dying was struck with a profound object lesson. This lesson is the real reason I'm blogging, but the other stuff was free of charge...you're welcome.
So I'm driving through this mountain pass reminiscent of the Oregon Trail, replete with scenic overlooks and everything. Unfortunately for Andrew, the road was also covered in snow. The road was also very straight and narrow, wait, no that's wrong, it was one set of switch backs after another down this mountain. As I'm descending the mountain this morning, I lose control of my car. It happens sometimes on snowy roads. I however happened to lose control on a switch back and my car went careening towards the edge of a cliff
THAT'S TIME NUMBER 1 TODAY THAT I ALMOST DIED!!! Number Two came tonight when I was driving home on again another snowy road. I hesitate to use the word road, because half the time I was not sure if I was actually on a road. It was so potholey and lumpy that, again, if the road was shrunk down to Mini Size, Helen Keller could probably read what it said. It had that many bumps and pot holes. But anyway, the road was also cleverly masked by several inches of snow. So literally at any given point in my 120 mile journey I could not tell where the road was. This became evident at one point, as I was cruising along at 60 mph. I was cruising, doing fine, then all of a sudden I was off the road and on an exit ramp for a small backwoods town. I had no idea the exit ramp was coming up. All the signs had been covered up by snow and that irridescent white paint that we ALL take for granted was nowhere to be seen on any sign. So I go barrelling of the road onto a snowier exit ramp and I can't even tell where the exit ramp ends and the woods begin. Again, I start screaming "Oh Jesus Oh Jesus Oh Jesus!!!!!!" hoping for a repeat performance of the serendipitous car save earlier in the day. Well, wouldn't you know it, the Lord came through again! Though there were several inches of snow on the ramp, and there was no real possible way anyone could EVER stop on a dime, I came to pretty much a screeching halt and made it off the exit without dying
What's the point of this whole story, I know you're dying to know (pun police, is that legit?). Well this entry has gotten too long, so I'm going to save the moral for another entry tomorrow. Stay tuned party people and you can all thank the Lord I'm alive. I know I am.
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Sniffle Sniffle
So I'm in Hartford, Connecticut and I swear it was 58 and sunny today. If I didn't have such loyalties to Pittsburgh I would move up here in a heartbeat. Let's take a look at the pros and cons.
Postives:
1.) Gorgeous mild days like today all spring and beautiful summer days.
2.) Sea side towns.
3.) Cheap sea food.
4.) Small towns where cross walks mean something.
5.) Small town restaurants that are little hole in the wall dives.
6.) Clean air ... sort of.
Negatives:
1.) The dude he keeps going "sniff sniff" twice in a row with the EXACT SAME FREAKING CADENCE AND REGULARITY. My communist hotel is trying to charge me 10 dollars a day for internet, so I'm using their "business center." There's a dude in wind pants who has gone "sniff sniff" at least 14 times since I've started this blog. I never want to be that guy, go get an effing tissue.
2.) Horrible winters ... I get them now, might as well ratchet them up a notch.
3.) Sea side sea gull crap.
4.) Raging Liberals.
5.) Living in a raging Liberal blue state (except for New Hampshire are you aware their license plate says "Live Free or Die" I almost wept the first time I read it and still tear up each time a car with it passes by.)
6.) Raging Liberal cars. I drove pass one today that had a Kerry - Edwards sticker on it (what a joke let's give everyone health care so when someone has cancer it takes them five months to see a doctor i.e. Canada and their horrible dollar pretzels) A Clinton - Gore '96 sticker on it. A Gore - Lieberman Sticker on it. And a no W bumper sticker. I'm glad that person loves paying more taxes in a state or area of the country where all the prices are inflated to begin with.
Beautiful area though. Love it otherwise. This guy has no clue that he keeps sniffing. He continues with reckless abandon. I seriously want to throw my cell phone at him. Anyway, he's driving me nuts, I can't even continue typing, so that's going to have to be it for now, before I kill him and get tried for homicide with some tree hugging judge presiding who would think it was this kid's right to sniffle.
Postives:
1.) Gorgeous mild days like today all spring and beautiful summer days.
2.) Sea side towns.
3.) Cheap sea food.
4.) Small towns where cross walks mean something.
5.) Small town restaurants that are little hole in the wall dives.
6.) Clean air ... sort of.
Negatives:
1.) The dude he keeps going "sniff sniff" twice in a row with the EXACT SAME FREAKING CADENCE AND REGULARITY. My communist hotel is trying to charge me 10 dollars a day for internet, so I'm using their "business center." There's a dude in wind pants who has gone "sniff sniff" at least 14 times since I've started this blog. I never want to be that guy, go get an effing tissue.
2.) Horrible winters ... I get them now, might as well ratchet them up a notch.
3.) Sea side sea gull crap.
4.) Raging Liberals.
5.) Living in a raging Liberal blue state (except for New Hampshire are you aware their license plate says "Live Free or Die" I almost wept the first time I read it and still tear up each time a car with it passes by.)
6.) Raging Liberal cars. I drove pass one today that had a Kerry - Edwards sticker on it (what a joke let's give everyone health care so when someone has cancer it takes them five months to see a doctor i.e. Canada and their horrible dollar pretzels) A Clinton - Gore '96 sticker on it. A Gore - Lieberman Sticker on it. And a no W bumper sticker. I'm glad that person loves paying more taxes in a state or area of the country where all the prices are inflated to begin with.
Beautiful area though. Love it otherwise. This guy has no clue that he keeps sniffing. He continues with reckless abandon. I seriously want to throw my cell phone at him. Anyway, he's driving me nuts, I can't even continue typing, so that's going to have to be it for now, before I kill him and get tried for homicide with some tree hugging judge presiding who would think it was this kid's right to sniffle.
Two Great Cigar Recs
Hey people here are two recommendations for cigars that you should smoke within the week. Now these bad boys are a little more on the expensive side, so if you value money and don't have much of it to value, like myself, you should seek out these cigars sparingly. However, they will stinking knock your socks off!
1) Diamond Crown Maduro (figurado): Pow party in your mouf! I can think of fewer cigars which have such a remarkably pleasing effect on the palate. If you're down for a full bodied smoke with notes of coffee, earthiness, vanilla extract, and burnt toast (yeah I'm that cigar snob, people) get a DCM. The wrapper is a dark espresso color yet the ash contrasts wonderfully as snowy white (no dwarves here, though) and firm. Take a few hours out of your day for this bad boy-don't rush through it. I'd also recommend a snifter of Chivas or The Glenlivet with your smoke too...but don't drink and drive!!! At $20 a stick this sucker is going t cost you, but if you don't go get one it's also going to cost you a quick slap to the face from the backside of my hand! Get right!
2) Padron 1964 Aniversary (torpedo): This cigar packs a punch and a half. Chaney told me that the thing was mellower (yeah that's a word) than it came off on the palate. It was definitely a kick in the mouth! The thing was so peppery and full bodied that I had to take it slooooooowly. This was one of those cigars that if you smoke after anything less than a fatty fat filet, you're going to wind up hugging a toilet somewhere. That's just plain embarassing, so get a steak to compliment your Padron. As far as drinks go, you go out and get yourself 750 ml's of Bulls Blood with that biftec. Bulls blood is a dark red wine which tastes oddly enough like it gushed forth from some angry bull's jugular. I know it sounds gross, but with a steak and a meaty cigar you'd be in heaven. The recipe then is Steak + Bulls Blood = Goodness! For about $50 bucks you could have a little piece of heaven (yeah, the cigar is $15, $10 for the sangre de toros, and $25 for a good steak at, say, Ruth's Chris). Step Correct!!!
Ok kids let me know how your experiences are with the cigars. I want a full report soon. And to my NY friends out there who I KNOW are reading this, you should try it too. I think the Four Seasons still allows smoking if you know the right people. Try it.
1) Diamond Crown Maduro (figurado): Pow party in your mouf! I can think of fewer cigars which have such a remarkably pleasing effect on the palate. If you're down for a full bodied smoke with notes of coffee, earthiness, vanilla extract, and burnt toast (yeah I'm that cigar snob, people) get a DCM. The wrapper is a dark espresso color yet the ash contrasts wonderfully as snowy white (no dwarves here, though) and firm. Take a few hours out of your day for this bad boy-don't rush through it. I'd also recommend a snifter of Chivas or The Glenlivet with your smoke too...but don't drink and drive!!! At $20 a stick this sucker is going t cost you, but if you don't go get one it's also going to cost you a quick slap to the face from the backside of my hand! Get right!
2) Padron 1964 Aniversary (torpedo): This cigar packs a punch and a half. Chaney told me that the thing was mellower (yeah that's a word) than it came off on the palate. It was definitely a kick in the mouth! The thing was so peppery and full bodied that I had to take it slooooooowly. This was one of those cigars that if you smoke after anything less than a fatty fat filet, you're going to wind up hugging a toilet somewhere. That's just plain embarassing, so get a steak to compliment your Padron. As far as drinks go, you go out and get yourself 750 ml's of Bulls Blood with that biftec. Bulls blood is a dark red wine which tastes oddly enough like it gushed forth from some angry bull's jugular. I know it sounds gross, but with a steak and a meaty cigar you'd be in heaven. The recipe then is Steak + Bulls Blood = Goodness! For about $50 bucks you could have a little piece of heaven (yeah, the cigar is $15, $10 for the sangre de toros, and $25 for a good steak at, say, Ruth's Chris). Step Correct!!!
Ok kids let me know how your experiences are with the cigars. I want a full report soon. And to my NY friends out there who I KNOW are reading this, you should try it too. I think the Four Seasons still allows smoking if you know the right people. Try it.
Saturday, March 19, 2005
1 2 3
1) Too much Tony Campolo for you, Amanda. Only the most ardent hardheaded softies could take a discussion about the death penalty and turn it into a diatribe about how America ruins foreign nations. Give me a break.And yes it does inconvenience my march madness watching.
2) Electricians and even lawn care professionals die on a day to day basis. They're innocent workers but die anyway. That's life. Maybe, I've got a great idea. Maybe we can set up an appeals process, funded of course by your tax dollars and mine, where electricians can appeal the mandate to go up the ladder and fix power lines. God forbid people die in innocent situations. People die, you need to break eggs to make an omelette and yes I know that's callous. Speaking of callous, though, maybe we should talk to the Lundsford family who had their 7 year old daughter molested and killed to see if they think the death penalty is a ridiculous punishment. You go first. If a disproportionately low number of innocent people die in order to prevent depraved people like Jessica Lundsford's killer from roaming my neighborhood, I gonna let them die. It's civic duty.
3) MorOn...I have to point it out only because I've been called out too on crap like that. Haha.
2) Electricians and even lawn care professionals die on a day to day basis. They're innocent workers but die anyway. That's life. Maybe, I've got a great idea. Maybe we can set up an appeals process, funded of course by your tax dollars and mine, where electricians can appeal the mandate to go up the ladder and fix power lines. God forbid people die in innocent situations. People die, you need to break eggs to make an omelette and yes I know that's callous. Speaking of callous, though, maybe we should talk to the Lundsford family who had their 7 year old daughter molested and killed to see if they think the death penalty is a ridiculous punishment. You go first. If a disproportionately low number of innocent people die in order to prevent depraved people like Jessica Lundsford's killer from roaming my neighborhood, I gonna let them die. It's civic duty.
3) MorOn...I have to point it out only because I've been called out too on crap like that. Haha.
Friday, March 18, 2005
Interesting Post
Wow, I'm glad Andrew has posted 3 times and I haven't posted in ages. I want to commend Andrew on an excellent post and couldn't agree more. I totally agree with the fact that we need to utilize the death penalty. There is no death penalty now it's a glorified slap on the wrist. I read musicruby's comments and I don't know who she is, but I think she's missing the point. Of course it's all about money. People are generally sinful and greedy people so therefore money is always an issue. Having more money also enables people to keep it instead of wasting it on waste of space criminals and keeping them alive. And when people have more money in their pocket the economy is better. So a person keeps his cash, he spends stuff, the business man gets richer, and he spends it, and the stock market goes up and people make money, and wages are raised for the little man and everyone's quality of life is increased. All without raising taxes. Imagine that you democrats. It's trickle down economics baby. Let me hear ya' hollar one time for Ronald Reagan! Anyway I got off on a bit of a tangent.
So musicruby says it costs just as much money to keep people alive as it does to kill them. Not if we don't let them appeal again and again and again. I say we give the person their fair and honest trial and then if they're given the death penalty, kill them. Within a week. It doesn't need to be a long drawn out process that wastes everyone's money and resources. They don't need to read every book in the prison library and learn how to make bombs and modified rifles. And they certainly don't need to have a man named Sue make love to them.
