Do You Really Want to Irk Me?

Alabama Getaway

2009-04-30T00:19:00.007-04:00

Major Domo Billy Bojangles, sat down and had a drink with me,
Said "What about Alabama? It keeps a coming back to me.
Heard your plea in the courthouse, Witness box began to rock and rise,
49 sister states had Alabama in their eyes.

Alabama getaway, getaway. Alabama getaway, getaway,
Only way to please me, ya just gotta leave and walk away.

Grateful Dead "Alabama Getaway"

So I got to head down to Montgomery, AL, for a work meeting (Air Force Portal Content Managers Meeting at Maxwell-Gunter AFB) for a couple days this week. I was also giving a presentation about the new Air Force Website (www.af.mil), which should be launching in 3 or 4 weeks (fingers crossed). I've never been to Alabama, and most of what I know about it comes from watching "My Cousin Vinny" too many times or reading the works of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the civil rights fight. Based on "My Cousin Vinny" I can attest that there is red mud everywhere. Granted, I didn't stuck in any, but I did see it near construction sites.

Unfortunately, my time was a bit tighter than I'd like, so I never got to hit the town to see what's shakin. I did make it downtown for lunch one day and had a nice meal at Montgomery Brew Pub where I had a great beer called "Rass Kisser" or "Razz Kisser" or something like that. It was pretty tasty and I would've killed for a few more of them because it was such a nice day. Anyway, I think the tone of the trip was set when I asked a cop at the airport, "So are restaurants open late here, or should I get moving here." He smiled and in a nice drawl said, "Nawww, they close pretty early. They roll up Main St. at dark in this damn town." OK. I headed to my hotel, which was a lovely place next to the highway. My window looked out to a Waffle House, Outback Steakhouse, Lone Star Steak, a gas station, a car dealership, and a blinking billboard that kept telling me to go to a Montgomery Biscuits ball game.

I checked online to find the addresses of a few restaurants that my friend's co-worker had sent me, having been here for business recently. I was psyched to check out Jubilee Seafood, but alas, it was closed on Monday's. I continued checking to see what was around and was boggled by the huge amount of chain-type restaurants. As my indecisiveness got the better of me, I realized that it's nearly 9:00, so I headed to the Lone Steak Steakhouse next to the hotel. For shame. After dinner, I went to a gas station across the street to get some waters and snacks for the meetings. There was a lovely crackwhore holding a baby hanging out in the lot. She didn't talk to me. Inside, I saw the requisite counter full of pickled pig's feet, pickled sausages, and various jerkys. I also found a soda called Dr. Wham, which along with Grapeico, was on sale for $1.09!! Of course I had to get one (I didn't get a Grapico) and I'm happy to report that it's quite delicious. Kind of like a Dr. Pepper, as the name would imply.

My hotel (Drury Inn) has a free breakfast buffet with eggs, sausage, make-your-own Belgian waffles, and the coup de grace, biscuits and gravy. As I noshed on these treats the first day, I realized the folly of my ways, knowing that these fat- and carb-laden goodies would be my demise during the meeting. But hey, free biscuits and gravy. What do you want. Interestingly, the Drury also has a free happy hour at night with 3 free drinks per day and veggies and nachos! Sweet deal.

I got to have a nice bbq dinner at a place called Jim 'N Nick's. Gotta say, that was the highlight of my trip, aside from Dr. Wham. I opted for the meat combo, for which I picked baby back ribs, smoked hot links, collard greens, and mac n cheese. Delicious eats! Sadly, I decided not to bring my leftovers to the hotel because I figured 1) I'm not eating the ribs and sausage for breakfast, and 2) I'm not flying with them back to DC.

As I write this, I'm sitting in an un-air conditioned conference room at the JAG school at Maxwell AFB. There's a B-52 in front of the school, as well as numerous other planes near Academic Circle. As always, I like to bring it all full circle. During my trip, I've been singing "Love Shack" by the B-52s in my head. Why? because I've been driving on the Atlanta Highway, which runs through Montgomery. And today I'm greeted by a giant B-52 sitting in front of the building. Wow, between B-52s and Dr. Wham, 'Bama's been pretty good to me! Bonus full circle: "Alabama Getaway" was this week's theme, and this Friday I'm heading to Philly to see the Dead.

Update: Gotta say, overall, Maxwell was pretty decent and I have to say that the people of Alabama were super friendly everywhere I went. I'm glad to see that service and manners still count in some places. So kudos to Alabama for being a gracious host. Southern hospitality is alive and well. And flowing with gallons of sweet tea.

James Bond and Experiments in Boredom

2009-02-27T15:47:00.008-05:00

I just spent the better part of the past week ill at my homestead, hepped up on Percocet and antibiotics. To quell my boredom, I watched numerous movies using the On Demand system. For starters, On Demand kind of sucks. There’s really nothing on. Yes, between HBO, Showtime, Encore, Starz, and The Movie Channel, I was at a loss of what to watch, and that includes the new and free movie selections that are part of On Demand. Granted I did manage a few useful shows after all was said and done.

HBO—I watched the entire current season of Big Love. This show rocks. I recently caught up on Season 2 and was very much looking forward to Season 3. It’s not disappointing. I also watched all of the current episodes of Flight of the Conchords. They rule. Don’t let me catch you checking out my Sugar Lumps.

Various:

Back to the Future—Classic goodness.

21—The movie wasn’t so great, but I enjoyed the true story that was turned into the movie. The guy who wrote the book “Bringing Down the House” was featured on History Channel a couple years ago when they did a series about Vegas cheats. If those shows didn’t motivate you to cheat the casinos then nothing will! Now if only I understood basic math. . . A couple years ago in Vegas I had 2 separate dealers at different casinos tell me I’m the worst blackjack player they’ve ever seen. C’mon. I’m sure there have been worse. Maybe.

Then there’s Bond. Encore has been airing Bond movies all month. Lots of Bond movies. So I decided to see a few I haven’t seen and some that I love.

Casino Royale—this movie has eluded me for a while for some reason. Probably cuz I don’t get out to the talkies too often. I enjoyed it overall. This is not your mother’s Sean Connery Bond! Connery would have never said, “The bitch is dead.” Good action. Now I need to see that movie that qualifies for the stupidest title in history—“Quantum of Solace.”

From Russia, With Love—Classic Connery. Exotic locales. What’s not to love.

For Your Eyes Only—Longest ski sequence in a film. Probably longer than the ones they showed on “Ski Patrol.” The young love stuff with the figure skater was a bit weird, but what are you gonna do.

A View to A Kill—Walken at his creepy finest. Grace Jones. Yeah, she’s got quite a sack.

The Living Daylights—This movie stars Maryam D’Abo, (she’s the first cousin once removed of Olivia D’Abo a.k.a. Karen Arnold from “The Wonder Years”) as Kara Milovy (she plays a cello in the movie). I believe Kara is one of the dumbest Bond girls that existed in the Bond pictures. This is not to say that D’Abo was dumb: her character was. Some of the shit she pulled in the movie was so lame. Witness the scene when Bond was trying to take off with the plane loaded with opium. Kara drives a jeep down the runway to catch up to him and starts screaming and waving at him. WHY??? What did she hope to accomplish? Even Bond has a look of annoyance on his face. Then when she drives the jeep onto the plane, she parks it and goes to hug Bond while he’s trying to fly the plane!!! Stupid move again. She goes on to commit other dumb moves throughout. Though I want to love Kara, I can assure you she’s no Pussy Galore or Melina Havelock. Melina had balls. That chick could rock the crossbow like nobody’s business. AND she was smart enough to leave an oxygen tank on the bottom of the sea, thereby facilitating an escape when it was needed.

So what? Well, Bond movies are as known for their action as they are for the Bond Girls. Hell, Maryam even wrote a book about the Bond Girls! Usually, the girls are strong. Kara wasn't weak (she was supposed to be pretend to assassinate a Russian general), but I just think they made her too dumb. For a great bit of Bond Girl sputtering, witness Sick Boy's wee rant in "Trainspotting" by Irvine Welsh.

Ursula Andress, the quintessential Bond girl. That's what everyone says. The embodiment of his superiority over us. Beautiful, exotic, highly sexual and totally unavaiable to anyone apart from him. Shite. Let's face it. She can shag one punter from Edinburgh, she'd shag the whole lot of us.

Agreed, Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder in "Dr. No." Hell yes, she rules the Bond school. That's a Bond Girl you can set your watch to. And the recent addition of Dame Judi Dench as M brings forth another tough cookie who won't take any shit from Bond. And now to bring it full circle. Jonny Lee Miller played Sick Boy in Trainspotting and he loves to talk Bond. He's the grandson of Bernard Lee, who played M in the Bond films until 1979. Irvine Welsh uses "Dame Judi Dench" as a euphemism for flatulence and stench in his book "Filth." And now she plays M. Think about that for a while.

Social Media and Branding News for today

2009-02-13T13:34:00.005-05:00

Sad day today. There's something that makes a tragedy worse when it befalls your hometown. (Plane crash in Buffalo in case you haven't been reading news today.) Still awaiting full passenger manifest to be posted to know my friends and family are safe. Anway, say a prayer.

On with the news. So many stories, so little time. Read them all here!

Survey: Consumers Prefer McDonald's Over Starbucks? Very random study by Pew.

NCAA Backpedals on Banned Substances in Vitaminwater
Says Normal Consumption Doesn't Put Athletes at Risk for Positive Drug Tests
Never knew that anything in Vitaminwater was considered banned. Now I know.

Sports drinks scratching surface of mainstream potential - Powerade
Powerade is gaining traction in the sports drink market. At least they don't have a letter for a logo!

Starbucks introducing instant coffee. Seattle coffee company spends 20 years on patent to make instant coffee.

"Hey! How 'bout a Sanka?!?"

Social Media and Blogging Ethics and a Code of Conduct

Great read if you need to create strategy or educate leadership at work about social media.