As for deterent any more deterent than we have now is better. If we even keep one more psycho from killing eighteen people or another sick man from molesting children then some good has been done. I'm not sure death is intriguing to them. They may be fascinated by killing people, but deep down people are afraid of their own death. Especially people who have no hope of an afterlife. So these people don't want to die, but whatever psychotic state they may be in, they can't see they may have to face their own death. You know what makes them face their own death? Seeing others just like them get axed, whether through the electric chair, lovely lethal injection, or something even more harsh and gruesome (all in favor say I). You don't deter anyone by showing them life in jail where they pay for nothing and live until the age of a normal man even if only a few years fewer.
Just some thoughts about the death penalty. I'm always in favor of being harsher to others. Most likely because I'm an elitist and I think I'm better than other people. Maybe even if I have no reason to be. But that's really all I have to write about for now. I'm off to watch more March Madness and get up tomorrow morning to buy some U2 tickets for their show in Pittsburgh. Yeah that's right, I'm going to see them a second time ... greatest band ever. Oh yeah, Andrew's list of stuff that incenses me is also dead on. I hate all that stuff completely. And as for that U2 site Bill, I'm not even commenting on it. It's completely bogus and I don't even want to lower myself to commenting on it.
Night all
So musicruby says it costs just as much money to keep people alive as it does to kill them. Not if we don't let them appeal again and again and again. I say we give the person their fair and honest trial and then if they're given the death penalty, kill them. Within a week. It doesn't need to be a long drawn out process that wastes everyone's money and resources. They don't need to read every book in the prison library and learn how to make bombs and modified rifles. And they certainly don't need to have a man named Sue make love to them.
As for deterent any more deterent than we have now is better. If we even keep one more psycho from killing eighteen people or another sick man from molesting children then some good has been done. I'm not sure death is intriguing to them. They may be fascinated by killing people, but deep down people are afraid of their own death. Especially people who have no hope of an afterlife. So these people don't want to die, but whatever psychotic state they may be in, they can't see they may have to face their own death. You know what makes them face their own death? Seeing others just like them get axed, whether through the electric chair, lovely lethal injection, or something even more harsh and gruesome (all in favor say I). You don't deter anyone by showing them life in jail where they pay for nothing and live until the age of a normal man even if only a few years fewer.
Just some thoughts about the death penalty. I'm always in favor of being harsher to others. Most likely because I'm an elitist and I think I'm better than other people. Maybe even if I have no reason to be. But that's really all I have to write about for now. I'm off to watch more March Madness and get up tomorrow morning to buy some U2 tickets for their show in Pittsburgh. Yeah that's right, I'm going to see them a second time ... greatest band ever. Oh yeah, Andrew's list of stuff that incenses me is also dead on. I hate all that stuff completely. And as for that U2 site Bill, I'm not even commenting on it. It's completely bogus and I don't even want to lower myself to commenting on it.
Night all
Thursday, March 17, 2005
Death and Taxes
I was reading the internet today, and was reading an article about how Scott Peterson is not going to get a retrial. First of all, I'm not here to comment about SP's trial and the fiasco that it devolved into. The man was sentenced to death, that's the final word. Or is it!?
We all know the death penalty is an ineffective deterrent for most of us common lawbreakers in America. We all know full well that Scott is going to sit in a cell in California for a good 20 years before he tastes death. We also all know that Scott is going to be mooching off of our tax dollars, because in order to keep him alive for 20 years in order to put him to death, we need to give him food, water, hire guards to watch him, get him some awesome Tropicana fatigues, juice, books, etc. The death penalty is so screwed up that way. I know people have problems with the death penalty because it killlllssss people. Waa waa waaaaaaaa!!
I was reading this article online about how people don't 'believe' in the death penalty anymore. People the death penalty exists, so believe in it. "A majority" of Americans apparently think that the penalty is ineffective for dissuading criminals, and that it's mean, and that it would be better for a first degree murderer to rot in jail than be put to death forcibly. The way the penalty is set up now, a lot of people on death row have basically a life with no parole term....they're going to die in their cells before dying on a gurney with needled poking out of their forearm.
The death penalty sucks, and people don't believe in the death penalty, beacuse it's not grisly enough. The death penalty would be a much better deterrent if it were swift and sufficinet to meet the crime. Picture the scene: After the appeal process is done for SP's trial, the shackle him up, drive him to jail, go out in the courtyard of the jail, and put bullets into his head. That's a horrible thought, and that's just the reason why the death penalty needs to be disgusting. The carnage deters people. Sitting in jail for 20 years only to be put in a chemically enduced coma at the end of your term would actually be probably more of a release and reward than a punishment! I bet old people would kill to be able to die in their sleep, and not from cancer or tumors and whatnot. If people could see that the most heinous criminals were punished in the most heinous way, would that not deter them from committing such atrocities? We'll never be able to know because everybody is too busy getting their panties in a twist thinking about a man who committed a double murder having Jesus juice and dying peacefully. That's messed up. We'd save so much money! We'd save so much useless babble on MSNBC from Chris Matthews. We'd have a much greater appreciation for the life that we are able to lead. Two slugs to the back of a criminal's head seems a perfect ending (and cheaper ending) for the person who willingly takes others' lives. I know you all agree with me here.
We all know the death penalty is an ineffective deterrent for most of us common lawbreakers in America. We all know full well that Scott is going to sit in a cell in California for a good 20 years before he tastes death. We also all know that Scott is going to be mooching off of our tax dollars, because in order to keep him alive for 20 years in order to put him to death, we need to give him food, water, hire guards to watch him, get him some awesome Tropicana fatigues, juice, books, etc. The death penalty is so screwed up that way. I know people have problems with the death penalty because it killlllssss people. Waa waa waaaaaaaa!!
I was reading this article online about how people don't 'believe' in the death penalty anymore. People the death penalty exists, so believe in it. "A majority" of Americans apparently think that the penalty is ineffective for dissuading criminals, and that it's mean, and that it would be better for a first degree murderer to rot in jail than be put to death forcibly. The way the penalty is set up now, a lot of people on death row have basically a life with no parole term....they're going to die in their cells before dying on a gurney with needled poking out of their forearm.
The death penalty sucks, and people don't believe in the death penalty, beacuse it's not grisly enough. The death penalty would be a much better deterrent if it were swift and sufficinet to meet the crime. Picture the scene: After the appeal process is done for SP's trial, the shackle him up, drive him to jail, go out in the courtyard of the jail, and put bullets into his head. That's a horrible thought, and that's just the reason why the death penalty needs to be disgusting. The carnage deters people. Sitting in jail for 20 years only to be put in a chemically enduced coma at the end of your term would actually be probably more of a release and reward than a punishment! I bet old people would kill to be able to die in their sleep, and not from cancer or tumors and whatnot. If people could see that the most heinous criminals were punished in the most heinous way, would that not deter them from committing such atrocities? We'll never be able to know because everybody is too busy getting their panties in a twist thinking about a man who committed a double murder having Jesus juice and dying peacefully. That's messed up. We'd save so much money! We'd save so much useless babble on MSNBC from Chris Matthews. We'd have a much greater appreciation for the life that we are able to lead. Two slugs to the back of a criminal's head seems a perfect ending (and cheaper ending) for the person who willingly takes others' lives. I know you all agree with me here.
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
I think I know well enough...
...what puts Keith at risk for having a brain anyeriuszm (I'm not going to take the time to spell check that one in MSWord, ok?). Here are a few of them (keith you can corroborate or disagree):
1) Tie Stealing
2) homeschoolers' mothers
3) The Steelers losing either lots of games, or losing one pivotal game.
4) J.J. Reddick
5) Democrats, really liberal democrats.
6) Websites that make fun of U2. Granted I read the site and thought it was funny, but Keith likes U2...a lot more than the average U2 fan. I'll be interested to see how he reacts to that one haha!
1) Tie Stealing
2) homeschoolers' mothers
3) The Steelers losing either lots of games, or losing one pivotal game.
4) J.J. Reddick
5) Democrats, really liberal democrats.
6) Websites that make fun of U2. Granted I read the site and thought it was funny, but Keith likes U2...a lot more than the average U2 fan. I'll be interested to see how he reacts to that one haha!
Monday, March 14, 2005
That's where knowing your band comes in
311 have been around for 20 years, that means circa 1985 311 started churning out music. Some musicians make music for music's sake, not for album accumulation. I restate that 311 has been making music for around 20 years.
As for stealing ties, think of it this way. Your friend goes out with this hot girl who is great to make out with. So say that your friend and his girl break up, and he has no ties to her at all...pun intended. Wouldn't you want to date that girl? Yes you would, and then you would try to date her. The same is true for tie stealing. You see a nice tie that you covet in your heart, and then fortune smiles on you and you have the opportunity to take the tie and make it your own. So you do. Keith you shut up.
Back to 311. If you know 311 then you know that they have some beautiful lyrics. Granted a lot of them are about smoking pot, but every musician needs a muse. See 'uncalm' and 'don't dwell' and 'champagne' and '8:16 AM' for references about what to whisper in girls ears. Again with knowing your bands' history.
Back to U2...they are awesome no doubt. Awesome.
Back to Mt. Ranier, I almost died taking a picture of it. Take that Mt. Ranier!!
Back to why PA sucks. Listen I just came back from the west coast, and she wanted me to tell you something: Life outside of W. PA is awesome. Dont' settle. Again with the girl analogy, if you had a chance of dating penelope cruz, but had a sure fire date with, say, Drew Berrymore, wouldn't it behoove you to try to at least get a date with penelope? Sure drew is aight, but penelope cruz is...well, penelope cruz. Go for it, leave western pa while you still can. Dmac I know you can relate because you're from cali soca (another 311 jam worth checking out).
Plus, 311 covers sublime on their bsides with an a capela version of 'What I got'. It's so cool.
PS: I'm in West Coast mode right now. It's technically only 9:00 in my mind, but work comes at me too fast on East Coast Time, so I need to get to bed. Don't do drugs.
As for stealing ties, think of it this way. Your friend goes out with this hot girl who is great to make out with. So say that your friend and his girl break up, and he has no ties to her at all...pun intended. Wouldn't you want to date that girl? Yes you would, and then you would try to date her. The same is true for tie stealing. You see a nice tie that you covet in your heart, and then fortune smiles on you and you have the opportunity to take the tie and make it your own. So you do. Keith you shut up.
Back to 311. If you know 311 then you know that they have some beautiful lyrics. Granted a lot of them are about smoking pot, but every musician needs a muse. See 'uncalm' and 'don't dwell' and 'champagne' and '8:16 AM' for references about what to whisper in girls ears. Again with knowing your bands' history.
Back to U2...they are awesome no doubt. Awesome.
Back to Mt. Ranier, I almost died taking a picture of it. Take that Mt. Ranier!!
Back to why PA sucks. Listen I just came back from the west coast, and she wanted me to tell you something: Life outside of W. PA is awesome. Dont' settle. Again with the girl analogy, if you had a chance of dating penelope cruz, but had a sure fire date with, say, Drew Berrymore, wouldn't it behoove you to try to at least get a date with penelope? Sure drew is aight, but penelope cruz is...well, penelope cruz. Go for it, leave western pa while you still can. Dmac I know you can relate because you're from cali soca (another 311 jam worth checking out).
Plus, 311 covers sublime on their bsides with an a capela version of 'What I got'. It's so cool.
PS: I'm in West Coast mode right now. It's technically only 9:00 in my mind, but work comes at me too fast on East Coast Time, so I need to get to bed. Don't do drugs.
Let it be known ...
Andrew says 311 has been around about 20 years ... I'm talking about albums released. They released theirs, or so I found in internet research, in 1993 ... roughly 10. U2 first album was released 1980 ... if you go back as far as they were together it's much farther.
U2 RULES!!!!
U2 RULES!!!!
Sunday, March 13, 2005
Andrew Sucks
For stealing my tie. That's really all there is too it. I'm glad that none of our faithful readers have commented on this. Let me ask it from point blank range. IS IT A PARTY FOUL FOR ONE DUDE TO BUY A TIE THAT ANOTHER DUDE ALREADY OWNS? IS IT A PARTY FOUL FOR ONE DUDE TO BUY ANOTHER PIECE OF CLOTING THAT ANOTHER DUDE OWNS (I.E. HAT OR SHIRT)? Someone answer the question for goodness sake.
So Andrew wanted me to blog even though it's Sunday and I typically don't blog on weekends. So here I am blogging. See the rift between us ... I do. I finished my U2 journey this weekend that I blogged about on Friday. It was a total bonus. Andrew mentioned that he likes U2 since no one has ripped their style and it's a totally distinct style. To this I would say two things:
1.) 311 sucks so no one has tried to rip their style off. Since U2 is so good bands have tried to imitate their sound so they too will be successful. No one tries to imitate 311 since even if they do it perfectly they will be ... marginally successful.
2.) U2 has been mimicked several times since they're been around since oh ... 1977. Oh yeah it's a long time. 311 is how old Andrew? Oh yeah not that old. Plus no one can mimick their sound since it's all over the map?
Being mimicked is not a bad thing, it's a good thing. U2 is killer and their rock sound is beautiful. If you listen to their career, they've reinvented themselves 5 - 6 times, depends on how you break it up. 1) Early years 2) Joshua Tree 3) Achtung Baby 4) Zooropa / Pop 5) All That You Can't Leave Behind 6) How to Dismantle ... U2 rules!
Those are my thoughts for tonight. I'm goin to hit the hay because tomorrow I'm up at 7:00 to drive to Grand Rapids, MI. I'm currently in Cincinnati, OH and it's about a 7 hour drive which really means 6 in terms of real drive time. So answer the dang question!!!!
So Andrew wanted me to blog even though it's Sunday and I typically don't blog on weekends. So here I am blogging. See the rift between us ... I do. I finished my U2 journey this weekend that I blogged about on Friday. It was a total bonus. Andrew mentioned that he likes U2 since no one has ripped their style and it's a totally distinct style. To this I would say two things:
1.) 311 sucks so no one has tried to rip their style off. Since U2 is so good bands have tried to imitate their sound so they too will be successful. No one tries to imitate 311 since even if they do it perfectly they will be ... marginally successful.
2.) U2 has been mimicked several times since they're been around since oh ... 1977. Oh yeah it's a long time. 311 is how old Andrew? Oh yeah not that old. Plus no one can mimick their sound since it's all over the map?
Being mimicked is not a bad thing, it's a good thing. U2 is killer and their rock sound is beautiful. If you listen to their career, they've reinvented themselves 5 - 6 times, depends on how you break it up. 1) Early years 2) Joshua Tree 3) Achtung Baby 4) Zooropa / Pop 5) All That You Can't Leave Behind 6) How to Dismantle ... U2 rules!
Those are my thoughts for tonight. I'm goin to hit the hay because tomorrow I'm up at 7:00 to drive to Grand Rapids, MI. I'm currently in Cincinnati, OH and it's about a 7 hour drive which really means 6 in terms of real drive time. So answer the dang question!!!!
What I learned today
Today I learned a number of valuable life lessons. I'm going to share them with you, in no particular order, in hopes that I can enrich all of your lives:
1) Next time you go to a restaurant and the server asks you what you want, tell them this: "Go back, ask the chef what (s)he wants to make, and I'll have that". I did that tonight and got an awesome southwestern shrimp scampi with pasta type deal. The chef was happy, the waitress was intrigued, and I was the talk of the restaurant (plus everyone kept oogling my food and being like "Dang that looks good. He never makes that for us!"). Do stuff to it.
2) Downtown Portland looks like downtown Pittsburgh, but automatically cooler than pittsburgh.
3) Speaking of the Pacific Northwest, I learned today that the lanes on the road have nothing to do with how fast you want to travel. People here drive willy nilly whatever speed they want, wait, whatever SLOW speed they want. You can get in the left lane to pass, but some old crotch is going to be there going 34 mph just because he feels like he should. While this is incredibly frustrating, it does present the driver with a new, more fun game: How much can I weave in and out of traffic without getting into an accident and without getting mothereffed up and down by all these dang hippies. You should try it.
4) I found out today that nice guys finish last. Not new right? Right, big deal. What I did learn is that whereas nice guys do finish last (me being a nice guy, I'm used to it), there are still people who appreciate the nice guy. If you're going to stay with the race metaphor, even when nice guys finish last there are always those people at the end of the race, still cheering you on, still telling you that you're an awesome runner, and who still maintain that you are the best person in the race. That's a comforting feeling, and I had the distict pleasure of having someone in my corner for a change today. Hang in there kids.
5) I got yelled at by a homeless guy today who told me to hug my friend Amanda. He was like "HEY!! HEEEYYYYY!!!" so I look over and then he points with his mangled dirty finger and says "GIVE HER A HUG!!!". So I did. I'm not one to make a bum cross. Bum cross hahahaha
6) Mt. Rainier hates me. I drive around for a good 45 minutes today JUST trying to get a good photo of Mt. Ranier, but everywhere I went the view sucked. What I came to realize was actually that Mt. Ranier was playing hide and seek with me. Yeah, you heard me right. Mt. Ranier kept eluding me, I kid you not! I could not find a good place to stop and take a picture where the mountain was in plain sight! I finally just gave up and started to drive home. As I was driving down interstate 5, I caught a glimpse in my rear view mirror of Mt. Ranier laughing at me, because he thought that he had won the hide and seek game. Well guess what? HE DIDN'T!! I pulled over on the side of this 5 lane highway to snap a pic of stupid Mt. Ranier and I WON! It's actally an awesome picture, too bad I almost died getting it. What did I learn? I'm better at hide and seek than the biggest mountain in America!!!
1) Next time you go to a restaurant and the server asks you what you want, tell them this: "Go back, ask the chef what (s)he wants to make, and I'll have that". I did that tonight and got an awesome southwestern shrimp scampi with pasta type deal. The chef was happy, the waitress was intrigued, and I was the talk of the restaurant (plus everyone kept oogling my food and being like "Dang that looks good. He never makes that for us!"). Do stuff to it.
2) Downtown Portland looks like downtown Pittsburgh, but automatically cooler than pittsburgh.
3) Speaking of the Pacific Northwest, I learned today that the lanes on the road have nothing to do with how fast you want to travel. People here drive willy nilly whatever speed they want, wait, whatever SLOW speed they want. You can get in the left lane to pass, but some old crotch is going to be there going 34 mph just because he feels like he should. While this is incredibly frustrating, it does present the driver with a new, more fun game: How much can I weave in and out of traffic without getting into an accident and without getting mothereffed up and down by all these dang hippies. You should try it.
4) I found out today that nice guys finish last. Not new right? Right, big deal. What I did learn is that whereas nice guys do finish last (me being a nice guy, I'm used to it), there are still people who appreciate the nice guy. If you're going to stay with the race metaphor, even when nice guys finish last there are always those people at the end of the race, still cheering you on, still telling you that you're an awesome runner, and who still maintain that you are the best person in the race. That's a comforting feeling, and I had the distict pleasure of having someone in my corner for a change today. Hang in there kids.
5) I got yelled at by a homeless guy today who told me to hug my friend Amanda. He was like "HEY!! HEEEYYYYY!!!" so I look over and then he points with his mangled dirty finger and says "GIVE HER A HUG!!!". So I did. I'm not one to make a bum cross. Bum cross hahahaha
6) Mt. Rainier hates me. I drive around for a good 45 minutes today JUST trying to get a good photo of Mt. Ranier, but everywhere I went the view sucked. What I came to realize was actually that Mt. Ranier was playing hide and seek with me. Yeah, you heard me right. Mt. Ranier kept eluding me, I kid you not! I could not find a good place to stop and take a picture where the mountain was in plain sight! I finally just gave up and started to drive home. As I was driving down interstate 5, I caught a glimpse in my rear view mirror of Mt. Ranier laughing at me, because he thought that he had won the hide and seek game. Well guess what? HE DIDN'T!! I pulled over on the side of this 5 lane highway to snap a pic of stupid Mt. Ranier and I WON! It's actally an awesome picture, too bad I almost died getting it. What did I learn? I'm better at hide and seek than the biggest mountain in America!!!
Friday, March 11, 2005
FrTomI ChaEos
I second Keith's CD idea. As you all know, one of my favorite tie stealing bands is 311. I have almost all of their albums, and today is also 3-11, so I'm going to talk about them. No one gives 311 the credit they deserve for having a sound unreplicated by any other mainstream band out there. U2 is awesome, but people bite their style (Nu Radicals, Travis, to name 2) and hence while they have their own style, you can still confuse them at first with Keane if you don't hear the song right. Now 311...there's a style you know. You hear that piccolo snare and catchy reggae dancehall funk beats and before you know it, your head is nodding and you're thinking to yourself "Man this 311 band rules something fierce!" But I highly enjoy listening to the progression of their music from 88-2005...truly radical, not newly radical like the NU Radicals.
But you out there in blogland (who at this point is Dmac...way to hang in their brother, and Seattle Rules! It's warm, I can see Mt. Ranier, the women are hot and trendy [if they're not the granola crunching tree hugging bra burning leg hair growing tie stealing nappy hair pejuli oil smelling type. There are a few of them around too, but you instantly know to stay away from them because they have flies nesting in their hairy armpits], and the seafood is so, so, so good. I ate sushi here last night and actually had to pause in the middle of my meal to comprehend the goodnes in my mouth!) should let us know which band's discology you could listen to uniterrupted!
I also realize that Keith may have steam coming out of his ears because in a way I kind of said that 311 was better than U2, in a tangential tie stealing way. But U2 is awesome.
Third Off! Tie stealing is ok. If you stole my Xavier hat, I would not care. I would even wear it when you did because I am confident in my ability to wear the hat. But then again, Jess gave me that hat, I didn't purchase it myself. So I guess there's not the same emotional bond there. Hmm
LAST OFF!!! I'm going to take a Keith perspective on an issue. Almonds are a HUGELY underrated snack food!! I got some yesterday from a kisok in the aeropuerto and have been munching on them ever since. I LOVE almonds and these are by far the best I've ever had. So good for you, and so filling, and so satisfyingly crunchy. Now if they could only cross breed gummi bears and almonds...
Ok Penisimuses, I'm going to go get in my hot tub. Watch out for the Haunting, too.
But you out there in blogland (who at this point is Dmac...way to hang in their brother, and Seattle Rules! It's warm, I can see Mt. Ranier, the women are hot and trendy [if they're not the granola crunching tree hugging bra burning leg hair growing tie stealing nappy hair pejuli oil smelling type. There are a few of them around too, but you instantly know to stay away from them because they have flies nesting in their hairy armpits], and the seafood is so, so, so good. I ate sushi here last night and actually had to pause in the middle of my meal to comprehend the goodnes in my mouth!) should let us know which band's discology you could listen to uniterrupted!
I also realize that Keith may have steam coming out of his ears because in a way I kind of said that 311 was better than U2, in a tangential tie stealing way. But U2 is awesome.
Third Off! Tie stealing is ok. If you stole my Xavier hat, I would not care. I would even wear it when you did because I am confident in my ability to wear the hat. But then again, Jess gave me that hat, I didn't purchase it myself. So I guess there's not the same emotional bond there. Hmm
LAST OFF!!! I'm going to take a Keith perspective on an issue. Almonds are a HUGELY underrated snack food!! I got some yesterday from a kisok in the aeropuerto and have been munching on them ever since. I LOVE almonds and these are by far the best I've ever had. So good for you, and so filling, and so satisfyingly crunchy. Now if they could only cross breed gummi bears and almonds...
Ok Penisimuses, I'm going to go get in my hot tub. Watch out for the Haunting, too.
Zooropa
Yes I'm referring to the title of U2's bastard album. The one most people refuse to acknowledge exists. Why you ask? Let me tell you. While driving around Ohio / Michigan / 4.7 miles into Kentucky over the last week and well into what will be next Wednesday I decided to take up a project. I decided to listen to every U2 song ever put on an album. From song one of Boy to song last of How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (that's I Will Follow all the way to Yahweh.) If you doubt me, see for yourself http://www.u2.com/music/ I actually decided I will end with their bonus 12th track on that album Fast Cars, but who really cares right. Currently I just finished Zooropa. This leaves me with five small CDs left: Pop, All That You Can't Leave Behind, Disc 1 and 2 of their 2nd greatest hits CD, and How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. I'm pretty pumped and it's neat to follow your all-time favorite band's journey without skipping a song. Of course there are lows, I mean A Cat in Dubh off Boy was a PAINFUL WAY to start this project, but there are unreal highs too. Not only do you hear the great songs you know and love, but you find the ones you had forgotten or maybe never knew about. You also get to hear the band grow, progress, and learn. I highly recommend this, unless of course your favorite band blows and has like two albums, then it's worthless. U2 is so sweet.