Getting Social Media Approved by Your Boss

This is something near and dear to my heart. I work on this type of issue almost daily. I'm still processing Geoff's ideas and will respond with my own experiences soon.

Social Media for Your NonProfit. Tweet or Not to Tweet. (Thanks to Son for providing link)

Good rundown of some basics for incorporating Social Media for nonprofits (or work in general)

Blogs from the U.S. Government

Partial list of some official Gov blogs. Good for research.

Alright. That's enough reading for today. Have a great weekend!

Three packs, Detroit Red, Redd Foxx, and random stuff

2009-02-12T13:13:00.009-05:00

As I continue to waste way too much time on Twitter (for work, school and personal reasons) and Facebook, I'm still torn on blog consolidation. That said, I figured I'd try to get myself back into a blogging routine (outside of what I do for work). That said, here's random thoughts for today.

Today's Lesson:

If you didn't watch "Make 'Em Laugh" on PBS a couple weeks ago, do yourself a favor and try to find reruns. It was a 6-part series hosted by Billy Crystal and narrated by Amy Sedaris. The show covered different aspects of comedy throughout American history. Overall, it was an amazing series. I was also amazed when I realized how much my own comedy stylings were influenced by the likes of Abbott and Costello, Paul Lynde, and W.C. Fields. Oh, that's right, I don't have comedy stylings. No matter, I did watch a lot of the classics when I was younger and they probably shaped something in my life. Anyway, I was catching up on part 5, "Never Give a Sucker an Even Break: The Wiseguys" on TiVo last night and was cracking up on the segment about Redd Foxx. I learned that 1) his real last name was Sanford (as in "Sanford and Son"), and 2) he was called Chicago Red to distinguish himself from Detroit Red, a.k.a, Malcolm X, who was his friend! Who knew?? Amazing. I also never knew that "Sanford and Son" was based on a British comedy (though what American show isn't based on a British comedy?!). I wonder if the Brits will ever base a show on an American comedy. Probably not.

Anyway, it gets better. On the way into the office this morning, "My Favorite Mutiny" by The Coup comes up on the iPod. At the beginning, I notice the lyrics

"Out ya mouth, I'm not concerned/Cause y'all got the nerve/It's y'all turn like Detroit Red/When he said he had an ultra perm."

Say whaaaa??? If not for "Make 'Em Laugh" I wouldn't have known that they were giving a shoutout to Malcolm X! And now you know too.

Another lesson:

Washington City Paper reports that some liquor stores in DC are selling 3-packs in light of the recent ban on single beer sales!!! That pic looks like a 3-pack of tall boys. I like it!

My final thought for the day. I caught some of the TV interview with that lady who had all those kids in California and is now up to 14. I gotta say, she's an idiot. Then I read this article. Gets me even more fired up. I just hope the kids do OK.

Consolidation of blogs?

2009-01-27T00:57:00.002-05:00

Well, here we are in a new year and I realize I haven't been writing much lately on the ol' blogs. So now I'm pondering the notion of maintaining just one blog. I mean, do I really need two? If I can't keep up with one, why do two? The initial intent was for this one to be my screeds and rantings and the other one to be more "scholarly" or work-related. Should I consolidate? I'm thinking that might make it easier. Or maybe I'll just close both of these and create one brand new SUPER BLOG, the proportions of which the world has never seen!! Nah, sounds like too much hassle.

Stay tuned. A decision will be coming soon (and by soon, I mean at the glacial pace that I seem to work under these day :)

Rock the Vote, DC!

2008-11-04T14:39:00.011-05:00

Getting cranky/
Need a spanky
"Don't Touch My Bikini" -- The Halo Benders

Just a little bit past the two-hour point of the voting process The Halo Benders came on just in time to remind me that I was indeed getting cranky. And no, thank you, I didn't need a spanky. I would have liked to dole a few out to the poll workers though. Holy Christ. I'm down with the vote. I've never missed the chance to hit the polls and put on my sticker. I got a degree in Poli Sci. I interned for a senator. I understand bicameral legislature. I went to the bars to watch the debates because that's what you're supposed to do in DC. I get it. Then why can't the people who run the polls get their act together and make the whole thing a bit easier and a bit faster? This was the longest I've ever waited in line to vote for anything. I've also never seen lines like this aside from waiting for concert tickets.

I arrived at my appointed polling station on M St. at 8:15am or so. I was feeling pessimistic because of the news reports, but knew I had to do my civic duty. I walked down M St. and saw the line that awaited me. I passed the church and kept walking, then made a left onto 15th St., and kept walking. I finally stopped a few feet from L St. Not a good sign. Luckily, the temperature was pretty decent, I had tunes, a newspaper, some homework, and a cup of coffee. The line didn't move much but I just kept reading. I felt accomplished when I made my way back to M St. Finally around 9:15, I entered the church and noticed my friends Doug and Gretchen walking out. Odd, I thought, considering they were behind me in line. Apparently, the people with last names in the middle of the alphabet were pulled out of line because the line inside was empty for those letters. Cursed by my name! Bugger. Oh well. I figured, "I'm in now. How bad can it be." Well, the A-B line was 2nd longest, only beat by the S-T. So I waited and waited. The hour was nearing 10:00 and my feet were tired, my bladder was getting full, and I was hungry.

After finally getting checked in at the alphabet desk (took over 20 minutes), I got to get into the next line to wait for a ballot. That took a bit over 15 minutes. Then I finally got to get into another line to wait for a kiosk where I could fill in my ballot. DC uses a paper ballot where you connect a broken arrow with a pencil to indicate your choice. Of course they were out of "privacy folders" when I received my ballot, so I had to wait a few minutes for those too. The girl in front of me was getting a little lippy with the lady behind the table. "This early on Election Day and you're already running out of stuff?????? Not a good sign." I agree. Next, I filled out my ballot and then got into yet another line to submit it into the tally machine. There were two machines. One was broken. A tech showed up as I was standing in that line. Finally, success! My ballot was inserted and I received my sticker. I then walked out looking as miserable as everyone else I saw. Yay democracy.

So, overall yes, it's great to vote. You should all vote. We need to do that brand of business. I voted; therefore, I have the right to post this blog bitching about election day. If I hadn't voted, I'd have no right to bitch. The process was just too slow. The flow of traffic was a giant cluster eff. Plus, what was with all the people taking pictures??? Do you really need to document how long the line is for posterity? The media was getting on my nerves too because they kept pushing through the church to get shots of the crowd. Not sure what stations the media were from, but I'm guessing it was nothing you'll likely see, unless you watch the Kazakh Broadcasting Channel. Or ZNN (Zimbabwean News Network).

OK, after class I'm heading to the DCCC election party. Cuz nothing says HAPPY ELECTION DAY than a bunch of drunk politicos waving little flags and drinking free booze ;) Actually, I went last year, or whenever Nancy Pelosi took charge and it was solid event. I remember being on stage waving one of those little flags. We'll see how tonight goes. I have a feeling the celebration will be even stronger.

Summary: VOTE ALREADY. DON'T MAKE ME COME OVER THERE!!!!

Is Atlanta Radio Q100 Playing Games?

2008-10-11T00:49:00.005-04:00

There's a radio station down in Atlanta called Q100. I don't know anything about it because I don't live in Atlanta, though I did see a couple of shows down there that I really enjoyed. Anyway, the station had a contest where people submitted videos of themselves singing New Kids on the Block (NKOTB) videos. The videos were voted on, with the winner ultimately winning a trip to Las Vegas to see NKOTB. My friend's friend, who lives in Atlanta, told my friend Dave about the contest knowing that Dave had made a video of a NKOTB song--"You Got It (The Right Stuff)". Dave told us about the contest and drummed up some support. Easy cheesy, right?? (I learned that from "My Name is Earl").

So was it easy? Apparently not. The finals were down to five contestants. People went on the Q100 and voted on their favorite video. The contest ended with a winner to be announced on October 6th. On Oct 9 I asked my friend Dave if he heard anything about the contest and he told me that another group, #5, had won the contest. I thought that was odd. Dave was able to link back to the poll survey results and showed me why he was dismayed. His video had won by a long shot--42% vs. 14%--against video #5, who won.

So what's the deal Q100? Why did video #5 win when clearly #4, Dave and my friends, won (purely based on votes)? I'm calling bullshit for now, unless there were more voting factors that you failed to make clear. Fair is fair and you should at least explain how the other people won. So how 'bout it? What's the dilly?

You're all "Perfect From Now On"

2008-09-24T14:06:00.003-04:00

I headed to the 9:30 Club last night with my friend Doug to see Built to Spill, Idaho's finest export since the potato. They were performing "Perfect from Now On" in its entirety. Playing a whole album is a bit of a trend these days. Liz Phair just did "Exile in Guyville" at 3 shows, including D.C. And yes, I'm pissed beyond belief that I missed it. A bunch of other people have done it recently, but you'll have to research that on your own. I'm too tired. Anyway, for reasons not entirely clear, we almost missed the BTS show, and that would be unacceptable. We've been skunked the past few years because they come to DC around 4th of July, which is when a bunch of us go on vacation. Yet here we were with the opportunity to see them, and nobody was out of town, and we almost didn't go. Long story short, I got out of class early, called Doug, said, "HEY! We goin' to Built the Spill or what?" Within a couple minutes the decision was made. And I'm glad of that. And how's this for signs that shouldn't go unanswered? Monday morning, "Car" comes on my iPod on the way to work. Tuesday morning, "Car" comes on the radio. Hmm, lookit that.

I've seen BTS a couple times in the past and they never let you down. And last night was no exception. The whole show was rock solid, start to finish. The Meat Puppets opened. I don't know a ton by them, but I know some of their stuff. I was doubly impressed with the half hour of their set that we caught. Those boys know how to rock, and bring out the twang. That part surprised me a bit. And how's this for more alignment of the stars. Last night I saw the Meat Puppets. Today is the 17th anniversary of the release of Nirvana's "Nevermind". The Meat Puppets performed on the Nirvana Unplugged session back when MTV still played music. Wow! See what I'm saying here?? Watch the signs people.