Second reason I'm blogging, Andrew is a tie stealer, is to let you know that I am currently in Detroit. Sorry Trey and Lillet if you still even read this rag, I am not in Brooklyn so I can't visit you guys :( But I wanted to let everyone know that in Detroit you can get your car washed for $2.00 FREAKING DOLLARS. It's unreal! No they don't steal your stereo at the end or take a chunk of the paint either, they just give you a car wash for two bucks. I'm astonished at home it's at least something gay like $8.50. I didn't know this phenomenon existed and I may wash my cars like 4 times before I return home. Alright, that's all for now kids. Keep your nose clean and don't steal your best friend's mojo by purchasing the same tie he already owns. It's a real jag off move.
Second reason I'm blogging, Andrew is a tie stealer, is to let you know that I am currently in Detroit. Sorry Trey and Lillet if you still even read this rag, I am not in Brooklyn so I can't visit you guys :( But I wanted to let everyone know that in Detroit you can get your car washed for $2.00 FREAKING DOLLARS. It's unreal! No they don't steal your stereo at the end or take a chunk of the paint either, they just give you a car wash for two bucks. I'm astonished at home it's at least something gay like $8.50. I didn't know this phenomenon existed and I may wash my cars like 4 times before I return home. Alright, that's all for now kids. Keep your nose clean and don't steal your best friend's mojo by purchasing the same tie he already owns. It's a real jag off move.
Briefness part Thrice
Tie stealer I am!!
Seriously though, the tie is sweet. And I pose the question to all of those hypothetical people in blog land as well: If you found an awesome article of clothing that your good friend owned, wouldn't you also buy it? I see those heads nodding! Honestly, you should just start wearing the tie again. Try it on the road just to get used to it, and then bam it will come back again like it was never gone. I know that if you came across my tie (which you won't, because it was a seasonal tie!!) you'd buy it and I would be flattered that someone went to such extremes because they were inspired by my fashion taste. This segment of the blog is called Andrew goes Metro.
On a more lighthearted note, I'm in Seattle Washington. I think I'm found another city, outside of Miami, FL where I would be comfortable living all year round. I think the suckiest thing about Seattle is that it's not near anything good, save California with it's robotic, eye lazer shooting, cigar smoking governor!! WOOOOOO! But think about it, to the west is ocean. To the north is Canada (we're NOT revisiting Canada EVER!!) to the South is Das Kalifornia, and to the East is...the entire contiguous United States of America. Right now if I hop in a car I can hit probably a dozen major cities within an 8 mile driving radius. In Seattle, 50% of the time if you drive 8 hours you wind up in the ocean flirting with Narwals ("Bye Buddy...I hope you find your dad!") and exploring Davy Jones' locker. The town of Seattle is sweet though, and I can see Mt. Ranier from my hotel. I just hope that Mt. St. Helens doesn't blow up while I'm here, again.
Hey, who wants to hear a funny story?
Seriously though, the tie is sweet. And I pose the question to all of those hypothetical people in blog land as well: If you found an awesome article of clothing that your good friend owned, wouldn't you also buy it? I see those heads nodding! Honestly, you should just start wearing the tie again. Try it on the road just to get used to it, and then bam it will come back again like it was never gone. I know that if you came across my tie (which you won't, because it was a seasonal tie!!) you'd buy it and I would be flattered that someone went to such extremes because they were inspired by my fashion taste. This segment of the blog is called Andrew goes Metro.
On a more lighthearted note, I'm in Seattle Washington. I think I'm found another city, outside of Miami, FL where I would be comfortable living all year round. I think the suckiest thing about Seattle is that it's not near anything good, save California with it's robotic, eye lazer shooting, cigar smoking governor!! WOOOOOO! But think about it, to the west is ocean. To the north is Canada (we're NOT revisiting Canada EVER!!) to the South is Das Kalifornia, and to the East is...the entire contiguous United States of America. Right now if I hop in a car I can hit probably a dozen major cities within an 8 mile driving radius. In Seattle, 50% of the time if you drive 8 hours you wind up in the ocean flirting with Narwals ("Bye Buddy...I hope you find your dad!") and exploring Davy Jones' locker. The town of Seattle is sweet though, and I can see Mt. Ranier from my hotel. I just hope that Mt. St. Helens doesn't blow up while I'm here, again.
Hey, who wants to hear a funny story?
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Briefness Part 2
I got 3 comments on my last blog, which is more than all the other comments I've received combined. It's either A) Pity comments or B) I was witty ... I'm guessing A.
Drew, I think that you're somewhat right.
1.) It's free to drive across California cause it blows. Frankly I'm surprised all the tree hugging liberals haven't found another way to make people pay more money. But do you really want to live with all those left-wing fruit and grain eating nut jobs? Didn't think so ...
2.) Not a lot happens in Toledo that you have to leave here. That's my hope, that by giving it that slogan that people will do some things that need to stay here. So instead of just go to the zoo, people will go to the zoo, have sex in the aquarium with their girlfriend, and then get lit on the way home. NOW THAT would make Toledo a lot sweeter.
Andrew, you stole my tie, and for that I hate you. You own the same tie that I do. That's so jag off. It's like a girl buying the same outfit as another girl - nay buying the same prom dress - NAY I SAY WEDDING DRESS! I haven't been able to wear that tie since you bought it. Not out of fear we'll wear it the same day, I mean we are roommates, I can see what you wearing, but it's like you stole my mojo. You took my sweetest tie and now you own it. I don't know if I'll ever learn to trust you again. It sucks a lot and now I feel cheated by you. I hate you Andrew I hate you. This may make me leave the blog and start my own.
Drew, I think that you're somewhat right.
1.) It's free to drive across California cause it blows. Frankly I'm surprised all the tree hugging liberals haven't found another way to make people pay more money. But do you really want to live with all those left-wing fruit and grain eating nut jobs? Didn't think so ...
2.) Not a lot happens in Toledo that you have to leave here. That's my hope, that by giving it that slogan that people will do some things that need to stay here. So instead of just go to the zoo, people will go to the zoo, have sex in the aquarium with their girlfriend, and then get lit on the way home. NOW THAT would make Toledo a lot sweeter.
Andrew, you stole my tie, and for that I hate you. You own the same tie that I do. That's so jag off. It's like a girl buying the same outfit as another girl - nay buying the same prom dress - NAY I SAY WEDDING DRESS! I haven't been able to wear that tie since you bought it. Not out of fear we'll wear it the same day, I mean we are roommates, I can see what you wearing, but it's like you stole my mojo. You took my sweetest tie and now you own it. I don't know if I'll ever learn to trust you again. It sucks a lot and now I feel cheated by you. I hate you Andrew I hate you. This may make me leave the blog and start my own.
Monday, March 07, 2005
Brief Post
So I realized that Andrew is the only person who has people comment on our blog. This clearly means one of several things:
1.) Andrew is a better blogger.
2.) Andrew cares more about out blog and puts in more effort than I do.
3.) Andrew has better friends.
4.) I suck at blogging (very similar to point 1)
5.) My blogs are too long and rambling.
This blog is therefore short to see if I can rule that one off the list. I'm in Toledo, OH this week. Two points of interest:
1.) It costs roughly $8 to get across the state of Ohio in terms of tolls and roughly $17 to get across PA ... that's gay.
2.) I think Toledo needs a bit of a face lift. I think they should adopt the Vegas slogan, "What happens in Toledo stays in Toledo."
Any thoughts ...
1.) Andrew is a better blogger.
2.) Andrew cares more about out blog and puts in more effort than I do.
3.) Andrew has better friends.
4.) I suck at blogging (very similar to point 1)
5.) My blogs are too long and rambling.
This blog is therefore short to see if I can rule that one off the list. I'm in Toledo, OH this week. Two points of interest:
1.) It costs roughly $8 to get across the state of Ohio in terms of tolls and roughly $17 to get across PA ... that's gay.
2.) I think Toledo needs a bit of a face lift. I think they should adopt the Vegas slogan, "What happens in Toledo stays in Toledo."
Any thoughts ...
Friday, March 04, 2005
The Haunting
I'm sitting here in my office, listening to the Juliana Theory. I know, I know have a good laugh. Now let's get serious. I listened to the first JT album, 'Understand this is a Dream', a TON when I was in high school.
As I'm sitting here listening to Juliana Theory for probably the first time since high school, a slide show is beginning to unfold in my mind. It's a picture show of sounds, images, and moments from high school on through college. As this music meanders through my office, I'm caught off guard by how it triggers memories and emotions that I had just completely forgotten about. I'm not going to lie, this is sort of disconcerting. The music keeps playing and this slideshow only intensifies: people, friends, girlfriends, experiences, places, and old thoughts appear in my mind now, only as shades of what they used to be. Though their memories are real and so disarmingly sanguine, their ghost reminds me that the days are gone and not returning. All the joy encapsulated in my ignorant youth was spent, and the empty casing is left to recount where the time went. This is the Haunting-the selfsame desire to relive better days (even if only in thought), and regret that those days have no more life left in them.
The Haunting is described so eloquently by John Eldridge in "The Sacred Romance". I would argue that "The Sacred Romance" is worth reading if the only thing you get out of it is an understanding of how the Haunting works: The Haunting catches you off guard, and disarms you. The Haunting catches you when you're at work, listening to Juliana Theory, and possesses you for short periods of time. The Haunting intoxicates you when you pass that girl on the street who you swear looks like that girl you used to date in your junior year in high school. The Haunting deafens with ghostly boasts as you as you walk down the halls of your old dorm room; it laughs a hollow, spectral laugh as you pause to remember when you were young and thought you knew everything.
I just wanted you all to know that I came face to face with a ghost a few minutes ago, and it kind of shook me up. But ghosts aren't tangible, kids, so don't carry it with you all the time.
musical reference, hopesfall: " 'This wasn't my intention!' is now a Haunting: the ghost of whispering thoughts..."
As I'm sitting here listening to Juliana Theory for probably the first time since high school, a slide show is beginning to unfold in my mind. It's a picture show of sounds, images, and moments from high school on through college. As this music meanders through my office, I'm caught off guard by how it triggers memories and emotions that I had just completely forgotten about. I'm not going to lie, this is sort of disconcerting. The music keeps playing and this slideshow only intensifies: people, friends, girlfriends, experiences, places, and old thoughts appear in my mind now, only as shades of what they used to be. Though their memories are real and so disarmingly sanguine, their ghost reminds me that the days are gone and not returning. All the joy encapsulated in my ignorant youth was spent, and the empty casing is left to recount where the time went. This is the Haunting-the selfsame desire to relive better days (even if only in thought), and regret that those days have no more life left in them.
The Haunting is described so eloquently by John Eldridge in "The Sacred Romance". I would argue that "The Sacred Romance" is worth reading if the only thing you get out of it is an understanding of how the Haunting works: The Haunting catches you off guard, and disarms you. The Haunting catches you when you're at work, listening to Juliana Theory, and possesses you for short periods of time. The Haunting intoxicates you when you pass that girl on the street who you swear looks like that girl you used to date in your junior year in high school. The Haunting deafens with ghostly boasts as you as you walk down the halls of your old dorm room; it laughs a hollow, spectral laugh as you pause to remember when you were young and thought you knew everything.
I just wanted you all to know that I came face to face with a ghost a few minutes ago, and it kind of shook me up. But ghosts aren't tangible, kids, so don't carry it with you all the time.
musical reference, hopesfall: " 'This wasn't my intention!' is now a Haunting: the ghost of whispering thoughts..."
Vices and Bisquick
Quick response to Andrew's question and then some random musings of the Friday type. I believe it's better to be over-competitive. I feel like when you're over-compassionate you do only hurt yourself (good insight musicruby), but I also feel you can't control that. I feel like I am someone who is over the top competitive, but there are still times I can control that in order not to piss people off. I REALLY WANT to do better than everyone on the test, but in order not to be a huge jag off (jerk for all of you not from Pittsburgh) about it, I don't brag about how I did better. So you can at times control your competitive drive, which makes it better in my mind. Plus it pushes you to do well, so that's key. There are my thoughts. Oh yeah, way to comment your thoughts Fowler ...