But I digress. So BTS really wailed it out for the entire show. "Stop the Show" was an intense and dirty highlight. The last song, "Untrustable/Part 2 (About Someone Else)", was hardcore as well, but then it got better. I told Doug how much I hope they play "Going Against Your Mind" after the album. Later, he said he now has it in his head. Uh oh. So they're cranking Untrustable and all of a sudden the opening riffs from "Going Against Your Mind" burst out. Awwwww, shit. Yes. Here's YouTube video of the song (this isn't from last night)

I still remember the first time I heard the song. They played it at a show before the album "You in Reverse" was released. We headed up to Philly to see them at the Electric Factory in 2005. As usual, we were running late because we pregamed too long. As we walked into the club, there was a song that reminded me of motion. That's the only way I could describe it. I had no idea what it was, nor did anyone else. The following year I kept hearing the song on the radio prior to the release of "You In Reverse" and it all came rushing into my head. The song is peerless. It'll get you going like nothing else. And last night they crushed it. I cranked so hard that I actually hurt my shoulder (not the first time that's happened). But it was worth it. Following a quick break, the boys came back out and did "Car" and then a sweet 20-minute "Virginia Reel Around the Fountain." Wow. What a show. See?? "Car". I heard it twice, they play it.

Another interesting note was that from my perspective, the 9:30 was sounding better than usual. I'm not sure if they made some changes, but damn, the sound was tops. Good for them. Glad to see those $6 beers are going to something useful!

So, if you have the chance, go see BTS. You won't be disappointed. Unless indie jam bands with intelligent lyrics aren't your thing. Doug Martsch, the lead singer, also has some solid solo stuff. We went up and talked to him after the show. See, these guys ain't no fancy band with Cristal and all that crap. The picture above shows Doug taking down his own guitar setup after the show. He spent quite some time talking to anyone who was there. Great guy. I shook his hand AND got his guitar pick. Awwww yeah. I'll add that to the one I got from Vince Neil when he opened for Van Halen in 1990something and the one from the Goo Goo Dolls when they still rocked.

SF Outside Lands-Day 2

2008-08-24T15:12:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was Day 2 of Outside Lands. It went much better than Day 1. I'm talkin' night and day. After picking up some food, so we could avoid wasting time in the lines, we made our way to the park. The lines on the way in were quick and we made our way to the Sutro Stage, which as a nice hill that gives a decent view of the stage. We set up shop on a blanket and settled in for Devendra Banhart. He's pretty eclectic and I dig his music for the most part. He did a great set, including a cover of Mungo Jerry's "In the Summertime". Next up was M. Ward. He rocked and threw in a couple of mellower tunes. Surprisingly, he had two drummers, and the sound was tight. I really dug his show. Rather than moving stage to stage we just stayed at the Sutro stage for a few shows. Next up was Regina Spektor. She plays all her own stuff and mostly performs with just her voice and a grand piano. There were a few times when her sound got drowned out by the blowback from the other stages, but she powered through. By this time our group of 4 had become a group of 8 or 10 as friends arrived. The party was groovin'. While waiting in a bathroom line, I also got a treat of being able to hear nearly all of "Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys" from Steve Winwood's set from one of other stages. No "Back in the High Life" or "Valerie." Sadly.

After Spektor, we made our way to the Lands End stage for Ben Harper. After some crowd wrangling we found some friends at a nice spot and created our own little ghetto. The rest of the crew trickled in. Harper did what he always does--rocked. He makes you think too. But in a good way. We held our ghetto in preparation of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, who were closing Saturday's show. I've never seen Petty (I don't think), but he's the kind of person whose songs you know. He wins the prize for yesterday. I was far more impressed than I thought I'd be. At one point they took a break to fix something on the piano and they came out with Steve Winwood. That was a treat.

Time is running short, so I'll finish this later.

SF Outside Lands-Day 1 Impressions

2008-08-23T15:06:00.003-04:00

So yesterday was Day 1 of the OutsideLands Festival at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. The festivities began with a pre-game party at a friends friends house. It was a nice mid-afternoon get together before heading to the Park. Following some shenanigans there, we began the 25-30 minute walk to the park, with a road soda for each of us in our backpacks (you can drink once you get in the park).

Anyway, the streets and trails of the park were pretty crowded with people making their way to the festival grounds. Friday's shows were slated to begin at 5:00. The lines to get in weren't bad at all and security was all but non-existent. We waited in line for a spell to get our ID wristbands, heard Black Mountain while waiting, so that was band 1. Once we regrouped we headed over to the Lands End stage all the way at the other end in the Polo Field. There we caught Manu Chao, but mostly while waiting in the painful line for food and beer. Those basic tasks took close to 40 minutes. Next up was Lyrics Born, on the Avenues Polo Field stage right nearby. If there was a saving grace for the day, it was LB. He rocked. I've never seen Lyrics Born before because he rarely makes it to the East Coast. He rocked and was well worth the hassle. Joy, his backup singer, has one of the best voices in hip hop, or any other music style, and can bring a chill to you. And she did.

Following LB, we moved over to the main stage to see Radiohead, with a "quick" pitstop first. Yeah, no such thing as quick. The polo field was surrounded by porto-potties, but had one access point to get to them. People were climbing over or under the fences to get to them. We headed to the end point of the fence only to be greeted by massive lines. Me and my friend Shane went to the woods, as were most men, and some women. A fence had been knocked down and people were walking in at will. Two dudes walked by and said, "See? I told you we didn't need tickets." Nice. That's what $250 gets you if you play by the rules. Anyway, we attempted to meet with some friends, via text message. The stage area was overly crowded and it was hard to move from the back of the lawn towards the front where our friends were. We pushed along as best we could, but it was in vain.

Overall, the main stage was as shitshow. The sound got knocked out twice during two separate Radiohead tunes. The band was unaware and you could see them still rocking on the video screen. The other big problem was that for a field that big there were only two video screens, on either side of the stage. Radiohead was doing a four-image split, kind of Beatleseque. It sucked. The sightlines were horrid, and the crowd was kind of crappy. The most interesting thing was the girl who was doing interpretive dance to each song. I never saw someone interpretively dance to "Idiotique." But so it goes.

Overall, unimpressive first day. Let's hope Day 2 is better.

And now I must go to get ready for another day. Links and photos to follow.

Morning Hookers and Burning Towels

2008-07-22T10:33:00.004-04:00

So we're out for a morning walk today and heading up 9th St. or somewhere near Chinatown, and I'm shocked to see a hooker trying to turn a "trick", as they call it in industry parlance. Or so I'm told. I guess I was surprised because it was around 7:00 am. Though prostitutes are an industrious lot, if we're to believe "Hookers at the Point", they just strike me more as a night-time industry. Kind of like rats, or club kids. Or aliens ("They mostly come out at night. . . mostly"). Regardless, I haven't seen many hookers in the DC area in general. I know that my area (Logan Circle) used to be ripe with them, and I'm not overly surprised that there's still action around Shaw or Chinatown, but still? The morning. Odd. What made it really funny though was the song that came on the iPod as I was getting ready for work. Remember "Are You Ready for the Sex Girls?" by the Gleaming Spires? It was featured in Revenge of the Nerds. Here's the video if you need a refresher course.

And speaking of odd, I was coming home from class last night trying to find a parking spot. As I headed up Vermont Ave, I saw some smoke near the corner of the street. Since the top was down on the War Wagon I was able to smell burning quite clearly when I rounded the bend. There was a bunched up towel sitting on the street smoldering. For some reason, it didn't faze me. This is also just a few feet from where the kid was murdered last Thursday. It hasn't taken me long to realize that Logan Circle is a different world than my old place in Georgetown. Oh well, flavor is what makes the world taste good. Unless it smells like acrid smoke from a burning towel on a 90-degree night.

The Mean Streets of D.C.

2008-07-09T23:55:00.004-04:00

So yesterday morning, a 22-year-old girl was killed in Dupont Circle while riding her bike to work. Run over by a garbage truck. Damn. Then yesterday evening while walking to dinner, there was a guy laying in the street. He had just been sideswiped and wiped out. From what I can gather, the driver took off. Then tonight on my home from school I saw a car on the side of Pennsylvania Ave with its flashers on. There was a cyclist laying on the street writhing in pain, his bike wrecked pretty good, and another bike on the ground. My best guess is that the driver hit both of them. Must've just happened because the ambulance wasn't even there yet. Moral of the story? ALL PARTIES NEED TO BE MORE CAREFUL!

My order of most common transportation is 1) walking, 2) driving, 3) cycling. As a consumer of all three conveyances, I get pissed at everyone and I often fear what's going to happen. For starters, drivers don't pay attention to people who are walking. They cruise through crosswalks or breeze through stop signs with nary a care. Then you get the walkers who don't pay attention to the drivers. When I drive I shouldn't have to wonder if somebody is going to dart across 14th St. Which brings up a good point--we recently moved to Logan Circle and I'm amazed at how many people just cross 13th and 14th St. wherever they want! Jaywalk if you want, but do it when there's no traffic. It's at a point all over the city where people don't even look to see if they have a "walk" sign. The cops have begun ticketing for jaywalking and I'm all for it. Mind you, I'm a hardcore jaywalker myself. The difference is that I'll jaywalk against a signal if there is nobody around. I don't do it in the middle of the street. Usually. And then there is cycling. I hate riding my bike on DC streets. The drivers suck and pay attention to nothing, so it's a crapshoot. Plus the walkers are all over the place and you never know if they're going to jump in front of you. Yet on the other hand, I can't stand the cyclists who ride in the middle of the street and then just disobey the traffic signs. If you want to ride down the street, you best pay attention to the signals and stop signs. Don't be that asshole who gets hit by a car and then ticketed for disobeying the law (it happens. Happens for jaywalkers too).

So there it is. My PSA for the day. Pay attention, everyone. And wear your helmet if you're a biker. And a word of advice to the people who turn left on a red to a one-way in DC--it's against the law. Just a bit of fair warning. I'll link if I can find it, but I know this from a friend who got ticketed. I thought you could turn left on a red in DC too.

Back and Forth We Go

2008-06-18T12:42:00.005-04:00

People say that they wish I'd keep up more with this blog, a.k.a., "the fun blog," as opposed to "the serious blog." Wellllll, I try, but it's not easy. I have to keep up on my other blog on a regular basis because it was actually created for classes that I'm taking in grad school. Welcome to the digital age where your homework is now completed on a blog! Anyway, it's tough to flip and flop between the two, and it's especially hard when you still have no Internet at home because Comcast is a shitty company! I guess I could maintain one blog, but where's the fun in that! So if you're looking for a fix and you can't find it here, feel free to visit the "serious blog." It's really not too serious. Plus, my professor said, I'm "the first person in [his] class to categorize a blog entry as 'F******." So that's pretty cool.

And here's some amusement for the day. Take this online caffeine test to see if you have a problem. This morning I clicked 192 times in 30 seconds, which means I'm "A vibrating crackhead." This afternoon I tried again and got 200, which means I'm "Near Death--Delusions of Godlike Power." Flattery. It means everything.

OnePlusYou Quizzes and Widgets

Checkmate, Ronald. Checkmate. Now get me a coffee.

2008-05-15T09:46:00.005-04:00

As I got off the metro at Ballston today with a sense of annoyance (Orange Line was late, people were moving slower than molasses in Antarctica), I was greeted by one of my favorite sights--people handing out free stuff! Workers from Chick-Fil-A had giant coolers filled with steaming hot chicken biscuit sandwiches. Awwwww yeah. After my usual breakfast of a tiny bowl of Kashi and a cup of coffee I gladly took the handout and headed to the office. I informed my co-workers that there was booty downstairs and they said that all the goodies were gone earlier. I said it's out there now. Somebody went down only to discover that they were indeed all out again. Oh well. Ballston is a busy metro station.

And here is how Ronald McDonald was bested. McDonald's is doing a promotion today where you get a free chicken biscuit sandwich with the purchase of a medium or large beverage. It's a new product for McDs. The Ballston Mall food court has both McDonald's and Chick-Fil-A. Chicken sandwiches are Chick's bread and butter. Ah hah! See? They're trying to make you remember to go to Chick-Fil-A for all your chicken needs. Whatever. Free chicken is free chicken. The sandwich I got this morning was delicious, especially once I doused it with Tabasco.

On a further topic of free, Dunkin Donuts is giving away free iced coffees today from 10AM til 10PM. So go get your Dunkies' on.

And speaking of coffee, I had a delicious cup yesterday. I went to The Daily Grind on North Quincy St., which is a few blocks from my office. (Just saw that one is being built even closer--oh boy. Don't stop the excitement.) I went there once before but don't often visit because it's further than the other joints right downstairs from me. I got whatever the drip of the day was (Italian something or the other). Damn. I have to say that it was one of the finest cups of coffee I've had. The flavor was outstanding and just tasted really coffeeish. I also got a cinnamon strudel or coffee cake or something. It too was flavorful and really hit the spot.

Wow. What's next. My life just gets better and better.

Dumping the Body

2008-05-12T10:43:00.004-04:00

"Everyday I'm dumping the body"
The Tragically Hip--"Locked in the Truck of A Car

I haven't been to the ol' blog here in a while because I've been spending a lot of time at my other blog. (Shhh, don't tell this one because I don't want a jealousy quarrel!) I figured this story is a doozy to come back with. As usual, there is a song that complements most aspects of my life. This line from the Hip doesn't fit completely, but it still is relevant to this situation. And we're off.

I spent Saturday in the house with the S.O. We've been packing and throwing crap away to get ready for our move in 2 weeks. After a full day of work we decided to order in some dinner and watch a flick (If you haven't seen it yet, check out Into the Wild--great movie.) We grabbed the bags and bags of garbage and paper recycling and headed out to the dumpsters in the back of the building. I threw out some trash and then held the lid open on the paper dumpster so she could throw out some newspapers, phonebooks, and what not. As we're talking I looked down into the dumpster and noticed what looks like a pair of legs twitching slightly. I took a double take and realized that there was definitely a pair of legs in jeans curled up as if in the fetal position. I couldn't see a head or torso or anything else. Knowing that it would do no good to make mention yet, the S.O. just keeps throwing trash in. I shut the lid and she looked at me wondering what was up. So we started walking towards the building and I said, "I think there's somebody in the dumpster." She says, "WHAT!?!" I repeat myself and we both high tail to the apartment. She asked me again what I saw and I said that I saw a pair of legs that kind of moved when we threw the phonebooks, etc. in.

Now, I don't know about the rest of you, but a few thoughts run through my mind if I see a body in a dumpster.
1) Somebody dumped a dead body into the dumpster.
2) Somebody threw an injured person into the dumpster.
3) A bum crawled into the dumpster to sleep.
4) Any variable of the above scenario.

A body in a dumpster is simply not a common occurrence in Georgetown. Sure there are bums who wander around, but Georgetown is very affluent and relatively safe (aside from that murder that occurred last year 2 blocks from my apartment).

As we were inside the house, I figured that I should probably call the police. I didn't know if the guy was hurt or what, and I certainly wasn't going to check on my own. So I called 911 (first time I ever called that number by the way!) and explained to dispatch what the problem was. The lady repeated what I said in an incredulous voice, "There's a body in a dumpster behind your apartment??" She said she'd send police and then transferred me to the ambulance dispatch so I could give them the details as well. Around 3 or 4 minutes later I heard sirens and then the dispatch called back to get exact directions to the back alley of our apartment. A few minutes passed and I decided to head outside to check out the scene.

The cops were parked near the dumpster, but they and the EMT guys were checking the building next to mine. So I walked up and said, "Hey. I'm the one who called." The police came over and I pointed out the correct dumpster to check. An EMT followed me and stood aside from the dumpster lid and popped it open. He yelled out, "Yep. Here he is." He shined a flashlight in the dumpster and yelled at the guy to get out.

So out pops an upper-20s, lower-30s Hispanic fellow who was completely out of it. The cops asked him what he was doing and he said he was just resting. Considering we had thrown phone books on his body, he must've been more than "just resting". The cops checked his ID and assured him they're not with ICE. They told him he shouldn't be sleeping in dumpsters and they can bring him to a shelter, etc. One cop asked him if he is drunk and he said he doesn't drink anymore. Mmmhm. OK, maybe he wasn't drunk, but he was on something. So after a spell, I checked to see if they need me for anything. They took my name and numbers and thanked me for calling the police. They ran his ID and continued talking to him. And that was it. (I don't know where they took him after I walked away.)

The take-aways.
1) I was very impressed with the professionalism of the folks at 911.
2) The cops and EMTs had a very quick response time. That's reassuring.
3) It was a very weird feeling to see somebody in a dumpster, who may or may not have been dead or injured.
4) I think a phonebook to the head would be very painful.

Greenpeace and Muffies

2008-03-11T16:28:00.003-04:00

I work in Ballston (for those non-DCers, it's a neighborhood in Arlington) right near the metro stop and the mall. Greenpeace always has people on the streets stopping people for petitions or fund raising or whatever they're doing. I occasionally change my walking route to avoid these people. But not often. They usually try to stop you with something like, "Do you have some time for the environment?" Or "Do you care about the environment?" You get the point. My problem is that I usually break into a big grin when I see these kids. They misinterpret that as my joy at wanting to stop to answer questions or do whatever they're doing. The reality is that I'm usually thinking of what I consider funny responses when they try to stop me. I usually just say, "No time right now." A question for the masses though: Is it inappropriate to simply respond with a deadpan, "Fuck the environment."? That's what I really want to do. Or if they say, "Do you care about the environment?", can't I just say, "Ummm, noooooo. Not really." I wouldn't do that though because I do indeed care about the environment. Hell, I just reused a ziploc bag today! AND I didn't burn any styrofoam with an aerosol can of Aquanet and a match. So I get a reward!

And to that end, I did indeed get a reward for myself. I had the yen for a little treat of the pastry nature. Generally if I feel like I want a cakey type of treat, I'll get something in the carrot or red velvet cake family if I can find a suitable offering. I also enjoy anything in the pumpkin group. Serendipity was with me on that front because I happened to walk into Panera Bread to see their offerings and imagine my surprise when I spied something called the Pumpkin Muffie! Admittedly though, I did not enjoy actually asking for a "pumpkin muffie." What a horrid name. The product was kind of like the top of a muffin (all cake, no stump. Similar to Elaines' idea in Seinfeld). It was OK I guess. Nothing to write home about though. Just OK. Then I took a brief walk and got a cup of coffee because Panera's coffee is OK, but not great.

Oh yeah. Now for the stupid cold

2008-03-05T15:58:00.003-05:00

So I've been figuring that I'd get sick for a while. I don't think it's possible to go an entire season without catching a cold at some point. As usual, I've been putting my faith in Airborne, or its cheaper generic equivalent if need be. I don't know if this stuff does anything, but I sometimes take it anyway. Last Thursday I finally succumbed to the sick that has been floating around everywhere. I even had a fever for the first time in I don't know how long. I'm on the mend now, but still not top notch. For those of you who don't know, Airborne has been ordered to pay $27 million in a class-action lawsuit. If you've taken the stuff, you can get a piece of the pie. Visit here for details.

And on the topic of colds and sickness, will you idiots please stay home when you're deep into it?? For the love of Christ. Not a single one of you out there has a job that is so important that you can't miss a day or two of work. (In your mind you might, but in reality you don't.) Think of it as a little holiday with NyQuil hallucinations to sweeten the deal. And if you are going to go to work, cover your fucking mouth when you cough and/or sneeze. Seriously. I am so sick of assholes out there coughing and hacking and blowing snots with their yaps wide open. What's the matter, hands too full of coffee and iPods? Tough. Cover your mouth, you swine. Otherwise, I will blame you explicity when we have some kind of epidemic.