Random Friday Musings:
1.) Andrew and I made the cheeseburger pie / casserole recipe on the Bisquick box last night. Let me make a couple of subpoints:
a.) Add cayenne pepper to the beef when you're cooking it.
b.) Add beer to the pan when cooking, it's so good, plus you're like the man in the Miller High Life commercial.
c.) It takes a little longer than 25 minutes to cook ... or our oven sucks ... but it took us like 50 minutes. This is plenty of time to smoke a good pipe, as we did.
d.) Don't drink before dinner. It's a bad thing to do, you have NO FOOD in your stomach.
e.) Bisquick is PHENOMENAL. It takes a pile of beef and onions and makes a whole stinking casserole, and it's like 3 dollars for a whole box of it or something. It's so key. I love Bisquick.
2.) So yeah Bisquick is huge.
3.) Giant Eagle, local Western PA grocery store for those of you not of the area, had a sale on cereal this week. You can get 5 boxes of General Mills cereal for $10! Guess what cereals this kid got at the store yesterday: Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Multi-grain Cheerios, Rice Chex, Honey Nut Chex, Golden Grahams, Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Oh man, so good.
4.) Think about cereal at 2 dollars a box, such a steal.
5.) The Steelers area about to lose my favorite player on their team in free agency. I may enter a slight stage of depression again for a week or two.
6.) March Madness is starting here soon, I love filling out brackets and the whole tournament time rules. If you want sports coverage www.youvegottalovesports.com is a good place for it.
7.) I played twenty-three hours and fifty-two hours of Ninja Gaiden in roughly a week. 1/7th of my week was lost on that game.
8.) The new 50 Cent CD is kind of good. Give it a shot if you're a rap fan.
9.) Download it illegally if you hate the fact he's ignorant and a flaming lib. (Everyone trying to nail me out there, too bad, I just got the legal download off iTunes woooooooo).
10.) It was 5 degrees this morning, and in an effort to make our gas bill lower, we put the heat on 60 last night. You try to guess how sweet it was to get out from under the covers last night. Yeah not good at all.
11.) It's Friday and I'm so stoked for the weekend. The weekend takes on a whole new meaning when you get a job. I find out about my LSAT scores on Monday so stay tuned for that ... if you care.
12.) I'm off to eat lunch. I'm going to eat some meat because animals were made to be eaten. I hate P.E.T.A. Animals don't need ethical treatment, they're food for goodness sake. By having to house them in nice areas before we slaughter them we drive up the price of meat. It's so gay.
13.) In the Andrew way, I leave a question if you've read this far. Would you rather, if you had to pick one, be blind or deaf? Why do you choose the one you do? Let me know. Talk stuff to it.
Random Friday Musings:
1.) Andrew and I made the cheeseburger pie / casserole recipe on the Bisquick box last night. Let me make a couple of subpoints:
a.) Add cayenne pepper to the beef when you're cooking it.
b.) Add beer to the pan when cooking, it's so good, plus you're like the man in the Miller High Life commercial.
c.) It takes a little longer than 25 minutes to cook ... or our oven sucks ... but it took us like 50 minutes. This is plenty of time to smoke a good pipe, as we did.
d.) Don't drink before dinner. It's a bad thing to do, you have NO FOOD in your stomach.
e.) Bisquick is PHENOMENAL. It takes a pile of beef and onions and makes a whole stinking casserole, and it's like 3 dollars for a whole box of it or something. It's so key. I love Bisquick.
2.) So yeah Bisquick is huge.
3.) Giant Eagle, local Western PA grocery store for those of you not of the area, had a sale on cereal this week. You can get 5 boxes of General Mills cereal for $10! Guess what cereals this kid got at the store yesterday: Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Multi-grain Cheerios, Rice Chex, Honey Nut Chex, Golden Grahams, Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Oh man, so good.
4.) Think about cereal at 2 dollars a box, such a steal.
5.) The Steelers area about to lose my favorite player on their team in free agency. I may enter a slight stage of depression again for a week or two.
6.) March Madness is starting here soon, I love filling out brackets and the whole tournament time rules. If you want sports coverage www.youvegottalovesports.com is a good place for it.
7.) I played twenty-three hours and fifty-two hours of Ninja Gaiden in roughly a week. 1/7th of my week was lost on that game.
8.) The new 50 Cent CD is kind of good. Give it a shot if you're a rap fan.
9.) Download it illegally if you hate the fact he's ignorant and a flaming lib. (Everyone trying to nail me out there, too bad, I just got the legal download off iTunes woooooooo).
10.) It was 5 degrees this morning, and in an effort to make our gas bill lower, we put the heat on 60 last night. You try to guess how sweet it was to get out from under the covers last night. Yeah not good at all.
11.) It's Friday and I'm so stoked for the weekend. The weekend takes on a whole new meaning when you get a job. I find out about my LSAT scores on Monday so stay tuned for that ... if you care.
12.) I'm off to eat lunch. I'm going to eat some meat because animals were made to be eaten. I hate P.E.T.A. Animals don't need ethical treatment, they're food for goodness sake. By having to house them in nice areas before we slaughter them we drive up the price of meat. It's so gay.
13.) In the Andrew way, I leave a question if you've read this far. Would you rather, if you had to pick one, be blind or deaf? Why do you choose the one you do? Let me know. Talk stuff to it.
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Which is the greater vice?
This is a thought provoking question, and I want you all to chime in on it. I was thinking about my life today, and realized that I'm not naturally a competitive person. Competition is not something I think about on a day to day basis. I don't make work, activities, etc into competitions for fun. I will be competitive only in situations where I'm pushed to be competitive. Now, if I'm engaged in a raquetball game, or in XBox Boxing games (which I HATE to lose in) I will be so overly competitive that you will not want to even play with me. But on a consistent, day to day basis, I'm not possessed by an innate drive to be 'better than' someone else in some area of my life. It's kind of like Fitty would say, "Me I'm no hustler, me I'm no gangster, me I'm no wankster-me, I'm just me!" and me is not inherently competitive.
While I do lack a competitive gene, if you will, I definitely feel that I am a more compassionate dude. I'm not tooting my horn here or anything, because being compassionate is certainly nothing huge to celebrate. But I feel like I'm more compassionate than competitive, no doubt about it. I know what you're thinking: "Andrew, are you going anywhere with this? I could think or more pressing things to be doing than reading about your personality...like watching grass grow". I'm rapidly approaching my point of discussion. Both competition and compassion are good in and of themselves, but which is it worse to be: overly competitive, or overly compassionate? Both can be HUGE personality flaws, but if you had to be one, which would it be and why? I'll tell you what I think (I hear those groans out there, so SHUT IT!!) after I hear what you all think. COMMENT!
While I do lack a competitive gene, if you will, I definitely feel that I am a more compassionate dude. I'm not tooting my horn here or anything, because being compassionate is certainly nothing huge to celebrate. But I feel like I'm more compassionate than competitive, no doubt about it. I know what you're thinking: "Andrew, are you going anywhere with this? I could think or more pressing things to be doing than reading about your personality...like watching grass grow". I'm rapidly approaching my point of discussion. Both competition and compassion are good in and of themselves, but which is it worse to be: overly competitive, or overly compassionate? Both can be HUGE personality flaws, but if you had to be one, which would it be and why? I'll tell you what I think (I hear those groans out there, so SHUT IT!!) after I hear what you all think. COMMENT!
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
50 Cent
Ok so I know I posted today, but I stumbled across a hilarious story. 50 Cent was at a New York radio station the other day when a shooting occurred. Don't worry don't worry 50 is fine, but apparently someone who may be in his entourage (that's the preferred term these days no more using the word posse) was shot in the leg. If you want to read more about the story you can find it here in a VH1 Article.
http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/1497589/20050228/50_cent.jhtml?headlines=true
In the meantime here is an excerpt about 50's newest feud. It's actually with a member of G-Unit, his own rap group, known as "The Game." You may have heard his new song, but apparently The Game is being kicked out. I post this for multiple reasons:
1.) There is a rapper named The Game.
2.) 50 is getting a little too cocky for his level of fame I think.
3.) What's up with really hard tough black rappers arguing like old married Jewish couples? I'm baffled by this. Here is the section of the article from http://www.vh1.com/
On the radio Monday night, 50 — accompanied by G-Unit members Tony Yayo, Lloyd Banks and Olivia — told Funkmaster Flex that the Game was being excommunicated from the G-Unit because he felt the West Coast MC was disloyal.50 told Flex he was disappointed with comments Game made on the station Saturday night, when Game revealed he would not be getting involved in the beefs 50 is stirring up with "Piggy Bank" (see "50 Cent's LP Pushed Up, Harsh 'Facts' Sound Like Disses On Leaked 'Piggy Bank'").
According to Flex, Game even said he was going to do a song with Nas. "He's gone," 50 scoffed. "He might as well make the record."50 also said Game should stop saying "G-Unit." "He thinks he's doing me a favor when he says that."
During his conversation with Flex, 50 claimed Interscope was going to drop the Game until 50 stepped in and got involved with The Documentary. 50 also insisted that he's making more money off The Documentary than Game is, and that he wrote more choruses than he's credited for.
Game was on Hot 97 earlier in the evening, talking to host Angie Martinez. When listeners called in to ask about his and 50's problems, Game simply said he was going to continue to make "good music."
Two nights prior, Game had said on-air that he and 50 did not have to be friends as long as they worked toward that same common goal: making good music.For weeks there'd been rumors of friction within the G-Unit camp, but they'd always downplayed or outright dismissed the talk, and they even held it together long enough to shoot a joint video for "Hate It or Love It," which debuted Monday on "TRL."
Unreal ...
http://www.vh1.com/news/articles/1497589/20050228/50_cent.jhtml?headlines=true
In the meantime here is an excerpt about 50's newest feud. It's actually with a member of G-Unit, his own rap group, known as "The Game." You may have heard his new song, but apparently The Game is being kicked out. I post this for multiple reasons:
1.) There is a rapper named The Game.
2.) 50 is getting a little too cocky for his level of fame I think.
3.) What's up with really hard tough black rappers arguing like old married Jewish couples? I'm baffled by this. Here is the section of the article from http://www.vh1.com/
On the radio Monday night, 50 — accompanied by G-Unit members Tony Yayo, Lloyd Banks and Olivia — told Funkmaster Flex that the Game was being excommunicated from the G-Unit because he felt the West Coast MC was disloyal.50 told Flex he was disappointed with comments Game made on the station Saturday night, when Game revealed he would not be getting involved in the beefs 50 is stirring up with "Piggy Bank" (see "50 Cent's LP Pushed Up, Harsh 'Facts' Sound Like Disses On Leaked 'Piggy Bank'").
According to Flex, Game even said he was going to do a song with Nas. "He's gone," 50 scoffed. "He might as well make the record."50 also said Game should stop saying "G-Unit." "He thinks he's doing me a favor when he says that."
During his conversation with Flex, 50 claimed Interscope was going to drop the Game until 50 stepped in and got involved with The Documentary. 50 also insisted that he's making more money off The Documentary than Game is, and that he wrote more choruses than he's credited for.
Game was on Hot 97 earlier in the evening, talking to host Angie Martinez. When listeners called in to ask about his and 50's problems, Game simply said he was going to continue to make "good music."
Two nights prior, Game had said on-air that he and 50 did not have to be friends as long as they worked toward that same common goal: making good music.For weeks there'd been rumors of friction within the G-Unit camp, but they'd always downplayed or outright dismissed the talk, and they even held it together long enough to shoot a joint video for "Hate It or Love It," which debuted Monday on "TRL."
Unreal ...
Don't hate, pontificate!
I sense a lot of hostility from Keith. Granted the Oscars may be overrated, but geez. That's a lot of hate!
Let's talk about something in a similar, yet dissimilar vein. I have a good friend named Bill a.k.a OLMEC! You all remember OLMEC right? You're dang right you do! Well Bill and his computer programming friends made a website, and a rather comedic one at that. This may not be a blip on the radar screen of those NOT familiar with how ter-ble W. PA weather is. But to those of us who of our own free will subject ourself to this torture (see my rant in January, http://keithandandrew.blogspot.com/2005/01/hatred.html#comments) this site is great. If you are sick of Erie, PA or other horrible regions of the state log onto www.erie-tating.com I think it's a rather hilarious name! Rant and rave, wait, just rant about how horrible W. Pa is and how depressing it make you. E Plurabus Unum!
Some of you all may be wondering to themselves "Dang it, I've stopped reading Andrew's blogs because he never talks about waking up anymore! Why doesn't he do that?!?!?!" Ok, friends! For the past week or so, I've been listening to American Football's old CD...I don't even know what it's called. It is a great CD and is so relaxing. I would recommend listening to it if:
1) You are going to wake up early to go to work, and need a CD to put in your CD alarm clock
2) Smoking a La Gloria Cubana serie 'R'. Amazingly consistent cigar!