And my apologies to those of you who do cover up. I get really cranky when I'm sick and need to school the idiots.

Stupid cold. Stupid drivers

2008-03-05T15:32:00.004-05:00

I've been waylaid for a little while with a nasty ass cold/flu hybrid that's been floating around. I knew it was inevitable that I'd get sick, so I'm not surprised. I'll get to more about that shortly.

First, I'd like to say thanks to the ignorant beotch who almost sideswiped me this morning causing me to skid on rocks and dirt and then ram into a curb. Pardon my French, but you are a stupid shit. Here are a couple of things you should understand about driving in the U.S.

A green light means that I can go when I'm supposed to go. It is not a pretty color to look at. I may be mistaken, but I'm guessing that green means go in China too, and red means stop there too. And that red means you should stop and/or yield to the huge flow of oncoming traffic.
When somebody is laying on their horn because you are obliviously going into their lane, that means maybe you should take your head out of your ass long enough to check around you to see what the ruckus is all about.
When you nearly cause an accident and somebody has hit something (luckily only a curb this time), you should probably stop in case there is damage. I have no idea if there is a law to this, but maybe it falls under some kind of hit and run umbrella law.

Luckily, there was no damage. Of course as luck has it, I recently got new tires which were very expensive. I'm grateful that they're made of Kevlar. Maybe that helped prevent a blowout or cracked rim. I don't believe I ever saw somebody as oblivious as this lady was this morning. She just continued driving into my lane with no signal, no looking, nothing. I'm grateful that my cool head prevailed and I didn't uselessly chase her down to scream at her (that never accomplishes anything). As luck had it, she was going in the same direction as me, so I was able to catch up to get her license plate number in the event of damage. I can't tell if she recognized my vehicle as the one she nearly hit, but I'm happy that she appeared to have a bit of fear in her face.

And so, to the lady in the gray Toyota Corolla, Virginia tag # KGC 8842, I would like to say FUCK YOU! You should not be allowed behind a Big Wheel.

Bear and Fog City

2008-02-20T00:58:00.002-05:00

"You could say I became chronologically "fucked-up"."

The Tragically Hip "Locked in the Trunk of A Car"

Blogs are supposed to be written in real-time. But that’s not always possible, so here is a story that was written (mostly) on February 8. But I’m posting it on February 19. Oh well. Time is tight. And if you’re confused now, get ready because the next post will be going back to February 4. So keep up, will you?

It’3:58 AM PST in San Francisco. The city is blanketed in fog and I can hear the foghorn sounding in the Bay every twenty seconds. This much I know for sure. I should know as we just got home about 20 minutes ago. The night began with dinner with my friends Pappy (you can see his picture in the Boston story below) and Kelly. We went to Q, a solid little hipster restaurant in Richmond that reminded me a lot of Philly. I had fried chicken with tater tots and roasted veggies. And country gravy that I’d love a shot of right now. My friends live in the Haight. After dinner we dropped Kelly off at home (hey, some people have to work) and me and Pappy headed to Haight St. to figure it all out. The first stop was Alembic, which is owned by the same folks who own Magnolia, a great organic brew pub up the road. I had the Kalifornia Kolsch, which was served in a small glass because it’s supposed to be enjoyed cold. Next stop was Martin Macks, a nice dive that apparently used to smell more like vomit a little while ago. No worries because it sure smelled like piss in the johnny. The juke was solid and we waxed political while taking care of some Newcastle Browns. After a while we went across the street to the Gold Cane. The bartender sported a white beard and we all had a chuckle that the three of us wore beards. As we ordered a bear, I noticed Bear on the other side of the bar.

But I didn’t know it was Bear yet. So let’s track back. My conference (the reason I was in SF) ended around 4:00, so I decided to wander around Union Square and do some shopping for a bit. After that bag of fun, I got a snack and took a seat in Union Square. A fellow who can only be described as “true San Fran hippy” sat down nearby with a bite to eat. A busker was belting out a long tune on a bagpipe somewhere nearby and was really going to town. After an eternity he finally finished. The hippy said something to the effect of, “Jesus, that guy has a lot of wind.” So that got us talking about whatever. I told him that I was staying in the Haight and he said that’s where he lives and a good place to see is the Golden Cane, where you can hang out in the back and smoke pancakes. A new term to say the least, but it cracked him up, so who am I to disagree. So that is how I met Bear, although as I stated, I didn’t know he was Bear yet.

When we did get to the Gold Cane, he remembered me—no small feat considering his condition. The ol’ boy was completely boffo. To give you a picture of this guy, he was probably 5’10, 230 lbs (with a pronounced gut), long curly hair held back with a bandana. He also wore a few tshirts, suspenders, vest, and a leather jacket that had various buttons and military pins on it. A site to behold. When the bartender began to kick us out at 2:00, the regulars were attempting to get ol Bear to leave because he sure as hell didn’t want to. He wasn’t mean, he was just loud and loved to tell rude stories. A guy I could get behind to say the least. My last sight of Bear before we left was him blowing out some candles from the bar and putting them in his pockets. It’s not like they were special candles or something. I don’t think I ever saw someone steal a candle that was likely still dripping in wax, but so be it. And that brings us full circle to the foghorn.

Greetings from God's Waiting Room!

2008-02-19T00:08:00.004-05:00

So I'm here in Fort Walton Beach, Florida to attend a work meeting at Eglin Air Force Base (the photo is an aerial of the area). I get to go spend the next two days learning about Web content migration and content management. For February, the weather should be warmer, but apparently a cold snap came through. Well, I guess 60 degrees isn’t so bad, but 60s at night would be really sweet. I haven’t been to Florida in a really long time, so it’s kind of nice to be here I guess, although my time will be spent in conferences all day.

After I checked in and got myself organized I decided to head out for dinner. I looked online to see what is near my hotel (which is actually right on the beach) and found a place called Old Bay Steamers. There were many positive reviews, and it was nearby, so I figured I'd give it a shot. After missing the restaurant and ending up in what was apparently the strip club zone, I found it after a few turn arounds. Being a true jackass, I'm not mature enough to go to a place called Old Bay Steamers and not make a million jokes in my head about the Cleveland Steamer. The fare was all types of steamed crustaceans and shellfish and whatnot (no fried crap, as their motto goes), so I was pretty psyched. I opted for the "Little Steamer". Again, I was barely able to order without laughing. Jokes aside, the meal was incredible. For $22 you get mussels, clams, oysters, whole red shrimp, snow crabs, corn on the cob, potatoes, and salad. And you got a lot of everything! It was typical steamed seafood with some butter, lemon, and Old Bay-like seasoning on the shrimp. Mmmm, it hit the spot. It reminded me of the typical steamed meal you get in the Outer Banks. Old Bay Steamers also went to a new level by giving a pair of kitchen shears to open your food. Damn that worked well! I also got a slice of key lime pie to go. Mmmmm. Limey.

A funny thing happened at dinner. I brought a book called Wikinomics with me so I could do some homework while eating (it’s my technique to not feel like a loser while eating alone). The staff was beginning to clean up and there were only a few people still eating. The hostess was sitting a few stools away from me eating dinner as well. She asked me what I was reading and I told her, “Wikinomics”. She asked me what it was about and I told her that it’s about various Web 2.0 applications and how they are affecting business. She laughed and said, “Ohhhhh. I thought you said ‘wicca’, like those people who practice witchcraft as a religion.” I said, “Nooo, wiki like Wikipedia.” Then we laughed and I had my last crab leg and left. Yeah, that was a good time.

And so (wait, scrap what I said above about not being in Florida in a long time. I was just in South Beach last year around this time). . . And so, I'm hoping that tomorrow I have a chance to see the ocean tomorrow. Well, the Gulf, which is still the ocean. But you get the point.

Free Flat Earth Veggie Crisps

2008-02-18T10:52:00.004-05:00

Go to http://www.flatearth.com/ to print our a coupon for a free bag of their baked veggie crisps. I've had them before and they're a pretty tasty snack. Free is even better.

Kate Nash--I'm diggin' her sound

2008-02-01T16:05:00.000-05:00

Comparisons are inevitable when discussing musicians. One band or singer inspires another and so on down the line. (Even an “original” has to find inspiration somewhere.) What then of one of my new favorite addictions? Well, as all the media is saying, and anyone with ears can tell, Kate Nash will have to be compared to Lily Allen. Of course, that is solid company to keep. It’s kind of an odd notion that two contemporaries would be compared, but that’s how it goes. And I’m not saying that one inspired the other, just that they’re similar.

What’s their sound? Poppy, good stories, simple melodies. Lily Allen is more cheeky than Kate Nash. Kate sings with a bit more conviction in a narrative voice. One thing that is noticeable from both singers is that you can actually hear their English accents, which makes their songs very distinctive. Think about how many Brits lose their accent (unless you really strain to hear it) when they sing. Can Kate and Lily both have been cut from the same cloth as The Slits (which is one of the first female Brit bands that jumps in my mind)? Not likely because The Slits were more on the ska/punk fusion end of things. Two other female English singers that hit it big in recent years were Lady Sovereign and M.I.A. And yes, I’m aware that M.I.A. is from Sri Lanka, but she is so via London. But those two can’t be confused with the singer/songwriter sensibility of Kate Nash and Lily Allen. They both rocked out in the hip hop style, with a touch of garage.

Kate Nash’s sound reminds me more of a poppier Kasey Chambers (Australian). The guitar has a solid bit of jangle to it and it’ll get your toe tappin. Kate also has some tunes that sound like they’re straight from the disco, or could turn into a nice disco remix. (Remember, discotheques are still popular in Europe.)

Anyway, just do yourself a favor and check out this video that has a medley of her songs from her album “Made of Bricks”. Have a listen and see what you think.

Super Bowl Commericials

2008-01-29T10:46:00.000-05:00

View commercials that aired during the Super Bowl from the past 10 years on this Website. Go back and watch ads from before the birth of the Internet. Also, check out ads from the heyday of the Internet--see if you can recognize any of the companies that blew their whole load and are no longer with us (uhhhh, pets.com anyone???). To really go back in time, check out the ad from 1984 where Apple tells us that MacIntosh is coming. It's spoooooky. OK, not really. It's more cheesy than anything, but still pretty poignant considering the era.

The Ice of Boston

2008-01-28T20:36:00.000-05:00

Hey! The ice of Boston is muddy
And reflects no light, in day or night
And I slip on it every time.

--Dismemberment Plan “The Ice of Boston”

Having just returned from Boston yesterday (Sunday) means I had those lyrics in my head nonstop last week. Yes, if you’re going on a roadtrip you need to have some music set up as a playlist in your iPod, CD, MP3 player, mixtape or whatever medium you use. And if you’re like me, you’ll also have the music in your head. Anyway, the D Plan’s “Ice of Boston” is just what the doctor ordered to head to Boston in the middle of winter. “Shipping Off to Boston” by the Dropkick Murphys is a great choice as well, but a bit on the chin, what with Jonathan Papelbon’s dancing after the playoffs win this past year. Mind you I’m not giving short shrift to the Murphy’s or Papelbon, I’m just saying that the D Plan was most appropriate right now.

Anyway, the crew flew into Manchester, NH, on Friday night and the evening degenerated into a 4:00 am rager. No worries though because we had no need to leave for Boston ‘til mid-day Saturday. After much nip playing, we got on the road, 5-strong, and zipped along 93S to Boston. The sun was out, but the air was chilly and the body knew that it was going to be even worse come nighttime. The whole reason for this mad rush down the highway was to see the SO’s brother (Shane Papatolicas--check out his music Website here) open for Seeking Homer at the Paradise Lounge. In addition to the other concert attendees, there would be about 35 or 40 of us representing from DC, NH, and Maine to support Shane.

We arrived at the Embassy Suites right across from the Charles River, and with a great view of Boston. After checking in and having a few pops in the hotel lounge we made our way to the Sunset Grille for dinner for 30. The place was pretty solid because they had a huge beer list similar to DC’s Brickskellar and RFD. If nothing else, I loved the fact that the place served yards of ale. You don't see those around too much anymore. Following dinner and beers, we made the freezing walk over to the Paradise Lounge for the tunes.

The Music:

Shane Papatolicas at the Paradise Lounge, Boston, MA. January 25, 2008

I’ve seen Shane play a number of times before and he always impresses. This show was probably above average though. Maybe it was the excitement of having so many friends and family members in the audience. Who knows. Either way, he did a great show with a mix of old and new tunes. My only beef was that the venue only allotted him 35 minutes. Frankly, a little extra would have been nice, but what are ya gonna do.

Shane was followed by The Grift, a Burlington, VT jammy outfit. I’m still unsure what to make of them. Some of their songs sounded really good, others didn’t hit the mark. Seeking Homer came on last. Even thought I’ve heard their music in the past, they were not what I expected. That’s not an off-handed insult, or compliment. It’s just that I had a hard time getting a grasp on them. The band has a huge following all over New England and New York, but they haven’t branched out all that much. If the band made it big at some point, their music and popularity would be on par with a Jimmy Eat World. In other words, everybody would know them and their music would be playing at beach clubs from Dewey Beach to Avalon and everywhere in between and out to the other coast. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing at all. I’m just saying that their sound was a bit of throwback 80s hair with mid-2000’s pop, and a fair amount of jam in the middle of it all. Regardless, the show was a blast because of all the people we had floating around.

Going to Boston of course means that the best of Trashachusetts will be in effect. And it was. Oh yes indeed. Guys and girls both were representing their trashiest best. I’m talkin’ big hair, do rags (on the men), tight, acid-washed jeans, and so on. That just adds to the flavor and you have to expect it in Boston, especially at a concert venue. Anyway, the night ended with some much needed grease and a nightcap, followed by some even more necessary sleep.

Sunday morning I was greeted by a call from my friend at 11:00 saying that there’s a surprise awaiting me out the window. So I crawled out of the warmth of the bed and opened the blackout shades to see a white-out flurry blowing in the sky and the Charles absolutely covered in snow. You can see the after effect in the pictures above. Dag. So much for a leisurely brunch with bloody marys served with colossal shrimp! After a brief powwow, we decided to get on the road sooner rather than later in case the snow kept up and slowed our drive back to Manch. We made our way to the lobby and were in the car on the road by noon. We ended up having a not-so-tasty meal at a restaurant inside of Manchester Airport. It was disappointing to say the least. The flight was delayed slightly and we got into BWI about an hour and change later than anticipated. The crappy lunch was overshadowed by the deliciousness of Henry’s fried chicken. But wait. That’ll be a blog of its own. Awwww yeah. Let’s just say that my jacket still stinks like grease. And that’s a good thing.

RIP Sam the Butcher

2008-01-22T13:08:00.000-05:00

"Like Sam the Butcher, bringing Alice the meat."

--Beastie Boys, "Shake Your Rump"

Sadly, Sam the Butcher will now only be bringing Alice the meat in syndication and in the immortal lyrics of the Beastie Boys. Allan Melvin, best known for playing Sam the Butcher on "The Brady Bunch," died of cancer at 84 on January 17, 2008. Melvin is also remembered by anyone who spends time in TV Land--"All in the Family," "Gomer Pyle, USMC," and "The Dick Van Dyke Show." He also voiced Magilla Gorilla.

Cheers to you, Sam. . . .

Buxom Blonde Beauty Boffo for Buffalo?

2008-01-17T11:59:00.000-05:00

So I was looking at a photo slide story on Yahoo about actresses caught on film without their makeup (Oh. Don't pretend like you didn't read it.), and one of them was of the lovely Katherine Heigl. I did a double take because in the picture she is wearing a Buffalo, New York, hat. Way to go Katherine. Givin' the Ruff Buff some propers, eh? Of course now I'm curious what connection, if any, she has. Oh well. One more thing to ponder on this snowy day. . .

You want free? You want deals? You want beautiful women?

2008-01-09T14:44:00.000-05:00

OK, I've heard of the South Beach Diet, but I have no idea what it is. I don't particularly care either, but I guess I'll find out thanks to this past Sunday's coupon section. There were a few coupons for some South Beach products and the words "Free Sample Kit" caught my eye. If you go to their Website, you can get free samples of their newest items. I like free. I like food. So it was a no brainer for me. We'll see in 4 to 6 weeks.

And speaking of great deals, Harris Teeter has two half-gallon Silk Soy milks for $5! Damn good price considering a half gallon is usually $4.19.

As for the beautiful women, that's your problem. Try the Tom Vu method. He'll show you everything you need to know.

Smell that? It's warm weather.

2008-01-07T15:42:00.001-05:00

Although I have a love/hate relationship with DC, one thing I've always enjoyed is odd days like today when the temperature is close to 70 deg. In January. Growing up in Buffalo, that was a luxury that I cannot remember--ever. Buffalo is in the 50s today, which is pretty warm for January 7, but they'll get smacked with more cold, and probably snow, in a couple of days. [The date of the Blizzard of '77 was January 28, so there's still time.] Here in DC it's not uncommon to hit the 60s and 70s between November and March. It doesn't happen too often, but it's often enough to feel good when you get that day that is downright warm. Today I took a walk around Ballston and had to take off my suitcoat and roll up my sleeves because it was so warm. I also had a nice exchange with a guy (principal maybe?) over by Washington-Lee High School. I think that the warmth just brings out the best in everyone.

So get out there and take a walk. Tomorrow is supposed to be even warmer. Enjoy it while you can. The rest of the week will still be decent, but not short-pants decent. God, I hate pants.

Ho Ho moe.

2007-12-21T10:06:00.000-05:00

Wait. I just looked at the title above and realized it sounds like homo. NOT what I was intending. Screw it. It stays. I'm referring to the band moe. A great group of jammers from the ol' hometown of Buffalo. I haven't listened to their holiday album, Season's Greetings, this year yet, so I decided to put it in on the way to work. First let me start by explaining that I have an affinity for rocking Christmas tunes. I love it when rock bands either re-interpret old songs, or make their own. And there's a ton out there. If you want a real musical feast, check out the hard to find Lump of Coal Compilation to see what I mean. But I digress. I love the rockin tunes and on my way in to work, I was really a tad touched by the lyrics of "Together at Christmas". Yes, it's a lovely little love song in the spirit of "I'll Be Home for Christmas", but so much better.

The lyrics are a big part of that. Why? Well, moe. is from Buffalo, and I'm heading to Buffalo in a 4-wheel drive! So it all makes sense. Here's a few lyrics

You can feel that storm comin' in from Ontario
It was Christmas Eve and the world was mine in Buffalo
Got off work early to make that pilgrimage back home
Huge snowflakes were floatin' down and the sky was gray and gold
We were together at Christmas (ooohhhh ooohhhh)
All alone in a 4-wheel drive

That's just a little taste. Anyway, the song made me nostalgic for the upcoming drive when I roll through little towns in Pennsylvania and see the houses decorated with lights and big, blow up Winnie the Poohs and Frostys. And then after driving for a while, I'll make the inevitable stop at Sheetz for a bite to eat. Because damn, they make a good sandwich and their selection of chips is top notch. Then at some point when I get far enough north, the snow will likely kick in and make the drive a little more tense. But that's OK. I have cab driver beads on my seat. They help.

The mind just drifted. Back on track--1) Buy Season's Greetings by moe. 2) Have a great Christmas, or whatever holiday you choose to celebrate. 3) Be safe out there, especially on the road. Just because you have a 4-wheel drive does not mean that you're immune to slippery ice and bad roads. 4) Have a Happy New Year!!!!!