3) Smoking a Punch Gran Cru cigar. One of Andrew's favorites! If you ever want to know what it feels like to be me, go out, throw on American Football, get your Punch Gran Cru out and smoke away. This relaxing moment is my life.
4) You want to think of the Summer...Summer, why are you so far away?
Also, I went snowboarding with Huff this past weekend. I had a great day save for a few moments of carelessness where I stopped thinking. Whenever I stopped thinking, I fell...hard. My neck still hurts and I swear I lost my patella in the process (anatomy word! bonus!)
This may be the most incoherent blog I've written in a while, but how was Jennifer's bean recipe the other day? Did you know that Jennifer didn't come in to work today? Uh ohhhhh
Let's talk about something in a similar, yet dissimilar vein. I have a good friend named Bill a.k.a OLMEC! You all remember OLMEC right? You're dang right you do! Well Bill and his computer programming friends made a website, and a rather comedic one at that. This may not be a blip on the radar screen of those NOT familiar with how ter-ble W. PA weather is. But to those of us who of our own free will subject ourself to this torture (see my rant in January, http://keithandandrew.blogspot.com/2005/01/hatred.html#comments) this site is great. If you are sick of Erie, PA or other horrible regions of the state log onto www.erie-tating.com I think it's a rather hilarious name! Rant and rave, wait, just rant about how horrible W. Pa is and how depressing it make you. E Plurabus Unum!
Some of you all may be wondering to themselves "Dang it, I've stopped reading Andrew's blogs because he never talks about waking up anymore! Why doesn't he do that?!?!?!" Ok, friends! For the past week or so, I've been listening to American Football's old CD...I don't even know what it's called. It is a great CD and is so relaxing. I would recommend listening to it if:
1) You are going to wake up early to go to work, and need a CD to put in your CD alarm clock
2) Smoking a La Gloria Cubana serie 'R'. Amazingly consistent cigar!
3) Smoking a Punch Gran Cru cigar. One of Andrew's favorites! If you ever want to know what it feels like to be me, go out, throw on American Football, get your Punch Gran Cru out and smoke away. This relaxing moment is my life.
4) You want to think of the Summer...Summer, why are you so far away?
Also, I went snowboarding with Huff this past weekend. I had a great day save for a few moments of carelessness where I stopped thinking. Whenever I stopped thinking, I fell...hard. My neck still hurts and I swear I lost my patella in the process (anatomy word! bonus!)
This may be the most incoherent blog I've written in a while, but how was Jennifer's bean recipe the other day? Did you know that Jennifer didn't come in to work today? Uh ohhhhh
Overrated
Ok, work with me here, I'm about to go on a bit of a rant.
I HATE the Oscars. I can stand the Grammys. I can tolerate the Emmys. I can handle the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards. But I abhor the Oscars. I hate the pre-show festivities. I hate the people that schmooze everyone on the red carpet. I hate the question, "Who are you wearing?" I hate the fact that these loaded Hollywood stars are given stuff for free to wear and show off so that other rich people can waste money on a dress they will wear only once. I abhor the fact that you hear the same campy "reporters" on the carpet each year saying horribly cheesy things like, "Oh she looks just stunning!" I hate that the crew of "reporters" is usually made up of two ladies and a gay male. I hate the fact that it's like a train wreck and EVERYONE watches and discusses it the next day (including myself).
I hate the fact that there are roughly a million awards that are given out that suck. I don't care about who was the Best Coffee Carrier On The Set Who Had An Opinion About A Movie Costume. I don't want to know the Best Adapted Screen Play That Hasn't Reached America Yet But Will In The Future and who wins that award. I don't want to hear raging liberal actors tell me how to think. I pay you money to act and entertain me for roughly 2 hours in a movie theater. I don't pay you to accept an award and tell me your beliefs. If I wanted to know what you thought, there'd be a TV show where you shared your beliefs. There currently are no shows like that. You know why? Know one gives a flip what you think about stem cell abortion, you're an actor! No one cares about how you voted because guess what ... you're an actor! No one wants to know how you feel about the war because you're an actor! You are not a Doctor, you're not a military man, you're not a politician, you are an actor. You get on camera and pretend that you are someone or something and you make me laugh or feel sad or whatever emotion you're trying to get me to emote for 2 hours. NO MORE NO LESS!
I hate the fact that Chris Rock, who is really funny, gets up there and talks about religion. You're a comedian! I hate that it's all one sided every time at the show. Of course you're a democrat, you're a comedian. Of course you hate Bush, you're a comedian. Of course you hate religion, it's an easy target to make fun of. I don't want to to friggin turn on an award show as a thinking American who has some different views and get made fun of for 3 and a half hours. I hate the fact that this show starts at 8:30 and goes till 11 ... right, it ended at 11:30. There's 4 hours of ugly exorbitantly (not a Microsoft thesaurus word one that I know althought noa big one) expensive dresses and bashing of beliefs that are different from Hollywood. It's so FREAKING LONG!
I hate the fact that movies up for Best Movie are never the movies everyone sees. Chris Rock did a spoof on this this year and it was funny. "Have you seen The Aviator?" "No." "Have you seen White Chicks?" "Yes" I did not see White Chicks, it looked HORRIBLE. But I did see iRobot. I saw 30 movies this calendar summer 30 MOVIES. Not one of which was nominated for Best Movie. I just hate how some elitist group of pompous people decides what is and what isn't a good movie. Yes there must be some discretion, because movies like White Chicks just can't win an Oscar can it? But I just think that movies that most people legitimately enjoy should be able to win an Oscar other than: Most Stuff Blown Up, Best Special Effects, Nicest Costumes, or Good Music. I think the Oscars are out of touch with America and I HATE IT!
Rant over ...
I HATE the Oscars. I can stand the Grammys. I can tolerate the Emmys. I can handle the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards. But I abhor the Oscars. I hate the pre-show festivities. I hate the people that schmooze everyone on the red carpet. I hate the question, "Who are you wearing?" I hate the fact that these loaded Hollywood stars are given stuff for free to wear and show off so that other rich people can waste money on a dress they will wear only once. I abhor the fact that you hear the same campy "reporters" on the carpet each year saying horribly cheesy things like, "Oh she looks just stunning!" I hate that the crew of "reporters" is usually made up of two ladies and a gay male. I hate the fact that it's like a train wreck and EVERYONE watches and discusses it the next day (including myself).
I hate the fact that there are roughly a million awards that are given out that suck. I don't care about who was the Best Coffee Carrier On The Set Who Had An Opinion About A Movie Costume. I don't want to know the Best Adapted Screen Play That Hasn't Reached America Yet But Will In The Future and who wins that award. I don't want to hear raging liberal actors tell me how to think. I pay you money to act and entertain me for roughly 2 hours in a movie theater. I don't pay you to accept an award and tell me your beliefs. If I wanted to know what you thought, there'd be a TV show where you shared your beliefs. There currently are no shows like that. You know why? Know one gives a flip what you think about stem cell abortion, you're an actor! No one cares about how you voted because guess what ... you're an actor! No one wants to know how you feel about the war because you're an actor! You are not a Doctor, you're not a military man, you're not a politician, you are an actor. You get on camera and pretend that you are someone or something and you make me laugh or feel sad or whatever emotion you're trying to get me to emote for 2 hours. NO MORE NO LESS!
I hate the fact that Chris Rock, who is really funny, gets up there and talks about religion. You're a comedian! I hate that it's all one sided every time at the show. Of course you're a democrat, you're a comedian. Of course you hate Bush, you're a comedian. Of course you hate religion, it's an easy target to make fun of. I don't want to to friggin turn on an award show as a thinking American who has some different views and get made fun of for 3 and a half hours. I hate the fact that this show starts at 8:30 and goes till 11 ... right, it ended at 11:30. There's 4 hours of ugly exorbitantly (not a Microsoft thesaurus word one that I know althought noa big one) expensive dresses and bashing of beliefs that are different from Hollywood. It's so FREAKING LONG!
I hate the fact that movies up for Best Movie are never the movies everyone sees. Chris Rock did a spoof on this this year and it was funny. "Have you seen The Aviator?" "No." "Have you seen White Chicks?" "Yes" I did not see White Chicks, it looked HORRIBLE. But I did see iRobot. I saw 30 movies this calendar summer 30 MOVIES. Not one of which was nominated for Best Movie. I just hate how some elitist group of pompous people decides what is and what isn't a good movie. Yes there must be some discretion, because movies like White Chicks just can't win an Oscar can it? But I just think that movies that most people legitimately enjoy should be able to win an Oscar other than: Most Stuff Blown Up, Best Special Effects, Nicest Costumes, or Good Music. I think the Oscars are out of touch with America and I HATE IT!
Rant over ...
Monday, February 28, 2005
Kender is right
Che is blowy. New Jersey is blowy. AND! Boondock Saints is an awesome, awesome movie. I can tell you about that, Amanda, but not much more about Che.
Friday, February 25, 2005
This one is for the kids
Sweet and Sassy Bean Casserole:
1 Can Green Beans-drain
1 Can butter beans-drain
1 can wax beans-drain
1 can hot chili beans-don't drain
1 can pork and beans mixed
1 can tomato soup
1.5 lbs hot sausage, snouts and all
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
2 tsp mustard (add 1 tsp cayenne pepper powder for some extra kick!)
1 cup brown sugar (one of these things is not like the other...)
Brown hot sausage, and cook in onions and celery in a skillet. Add soup mustard and brown sugar all at once in the pan. Cook for an additional 15 minutes on medium heat. Too much heat makes it splatter all over the place, resulting in stained clothes and profanity coming from your mouth.
Pour mixture of goodness over all of the beans. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for an hour. Serve hot with beer.
thanks Jennifer! Feel free to try this one out...on the house. PEACE!!
1 Can Green Beans-drain
1 Can butter beans-drain
1 can wax beans-drain
1 can hot chili beans-don't drain
1 can pork and beans mixed
1 can tomato soup
1.5 lbs hot sausage, snouts and all
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
2 tsp mustard (add 1 tsp cayenne pepper powder for some extra kick!)
1 cup brown sugar (one of these things is not like the other...)
Brown hot sausage, and cook in onions and celery in a skillet. Add soup mustard and brown sugar all at once in the pan. Cook for an additional 15 minutes on medium heat. Too much heat makes it splatter all over the place, resulting in stained clothes and profanity coming from your mouth.
Pour mixture of goodness over all of the beans. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for an hour. Serve hot with beer.
thanks Jennifer! Feel free to try this one out...on the house. PEACE!!
Doo Doo Brown
I just got back from traveling to New Jersey and I realized several things while driving:
1.) My life may not be interesting for me to blog every single day. That's how you end up getting innane drivel from me like what I ate for Lunch. I just don't have enough insightful stuff to say that often.
2.) With the same conviction that I root for the Steelers and the same conviction that I believe in Jesus and the same passion I think the French government is worthless I now hold to the fact that I will NEVER EVER EVER live in New Jersey. What a depressed, ugly, boring, and confusingly lame state. I can't stand the whole place, maybe the worst state ever. Cleveland, Ohio sucks, and New Jersey is like one big Cleveland.
3.) Do you want to know why society is falling apart? No, it's not because of homosexuals (which I still haven't blogged about yet), or ESPN showing arm wrestling the other night, or even the fact that roughly something like 43% of America voted for John Kerry (TREATED!!!!) Society is falling apart thanks to songs like Doo Doo Brown from 2 Live Crew. Thanks to Andrew for introducing me to this song. It seems like their goal may have been to make the most horrible song possible in terms of words and morals ... and oh yeah, they succeeded.
4.) The show on MTV My Sweet 16 Party may be the other reason America is falling apart. Nothing like rich snotty parents throwing their kids roughly half million to million dollar SWEET 16 PARTIES FOR GOODNESS SAKE! These kids blatantly say, "I just want people to know who I am and to be popular." Way to put this kid on TV for goodness sake. They might as well say, "Yeah I'm a complete and total snot and I think it's totally cool for my parents to buy me popularity through a huge dance party where I kick out the 'inferior' kids who are A FLAMING YEAR YOUNGER THAN ME and I serve alcohol and have a body guard to keep kids wee wees off of me since Dad thinks I can't handle it and he's most likely right since he spoils me with money that he thinks is a good switch for love." Ok that's a bit absurd but the show really highlights some of the basic low lights of humanity and makes me ill.
5.) John Mayer blows. The song Daughters is a friggin joke.
6.) Eric Howard welcome to our blog and thanks for the first comment. Howard references a sports website in his comment that some of my friends recently started. People who graduated from Grove City and I have started a site, http://www.youvegottalovesports.com It's an actual website not a blog. We link some headlines from yahoo sports page and each write roughly two articles a week. We're trying to take down ESPN since they started showing crap that's not sports like: Dale Earnhardt made for TV movies, Poker dramas, freaking arm wrestling, far too much X-Games, things like Cold Pizza. We're getting back to sports hopefully with some humor and pop culture references along the way. It's definitely opinionated sports coverage. We just started it this week, so give it some time and check it out.
7.) Driving through the mountains in roughly 10 inches of snow is a bad thing.
8.) Truck drivers have a general disregard for life. Ok I'm painting in broad brush strokes again, I'm very guilty of this. But after being stuck in roughly 10 miles of traffic due to accidents on Interstate 80, the truck drive behind me informed me the reason we were stopped was, "There was a Fed Ex truck that flipped over and a couple of guys died. That's what's holding us up is they have to clean it all up." I was apalled, literally almost physically ill.
9.) Roy Rogers fast food sucks. If you've ever had it you know what I mean.
1.) My life may not be interesting for me to blog every single day. That's how you end up getting innane drivel from me like what I ate for Lunch. I just don't have enough insightful stuff to say that often.
2.) With the same conviction that I root for the Steelers and the same conviction that I believe in Jesus and the same passion I think the French government is worthless I now hold to the fact that I will NEVER EVER EVER live in New Jersey. What a depressed, ugly, boring, and confusingly lame state. I can't stand the whole place, maybe the worst state ever. Cleveland, Ohio sucks, and New Jersey is like one big Cleveland.
3.) Do you want to know why society is falling apart? No, it's not because of homosexuals (which I still haven't blogged about yet), or ESPN showing arm wrestling the other night, or even the fact that roughly something like 43% of America voted for John Kerry (TREATED!!!!) Society is falling apart thanks to songs like Doo Doo Brown from 2 Live Crew. Thanks to Andrew for introducing me to this song. It seems like their goal may have been to make the most horrible song possible in terms of words and morals ... and oh yeah, they succeeded.
4.) The show on MTV My Sweet 16 Party may be the other reason America is falling apart. Nothing like rich snotty parents throwing their kids roughly half million to million dollar SWEET 16 PARTIES FOR GOODNESS SAKE! These kids blatantly say, "I just want people to know who I am and to be popular." Way to put this kid on TV for goodness sake. They might as well say, "Yeah I'm a complete and total snot and I think it's totally cool for my parents to buy me popularity through a huge dance party where I kick out the 'inferior' kids who are A FLAMING YEAR YOUNGER THAN ME and I serve alcohol and have a body guard to keep kids wee wees off of me since Dad thinks I can't handle it and he's most likely right since he spoils me with money that he thinks is a good switch for love." Ok that's a bit absurd but the show really highlights some of the basic low lights of humanity and makes me ill.
5.) John Mayer blows. The song Daughters is a friggin joke.
6.) Eric Howard welcome to our blog and thanks for the first comment. Howard references a sports website in his comment that some of my friends recently started. People who graduated from Grove City and I have started a site, http://www.youvegottalovesports.com It's an actual website not a blog. We link some headlines from yahoo sports page and each write roughly two articles a week. We're trying to take down ESPN since they started showing crap that's not sports like: Dale Earnhardt made for TV movies, Poker dramas, freaking arm wrestling, far too much X-Games, things like Cold Pizza. We're getting back to sports hopefully with some humor and pop culture references along the way. It's definitely opinionated sports coverage. We just started it this week, so give it some time and check it out.
7.) Driving through the mountains in roughly 10 inches of snow is a bad thing.
8.) Truck drivers have a general disregard for life. Ok I'm painting in broad brush strokes again, I'm very guilty of this. But after being stuck in roughly 10 miles of traffic due to accidents on Interstate 80, the truck drive behind me informed me the reason we were stopped was, "There was a Fed Ex truck that flipped over and a couple of guys died. That's what's holding us up is they have to clean it all up." I was apalled, literally almost physically ill.
9.) Roy Rogers fast food sucks. If you've ever had it you know what I mean.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
This is me leaving...this is me leaving
Ok,
Amanda, What has France contributed to the global community in the past 200 years, outside of their philosophies and superior cheese? Nothing. NOTHING! I'm not going to hate on France, and I'm not going to say I hate French people...it's all a ploy to drag people to my blog with incendiary comments. France pillaged the world under Napoleon, got screwed over in a multiple World Wars, asked for our help (and got it) then shied away from global politics save to stand on the sideline and play Monday Morning Quarterback with world affairs. The French people may be great, but this deification of the Eurpoean, and more importantly French lifestyle and worldview is complete ignorance. France does not have the solution to the world's problems, and this isn't to turn around and say America has them all either. But as I survey the global landscape, take into consideration which countries are capable of making the world a better place it's clearly obvious that America is the only country in this entire world that gives a crap about anyone else. You can cynically look at that and call it greed, imperialism, racism, egocentrism, which undoubetedly you will. I see things differently, and would challenge you to take a break from your cyclical odious attitude towards America. That goes for all of you others out there as well!
With that said, I'm leaving the topic of France alone forever. Unless France, or French-inspired products like pretzels from Canada, or cigarette packs with dead babies on them ruin my day, I promise I won't talk about the dang country again. Jock Shirock is so sweet!
Amanda, What has France contributed to the global community in the past 200 years, outside of their philosophies and superior cheese? Nothing. NOTHING! I'm not going to hate on France, and I'm not going to say I hate French people...it's all a ploy to drag people to my blog with incendiary comments. France pillaged the world under Napoleon, got screwed over in a multiple World Wars, asked for our help (and got it) then shied away from global politics save to stand on the sideline and play Monday Morning Quarterback with world affairs. The French people may be great, but this deification of the Eurpoean, and more importantly French lifestyle and worldview is complete ignorance. France does not have the solution to the world's problems, and this isn't to turn around and say America has them all either. But as I survey the global landscape, take into consideration which countries are capable of making the world a better place it's clearly obvious that America is the only country in this entire world that gives a crap about anyone else. You can cynically look at that and call it greed, imperialism, racism, egocentrism, which undoubetedly you will. I see things differently, and would challenge you to take a break from your cyclical odious attitude towards America. That goes for all of you others out there as well!
With that said, I'm leaving the topic of France alone forever. Unless France, or French-inspired products like pretzels from Canada, or cigarette packs with dead babies on them ruin my day, I promise I won't talk about the dang country again. Jock Shirock is so sweet!
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
I know you love it!
Ok I'm back,
For the past week I've been completely sapped away from our blog because of my intense discussion with some tree hugging liberals in NYC who hate Christians and hate America. They may not agree with that last statement, but it's right.
So I know you have all been dying to know a lot of things, like:
1) Why did Fowler and Bailey stop blogging comments?
2) Who is OLMEC and how did he get on your site?
3) Has Andrew bought pretzels for the dollar store lately?
Well guess what kids? I have some answers for you!
1) Bailey and Fowler stopped commeting because they were raptured up to heaven. Chalk them up there with Elijah and Enoch as two who never tasted the bitter pill of death. We miss them commenting, but they are in a better place.
2) OLMEC, I hate to ruin the surprise, is Bill, my good friend from home. And if you all didn't know, Bill is Greek and ladies seriously litter themselves around the ground that he walks on. Litter!! I think Bill's dated 6 girls for every 1 girl I've dated in Western PA. He's the man and he can do some killer programming. Bill, if you send me a link to your website, I'll plug it all the time on my blog.
3) No I have not bought any, but I have had some other pretzels from the dollar store. Keith got some, and I tried them. Let me say first and foremost that they are good pretzels, all jokes aside. They are crunchy enough, salty enough, and just the right size for bite size snacking on the fly. The other stupid French Twists were in the shape of an elongated baguette (go figure) and had a blase taste as well (blase...typical French word to descibe typical french pretzels). And I KNOW that France is not the same as Canada, but Frenchies are the same the world over-they all blow. America clearly makes a superior pretzel, and the France should bow down. This reminds me of a flyer that Bill sent me...
http://www.protestwarrior.com/new_signs.php?sign=2
For the past week I've been completely sapped away from our blog because of my intense discussion with some tree hugging liberals in NYC who hate Christians and hate America. They may not agree with that last statement, but it's right.
So I know you have all been dying to know a lot of things, like:
1) Why did Fowler and Bailey stop blogging comments?
2) Who is OLMEC and how did he get on your site?
3) Has Andrew bought pretzels for the dollar store lately?
Well guess what kids? I have some answers for you!
1) Bailey and Fowler stopped commeting because they were raptured up to heaven. Chalk them up there with Elijah and Enoch as two who never tasted the bitter pill of death. We miss them commenting, but they are in a better place.
2) OLMEC, I hate to ruin the surprise, is Bill, my good friend from home. And if you all didn't know, Bill is Greek and ladies seriously litter themselves around the ground that he walks on. Litter!! I think Bill's dated 6 girls for every 1 girl I've dated in Western PA. He's the man and he can do some killer programming. Bill, if you send me a link to your website, I'll plug it all the time on my blog.
3) No I have not bought any, but I have had some other pretzels from the dollar store. Keith got some, and I tried them. Let me say first and foremost that they are good pretzels, all jokes aside. They are crunchy enough, salty enough, and just the right size for bite size snacking on the fly. The other stupid French Twists were in the shape of an elongated baguette (go figure) and had a blase taste as well (blase...typical French word to descibe typical french pretzels). And I KNOW that France is not the same as Canada, but Frenchies are the same the world over-they all blow. America clearly makes a superior pretzel, and the France should bow down. This reminds me of a flyer that Bill sent me...
http://www.protestwarrior.com/new_signs.php?sign=2
Sunday, February 20, 2005
I lied
Ok I lied. I said I was going to post this weekend why I believed homosexuality is wrong. But the weekend got ridiculously busy. I'll get on it soon, at a later time perhaps. I know, I'm a total slacker, but this is the stuff my life consists of.
Friday, February 18, 2005
Just for the record
In an effort
1) to get more people to read our blog
2) stimulate people's minds and
3) get another perspective on life
I am going to start officially plugging the blog of my friend Lillet's weblog. She's a smart cookie and has worldviews radically different than mine. She also hates me, I think. And Keith too. So in addition to posting banal stories on this weblog, I put serious intellectual power into my posts on her weblog. I don't know if she'll appreciate this reciprocity, but go check out what she has to say. It's kind of entertaining as well.
Check out stuff to it and watch Keith and I get torn up:http://whatdidweeverdotoyou.blogspot.com/
Later, ya weinas!!!!!!
1) to get more people to read our blog
2) stimulate people's minds and
3) get another perspective on life
I am going to start officially plugging the blog of my friend Lillet's weblog. She's a smart cookie and has worldviews radically different than mine. She also hates me, I think. And Keith too. So in addition to posting banal stories on this weblog, I put serious intellectual power into my posts on her weblog. I don't know if she'll appreciate this reciprocity, but go check out what she has to say. It's kind of entertaining as well.
Check out stuff to it and watch Keith and I get torn up:http://whatdidweeverdotoyou.blogspot.com/
Later, ya weinas!!!!!!
Another day in paradise
So it was freezing cold today on the way to work and it made me ask myself, "Why do I love Western, PA so much?" Clearly the only reason is because I've grown up here. There is no way in the world that I would desire or choose to live in this region, but then again no other region of the country appeals to me either. If you could live anywhere at all where would you live? Assuming that with this you have job security and are safe. I know gay question, but we're about to enter a busy day in our office and I don't have time to be creative today. I'm going to do something crazy this weekend either Saturday or Sunday and post on our blog. It's going to be a huge dissertation of sorts about why I believe homosexuality is wrong and a brief argument against it. We've gotten ourselves into a cross discussion with some people of another blog. So check back at some point this weekend for intellectual stimulation.
Well, I'm off to interview kids and talk to them about college and stuff. So everyone stay warm today and I'll catch you on the flip side.
Well, I'm off to interview kids and talk to them about college and stuff. So everyone stay warm today and I'll catch you on the flip side.
Thursday, February 17, 2005
Tupac or not Tupac, that is the question.
Actually, I don't know how you could no Tupac!
Tupac was so money. His beats, his music, his passion was all so tangible. For example, Biggie sings a song about getting some from one of his groupies. You know that the sad, sordid tale is probably true just because of Biggie's status. But inevitably the question that should pop into your head is "Honestly Biggie was a fat sot. Did he really get any?". Now consider Tupac. You look at the dude and think to yourself automatically "I bet this dude got tons of hood rat chicks who only rock sneakers". There's no question about it! I think that type of undeiable and insurmoutable street cred typifies who Tupac was. Granted I'm a white dude from Suburbia, but that's the impression that I get and that's why I wish he was still around.