Open the Holiday Feedbag--Part 5

2007-12-20T11:01:00.001-05:00

The boss hits just keep coming. . . So a few hours after Part 4, I had to hit the holiday party at my company's Alexandria office. I was tired from the first party, but luckily had not stuffed myself too badly. I didn't know what to expect, so I figured I'd save some room. I left work around 2:15 and hit traffic and blinding sun on 395. The party was held in the conference room and had a bunch of huge tables packed with food.

The booty
--chicken wings
--wraps (tuna, cold cuts)
--chicken satay
--chips, nuts, nibbles
--cheese trays
--veggie trays
--dessert table with cookies, cakes, brownies, pie

There's more that I'm missing, but since I wasn't too hungry I only took a cursory pass at the table. There was a nice selection of beers though, so I had a few pops. After a couple hours of small talk, I made my way out the door for greener pastures. All in all, five holiday feedbags is a new record even for me. I would say that two is my usual number. Nice stuff all the way around. And there's nothing like keeping the holiday spirit alive.

HO HO HO! Merry Christmas.

Open the Holiday Feedbag--Part 4

2007-12-20T10:42:00.000-05:00

I'm trying to catch up on the feedbag, so here's another installment.

Friday, December 14 saw my division Hallway Holiday Party. It may or may not have been held at a very large DoD building that is known as the world's largest office building (or at least it was).

Anyway, this event was pot luck. Each subdivision was charged with bringing a dish (salads, sides, dessert, etc.), and the major division took care of the main course. I made a nice tortellini salad with some tomatoes and black olives and dressing. Good stuff. And easy.

The spread
--hams
--chicken wings
--turkey
--roast beef
--shrimp cocktail rings
--more types of salad and sides than you could shake a stick at
--various desserts. I was very pleased that there was carrot and red velvet cake. Two of my favorites.
--surprisingly there was wine and beer too. Most people had one or two beers tops. I didn't see anyone crack the wine.

The experience is what you would expect for a workplace like this: You get your mix of military, civilian, and contractors (most not knowing one another) all sitting around making small talk. And of course the whole event starts with some words from the Brigadier General, which actually was nice because the guy is funny. A highlight was music provided by the US Air Force Brass Quintet. Dag! Those guys can play!

Open the Holiday Feedbag--Part 3

2007-12-20T10:21:00.000-05:00

December 8 saw the joy of a company Christmas party. This one was sponsored by the SO's company at the Westin Grand on M St. The event began with some passed appetizers and an open bar. I didn't have any apps, but it looked like the typical finger food (mini quiches, chicken satay, mini crab cakes, etc.). After cocktails, the party went to the dining room for dinner. There was a DJ, soundsystem, and lighting. This particular room in the Westin was pretty solid. It was well appointed and decorated nicely.

Dinner was a buffet and included
--trays of cold cuts and cheese
--cold roasted veggie trays
--beef barley soup
--various salads
--roasted turkey with stuffing
--wasabi glazed salmon
--veal piccata
--mashed potatos
--roasted potatos
--seafood salad

Bar
--Open during dinner (and all night). Choices were beer, wine, and top-shelf mixed drinks.

Dessert
-- buffet of various cakes, pies, and small finger treats. Also coffee service.

Those are the basics. There's a few more items that escape me. All in all, the food was really good. I particularly enjoyed the salmon.

Even better than the food was the prize system. Here's how it went down. Everyone got 1 raffle ticket for showing up. Every employee got 1 ticket for number of years of service. Each table had a sheet of paper with questions about the company and if a table got them right, everyone got more tickets. Our table got 4 more tickets per person. The coup de gras was this little game: Whoever at each table had a birthday closest to the date of the party won an additional 20 tickets! Awwww yeah. October 28 was a winner for this guy! So I got 20 more tickets. The raffles were held each hour and the gifts were pretty solid. The SO and I won 4 prizes! She got an iPod Shuffle and I won a $50 Target gift card and two $25 iTunes cards. Niiiiice.

Overall, a very solid feedbag. I felt like a winner in the Price is Right. But the kind who wins the second Showcase Showdown. Not the crappy first one that usually includes furniture and silverware.

How Many 5-Year Olds Can YOU Take in a Fight??

2007-12-20T10:18:00.000-05:00

Looking for x ray tech schools?

Open the Holiday Feedbag--Part 2

2007-12-10T13:15:00.000-05:00

So as the holidays move along, so does the feedbag. Friday was a small "mixer" at our office that one of the higher ups decided to throw. I think it's nice to get people to mingle a bit, so I was all for it.

The fixins'
--pizza
--Subway subs (turkey and roast beef)
--veggies and dip
--cookies
--ice cream cake from Cold Stone Creamery
--iced tea and eggnog

I've never had a cake from Cold Stone Creamery before. It was great! I dare say it was a bit better than Carvel even (but not Cookie Puss. Nobody beats the Puss!). Overall it was a nice diversion from the work day.

Get it right!

2007-12-10T11:53:00.000-05:00

I enjoy pistachios. They're a nice treat. So I bought a tub of them at Target the other day. It was $3.99 for a small jar. Here's what pisses me off--when the shells are not split properly and it's near impossible to get to the damn nut! Seriously, how can so many duds be in the jar? Now I have to work with a friggin' pair of scissors to get the goods. Target will be getting a letter about this.

Open the Holiday Feedbag--Part 1

2007-12-07T11:49:00.000-05:00

So, as Christmas (or whatever denominational celebration you chose to recognize) is upon us, there is one delightful constant that we can all look forward to. Awwwww yeah. I'm talking about Christmas parties. Or holiday parties. I don't care what you call them, just don't call me late! (How 'bout that old chestnut? --"You can call me anything you want, just don't call me late to dinner.") Wow. Anyway, the season has begun. A consistent part of life has definitely been holiday parties of whatever type. I remember Christmas parties in grammar school, where there would be food and cupcakes and sickly sweet Hi-C in a can and we'd bring in gifts for the teacher (who else used to bring their teacher wine? We did.). College took another level of partying because now the various departments provided us with food AND booze! What could be better? And as a dual major with a minor, I had plenty of departments to visit. And there would always be the invites from other departments, so after all was said and done you could end up hitting at least 5 shindigs. The English department was one of my favorites because they always made a traditional wassail bowl. Good stuff. Then of course as I got older there were the work parties. Even when I was in high school, there would always be a little hooch at the butcher market I worked at. We'd have some nog and rum. Or just rum. Something to warm the cockles.

Of course with Christmas parties you'd get the usual bah humbugs who gripe about having to attend. Why wouldn't you want to attend? A good party generally includes eats, an open bar, and some kind of door prize. A great party usually culminates in some managerial or executive type getting completely boffo and making an ass of himself. Perhaps a puke episode. Yep. I've seen those happen. One of my first experiences of the absurdity of the Christmas party was many years ago when I had moved back home to my parent's house in Buffalo to figure out my life. Not being able to find work I signed up with a temp agency. I ended up scoring a data entry assignment at the Federal Reserve. It was brainless work, but the gist is that I remember the day of the Christmas party. Everyone gathered down in the lobby around a giant Christmas tree in the morning and some executive gave a talk about who knows what. Then, and I shit you not, he led us in Christmas carols. The tempo was akin to the birthday scene in "Office Space" where everyone kind of just mumbles the word, while a few people really belted it out. I just laughed and awaited the food. It was a breakfast buffet they were providing and I needed it because I was hungover. A worker from the kitchen rolled in a cart with a giant punch bowl of eggnog and as he removed it from the cart the entire bowl shattered in his hands and gallons of nog splashed all over the floor. Everybody gasped and nobody knew what to do. A manager lady in a sweater with a holiday applique came over to see if he was OK (he was) and proceeded to call the janitors to clean it up. That's where the absurdity really hit hard. Shortly afterwards they brought out the buffet, which was really necessary at this point. And I ate heartily and then returned to my seat with the rest of the monkeys to enter the data for the remaining hours.

Sorry. My mind just went off. Back to the matter at hand. No matter where I've worked there's always been some kind of to do where you get some treats. Yesterday, the property management folks at my office had a little function for the tenants of our building. I didn't even know there was going to be a buffet because they never advertised it, but I was lucky to have not brought my lunch with me. Score! A couple co-workers happened upon the buffet and returned to tell us about it. They said the line was long, so I grabbed my paper and headed down. The line was looping around the lobby, but I waited patiently. Oddly, I was behind some lady with a hairnet, which I found really odd because we don't have restaurants in our building. Oh well.

The spread
--pear and walnut salad with cheese on greens
--green beans almandine
--stuffing
--mashed potatoes
--roast beef with au jus.
--roasted turkey with gravy
--Christmas cookies and petit fours
--fresh fruit

All in all it was a very solid nosh. I filled my plate and made my way back to my desk. One note that struck me: If you've ever worked for the government you know that nobody enjoys a free meal more than federal employees. They'll run down their first born to get to the food. I have now discovered an entity that bests the federal employees--soldiers. Holy shit! Those folks like the chow. The majority of my office building is occupied by the Army, so there are a lot of soldiers. I was impressed by their drive to hit the buffet. Good for them, I say.

So anyway. Tis the season. Stay tuned for the next installment of Holiday Feedbag.

Winter had finally come to the critters of Frogtown Hollow

2007-12-06T09:39:00.000-05:00

And so it has. Snowfall in DC. An event of epic proportions. There is the typical hysteria caused by the news stations who use the term "storm" to refer to any snowfall (is this required in their contract? Or is it simple sensationalism of the sort that FOX practices daily?). There is the run on toilet paper and milk at the supermarkets (I blame that correlation on lactose intolerance). And there is the wishful thinking of thousands of government employees hoping and praying that they get out of work early--a wish that extends to the numerous nonprofits and contractors who follow OPM rules.