And I've got something else to mention...Ma$e is 20% retarded, literally. He's 75% retarded figuratively. Does his 20% legitimate retardation take away from his figurative retardation (figuring that maybe some of his figurative retardation could stem from his legitimate retardation) or does it compound his figurative retardation? A question for the ages, I know...
The City paper is so great.
I think next year I'm going to vote for Prince for President of the USA. Come on, chant with me me now... PRINCE! PRINCE! PRINCE!
Tupac was so money. His beats, his music, his passion was all so tangible. For example, Biggie sings a song about getting some from one of his groupies. You know that the sad, sordid tale is probably true just because of Biggie's status. But inevitably the question that should pop into your head is "Honestly Biggie was a fat sot. Did he really get any?". Now consider Tupac. You look at the dude and think to yourself automatically "I bet this dude got tons of hood rat chicks who only rock sneakers". There's no question about it! I think that type of undeiable and insurmoutable street cred typifies who Tupac was. Granted I'm a white dude from Suburbia, but that's the impression that I get and that's why I wish he was still around.
And I've got something else to mention...Ma$e is 20% retarded, literally. He's 75% retarded figuratively. Does his 20% legitimate retardation take away from his figurative retardation (figuring that maybe some of his figurative retardation could stem from his legitimate retardation) or does it compound his figurative retardation? A question for the ages, I know...
The City paper is so great.
I think next year I'm going to vote for Prince for President of the USA. Come on, chant with me me now... PRINCE! PRINCE! PRINCE!
Question
Two more questions for the day that just popped in my head:
1.) Have you ever wondered what life would be like if Tupac and Biggie were still alive?
2.) You have to choose one, who do you pick Tupac or Biggie? Which rapper is the one you keep?
I know it's almost heretical to say, but I choose Biggie, I just think I like more of his stuff. Tupac was definitely harder and cooler, but Biggie was so money. So stinking money.
1.) Have you ever wondered what life would be like if Tupac and Biggie were still alive?
2.) You have to choose one, who do you pick Tupac or Biggie? Which rapper is the one you keep?
I know it's almost heretical to say, but I choose Biggie, I just think I like more of his stuff. Tupac was definitely harder and cooler, but Biggie was so money. So stinking money.
Legends of the Hidden Temple
So this guy commented on our blog yesterday, but it's some dude who seems like he's just talking like the narrator from that old Nickelodeon show Legends of the hidden temple. Check it out, he commented on my short blog yesterday "Agree" It's totally from that show. Remember the teams they had, Blue Barracudas, Green Monkeys and I think the Purple Lizards were another. It was such a sweet show. In fact a lot of TV used to be sweeter. Think about the sweet shows Nick used to have between like Legends of the Hidden Temple, Double Dare, Doug ... freakin Doug! Now they have gay stuff. Plus new Cartoon Network cartoons blow. I hate them so much. The Boomerang channel is so much sweeter that plays Jetsons and Flintstones. I'm just sick of network TV and other companies overdoing it. Like reality TV, it's gone WAY TO FAR. What's worse is we're stuck with it. You only have to pay little Susie off the street pocket change compared to real actors and comedians to do show. I hate that TV is slowly being ruined. Here's a good question do I hate TV because it's getting suckier, or do I hate it because I'm getting older and out of touch with society? I hope that it's not part of me being old and lame.
I tried to change my font for this blog, if it looks different that's why. I totally bought Ninja Gaiden last night for Xbox. Incredibly detailed and sweet game. As soon as I turned it on and picked up the controller it was like I entered some vortex where 2 hours of my life was just zapped away never to return. Really sweet game, so far fairly challenging also, I highly recommend it at this point.
In the new tradition of reporting good news, cause heaven knows we need more good news in the world, the guy at Lids last night (hat store in Ross Park mall) said since they were out of a hat, they would mail it to my house if I wanted to free of charge when they get it in. Now, this is really weak good news, but work with me. A company is not only trying to do their job, provide hats (their only item) but they are going the next step, and since they were out, offering to send it to my house free of charge. That is good customer service and I will now tell everyone how sweet the store Lids, sometimes known as Hat World, is to its customers. I highly recommend Lids to all of you.
Ok lastly for the day, if you like rap music, go listen to some of MA$E's old music. He's now a born again Christian and a pastor to boot, and he's making a rap comeback. He's doing it, but as a clean rapper, his new song is littered with quick little references such as, "I be like Moses and I bring you the law." That my friends is high comedy. So his new CD inspired me to listen to some of his old stuff. MA$E is so sweet. I'm sure he's not happy that I'm listening to his old dirty past life that he's trying to throw off, but you should all go listen to the stuff, it's fabulous. Some of his work whether his or a collaberation: Mo Money Mo Problems, Can't Nobody Hold Me Down, Feel so Good, Take What's Yours, Been Around The World, I could keep going, but that's a few. Great music if you like rap. Oh yeah, the person that blasted Andrew for being angry about the gay pretzels, go read her blog, you can read her comment then click on her name and it takes you to her blog. She's quite the pretentious one. I'm out kids.
I tried to change my font for this blog, if it looks different that's why. I totally bought Ninja Gaiden last night for Xbox. Incredibly detailed and sweet game. As soon as I turned it on and picked up the controller it was like I entered some vortex where 2 hours of my life was just zapped away never to return. Really sweet game, so far fairly challenging also, I highly recommend it at this point.
In the new tradition of reporting good news, cause heaven knows we need more good news in the world, the guy at Lids last night (hat store in Ross Park mall) said since they were out of a hat, they would mail it to my house if I wanted to free of charge when they get it in. Now, this is really weak good news, but work with me. A company is not only trying to do their job, provide hats (their only item) but they are going the next step, and since they were out, offering to send it to my house free of charge. That is good customer service and I will now tell everyone how sweet the store Lids, sometimes known as Hat World, is to its customers. I highly recommend Lids to all of you.
Ok lastly for the day, if you like rap music, go listen to some of MA$E's old music. He's now a born again Christian and a pastor to boot, and he's making a rap comeback. He's doing it, but as a clean rapper, his new song is littered with quick little references such as, "I be like Moses and I bring you the law." That my friends is high comedy. So his new CD inspired me to listen to some of his old stuff. MA$E is so sweet. I'm sure he's not happy that I'm listening to his old dirty past life that he's trying to throw off, but you should all go listen to the stuff, it's fabulous. Some of his work whether his or a collaberation: Mo Money Mo Problems, Can't Nobody Hold Me Down, Feel so Good, Take What's Yours, Been Around The World, I could keep going, but that's a few. Great music if you like rap. Oh yeah, the person that blasted Andrew for being angry about the gay pretzels, go read her blog, you can read her comment then click on her name and it takes you to her blog. She's quite the pretentious one. I'm out kids.
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Agree
I didn't blog today. I actually got stuff done so I don't have a whole lot to say. I agree with Andrew. If you're selling your product in a foreign country or responding with someone, at least have a mastery of the language. When I go to Uganda I try to use the language well. I study it and I have a grasp of it at least. If I was going to do business in that country, the grace period passes and I make sure I have a mastery of it all so I don't offend them. French people suck, they try to befriend everyone and you can't do that in life. Way to try to side with the UN and then turn around and repair relations with the U.S. In life you have to take a stand, you can't be spineless and expect to get along with everyone, people will lose respect for you.
One quick point, I realize more and more every day that I am slowly becoming a typical guy. I like dude movies where stuff blows up, I become less observant and when home in the evening I am much less conversational. I don't know what to do about this. I always told myself I wouldn't be like that, but I have slowly become like that. How can one change who they are and become something a bit better? I don't know how to change for the better anymore. Any suggestions
One quick point, I realize more and more every day that I am slowly becoming a typical guy. I like dude movies where stuff blows up, I become less observant and when home in the evening I am much less conversational. I don't know what to do about this. I always told myself I wouldn't be like that, but I have slowly become like that. How can one change who they are and become something a bit better? I don't know how to change for the better anymore. Any suggestions
I dun't speek guhd
So I'm conflicted about Lillerty's comments. On the one hand, it means that people read our blog! Awesome. On the other hand, it means someone tore me a new one for relaying a hilarious story about silly French pretzels. I should probably not address the comments, as this blog is set up to stimulate dialogue and discourse between people across states and countries (excpet France, we don't need their opinion on anything). All I'll say is that I have mastered the art of incorporating irony and hyperbole into my weblogs. Read with opened eyes from now on.
And by the way: if you're the customer service rep for a French/Quebecian company with international operations in the United States, you better have dang good mastery of the English language. Granted the dollar store may not be the best place to get pretzels...
And by the way: if you're the customer service rep for a French/Quebecian company with international operations in the United States, you better have dang good mastery of the English language. Granted the dollar store may not be the best place to get pretzels...
Trivial
Hey I smoked Vanilla sheesha in our hookah last night for over 2 hours.
Also, thanks to Keith, you can read this article.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,147713,00.html
Finally, in conclusion, I am the best Street Fighter 2 player in the Universe and don't you doubt it for a second.
Last-Off: I want some coffee but it's NOT because I'm addicted to it.
Also, thanks to Keith, you can read this article.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,147713,00.html
Finally, in conclusion, I am the best Street Fighter 2 player in the Universe and don't you doubt it for a second.
Last-Off: I want some coffee but it's NOT because I'm addicted to it.
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Customer Service
Good rant Andrew. A seriously good rant. Customer service is such a lost art anymore. People act like since they did their job that we should all bow down and thank them. No French people, we do not thank you for putting crappy pretzels in a bag, that is your job. We thank you when you make good pretzels or go above and beyond the call of duty to please people. No one should thank me for a basic tour I give. If I was particularly witty or insightful that day, then people should thank me. I hate how people think we owe them our first born child just since they completed a task.
Moving on ... in other news I've decided the media has an inherent bias against Pittsburgh. This is evidenced by the fact they beat Syracuse last night, the 5th ranked team in the nation, and for Sportscenter highlights they showed 8 syracuse highlights and 4 pitt highlights. PITT WON THE FREAKING GAME AND YOU SHOW HALF THE AMOUNT OF HIGHLIGHTS! Pundits never like Pitt, pundits never pick the Steelers, and God knows our city is never put on the weather channel for weather in certain cities. I hate the fact that the city of Pittsburgh gets dumped on and I'm tired of it.
Things I think I think:
1.) Massage chairs are amazing. Every home in America should be equipped with one.
2.) Butterfingers are an often forgotten about candy. I just got one from Courtney and I had forgotten how good they are. For some reason though, no one wants to buy one when they are thinking about buying a candy bar.
3.) SUVs are ENTIRELY overrated. I hate having to slam the pedal to the floor to get the thing to go, and they are entirely awkward to try and parallel park or see in blind spots. But if you're driving and you count the numbers of cars to SUVs there are now more SUVS on the road then cars.
4.) Vans do not count as anything when counting cars to SUV ratios. Vans are their own category of horribleness.
5.) Is there a better line of video game than the Zelda line that has been around since the beginning? I didn't think so.
Moving on ... in other news I've decided the media has an inherent bias against Pittsburgh. This is evidenced by the fact they beat Syracuse last night, the 5th ranked team in the nation, and for Sportscenter highlights they showed 8 syracuse highlights and 4 pitt highlights. PITT WON THE FREAKING GAME AND YOU SHOW HALF THE AMOUNT OF HIGHLIGHTS! Pundits never like Pitt, pundits never pick the Steelers, and God knows our city is never put on the weather channel for weather in certain cities. I hate the fact that the city of Pittsburgh gets dumped on and I'm tired of it.
Things I think I think:
1.) Massage chairs are amazing. Every home in America should be equipped with one.
2.) Butterfingers are an often forgotten about candy. I just got one from Courtney and I had forgotten how good they are. For some reason though, no one wants to buy one when they are thinking about buying a candy bar.
3.) SUVs are ENTIRELY overrated. I hate having to slam the pedal to the floor to get the thing to go, and they are entirely awkward to try and parallel park or see in blind spots. But if you're driving and you count the numbers of cars to SUVs there are now more SUVS on the road then cars.
4.) Vans do not count as anything when counting cars to SUV ratios. Vans are their own category of horribleness.
5.) Is there a better line of video game than the Zelda line that has been around since the beginning? I didn't think so.
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