Admittedly, this snow event (I refuse to use the term storm for a mere dusting) wasn't as bad, or hysterical, as those in the past. A little history first: I moved to Washington 10 years ago, from Buffalo. Yes, that Buffalo. The place with the chicken wings and snow. When I first moved here I worked at a not-for-profit in Old Town. I remember being sent home early the first time it snowed (a total of maybe 2 inches!). Thereafter, I understood that a little dusting here and there was a great way to get home by 2:00 and have a few 40s. Now that's what I call livin'! Anyway, I do enjoy the way that DC looks in the snow. It takes on a completely new appearance and actually simply looks better. So I was happy when the snow finally began to stick last night and the buildings were covered.

Commuting during snow in DC is another story. Even though I have a 4-wheel drive, I prefer not to drive in DC after a snowfall. I have full faith in my driving abilities; it's the other jackasses out there that scare the shit out of me. Driving too slow and cautiously is just as dangerous as driving too fast. Throw in the mix of people from snowless states and the foreigners who have never driven in snow either, and you've got a recipe for disaster. My commute involves walking a mile to the Foggy Bottom Metro and taking the metro to Ballston. So rather than drivers, I have to deal with the shoddy condition of the slick sidewalks. They're usually not salted everywhere, so you have a 50/50 chance of slipping on your ass. Because it was cold this morning, most of the sidewalk was slick, but not horrible. The roads seemed to be completely clear. That fact makes it unbelievable that the only accident I saw this morning was some schmuck who rear ended another guy at Washington Circle. It wasn't slippery, he was just stupid. Oh well.

The other thing that intrigues me is how people dress in the snow. Let's drill that down a bit--I'm amazed at what people wear on their feet. Ladies, I love that want to look fashionable in your fuck-me pumps and stilettos and whatnot, but do you really think it makes sense to wear a platform pump with a 3-inch spiked heel in the snow? Seriously? I mention this specifically because I had to do a double take when I was walking down to the metro platform behind a girl who was wearing just that style. The fashion factor takes a huge downswing because at that point, no matter how good you look, you lose points and end up looking stupid due to impracticality. And to anyone who says, "People can wear what they want!", well yes, yes, people can wear what they want. But when that person slows the flow of traffic because they are tiptoeing so they don't fall, or when they actually do fall, then common sense has just won over fashion sense. So at the very least, put on a pair of boots with the stiletto heel and you won't be scoffed at as much.

And there you have it folks. A little taste of DC winter. To be sure, there will likely be another decent snow in January or February. Those are the good ones where work gets out early and the bar is the only place to be at 2:30. Also, we will likely see a couple of 60-degree days before the end of the month. That's how Baby Jesus likes it.

Merry Christmas is on its way!

Pescado Perfecto

2007-11-30T15:38:00.000-05:00

Being an indecisive soul, I really struggle picking a meal on the days when I don't bring my lunch to work. My office is located in Ballston, so there's a plethora of options--some good, some bad. I am a tried and true food court appreciator and will occasionally hit the court at the Ballston Mall. It's not on the same caliber as Pentagon City mall, but there are some decent choices. One place there that I always enjoyed is La Choza, which is now called Fabian's. I hadn't even realized that they switched names and spruced it up because I haven't been to the court in a while, but they did a nice job.

While deliberating over what to get for lunch I opted to hit Fabian's because I had a coupon for a free specialty drink with the purchase of a meal. A lady was handing them out a few months ago and it was set to expire on December 31 of this year! I figured, no sense letting a good coupon go to waste! Upon my arrival at Fabian's I stared at the menu like I usually do and let a few people go ahead of me, like I usually do, because I couldn't make a decision. Looking for something on the lighter side I went with the "Pescado", described on the menu as, "Flounder sauteed with green peppers, onions, and tomatoes." You get a choice of two sides and I got black beans and salad. The lady told me it would be about 5 minutes since it's made to order. No problem. As I was standing there I also decided that I should add some yuca to my order (there goes a perfectly healthy meal). While waiting I asked the lady if they still take my drink coupon and she said "absolutely." She asked me if I had tried them and I said no. So she proceeded to pour me little samples of each one! The choices are pina colada (minus the booze), horchata, tamarindo, and maranon. Daaaaammnnnn! These treats were great! They reminded me a bit of the juegos frescos and agua dulce I've had in Costa Rica. After tasting them I chose the maranon--cashew fruit drink with a light citrus flavor. The lady told me about the fruit it comes from with the poisonous cashew nut. Interesting. She also told me how they changed the menu a little bit and the new stuff that's available.

My food came and I sat down. The plate was jammed full of salad (tomatoes and lettuce with a little sauce), black beans, and a huge portion of flounder. The fish was so tender and flavorful that I was taken back a bit! I've had the food here before, and while tasty, was nowhere near this level. The fish was fresh and tender and brought together nicely with the peppers, onions, and sauce. I also added some salsa verde and red salsa for heat. And my maranon was a great addition to the whole meal. Also, the yuca was some of the freshest I've ever had. Often, yuca is tough and tastes like it's been sitting around for a week. This was crisp on the outside from the fryer and nice and soft in the middle.

So what? So there you go. A nice meal at a nice little food court establishment. The lady at the cash register was awesome because she was friendly and told me interesting stories. So that's what I would call service Salvadorean style.

Their new menu has a Website, which says "coming soon." So check back later if you want to see what's cookin'.

The Holidays are Near--Let's Be Careful Out There!

2007-11-29T10:03:00.000-05:00

So I went to the local Starbucks near my office. I had the yen for their Christmas Blend, which is actually a decent cuppa joe. I considered getting a scone too, but opted just for the coffee. Instead of turning this into a rant about my love/hate relationship with Starbucks, I'll stick to the subject at hand--be careful! As I was going up to place my order, one of the workers spilled a scalding hot coffee on the leg of the cashier who was taking my order. Yowza. She yelped because, in case you don't know, Starbucks coffee is otherworldly hot. But the main point is the worker who did the spilling. She was carrying a venti coffee by the lip of the cup. A venti coffee, Starbucks largest, is 20 oz. When filled with scalding hot liquid it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that 1) the integrity of the cup is going to deteriorate because of the hot liquid, 2) 20 oz of coffee is heavy when viewed in context of a top-heavy cup, 3) you shouldn't carry a top-heavy, deteriorating cup with no lid by the lip! Common sense. Oh well. I'm sure the cashier will be OK. Maybe I'll bring her some salve later. First I'll drink my coffee, which is finally cool enough to sip. Moral of the story--be careful folks. Here come the holidays.

Hollywood Writers Strike. Family Guy

2007-11-06T15:33:00.000-05:00

Just a quick note regarding the writers strike in Hollywood. Frankly, I embrace the notion of no new shows for a couple weeks because it gives me time to catch up on the other stuff that is in the backburner. TiVo is full with programming just ready to be watched and if I'm able to catch up, all the better! Plus I can catch up on some newspaper reading. It's not that I like to see people out of work, it's just that TV gets you sometimes. What with it's funny programming, hilarious bloopers, captivating reality shows. Wait. Sorry. Those are all lies. TV is a vapid wasteland that will suck you in and not even have the courtesy to give you a reacharound. But damn, I love it!

Speaking of TV: I was watching the 100th episode of "Family Guy" this past Sunday and a thought came to me. Surprising right? How did the Kool Aid Man always break through walls with breaking himself? Presumably he was made out of glass, right? Well how come he never broke. He used to beat the piss out of those walls. God forbid you tap some wine glasses just right: shattered glass everywhere. But Kool Aid Man? He can break through a wall (full mind you!), and just stand there and scream, "OH YEAH!" I guess that was American construction for you back in the day. A full pitcher of juice can bust through a wall and live to talk about it. Outstanding.

Spoof Sex PSA

2007-10-30T11:04:00.000-04:00

A friend sent this and it really hit the spot. Enjoy.

Red Sox rock it

2007-10-30T10:53:00.000-04:00

How about those Red Sox??? Yeah. Four game sweep. Feels good, right? The games were solid all in all. And there were only 37 arrests on Sunday night! Good for you Boston: way to stay classy. If you're going to watch baseball, of course you have to watch commercials. I do not want to see any of the commercials that Fox broadcast ad nauseum during the game ever again. I won't even mention them here because that would mean that I'm supporting the cause. And unless I get a cut I ain't supportin' shit! The only thing I will say is that you can get your free taco from Taco Bell because Jacoby Ellsbury stole a base and now everyone in America gets a free taco. So head out there today for your treat.

A False Start

2007-10-30T10:07:00.000-04:00

Mea culpa. I'm back after a false start. In April. Yeah, 7 months might seem like a long time to go without doing something here, but in the grand scheme it's not that bad. Especially if you're a master procrastinator like me. Much has probably happened since April, but since that time has gone and went, nobody cares much. I have become another year older in the past few days, so I'm getting closer to becoming a full fledged curmudgeon!

And speaking of getting another year older, I spent my birthday in a way that is quickly becoming a custom--at a concert with a bunch of friends! And nothing makes me happier. This year we went to the 9:30 club for the New Pornographers. What a freakin' show! I caught the New Ps twice earlier this year, and while good, the shows weren't great. Neko Case wasn't with them because she was on her solo tour and Kathryn Calder was sick and unable to do much singing at both shows we saw. Oh well. This time around more than made up for it. They played a lot off the new album ("Challengers") and threw in a lot of older tunes as well. The disaffected hipsters were as stoic as usual, but that didn't stop us from dancing. Because after all, if you can't dance to the New Ps, then you might as well be dead. Seriously. They'll infect you with a groove and some mojo quicker than you can scream, "I love you, Neko!" But I digress. Overall impression -- great show. So there you have it.

And so it begins. . .

2007-04-06T14:24:00.000-04:00

Irk. Irksome. Irked. What great words. I get irked a lot. I don't know why. Maybe I pay too much attention to what goes on around me. Maybe it's because too many people don't pay any attention to what's around them. To quote Frank Costanza during Festivus dinner, "I've got a lot of problems with you people!" I'm not yet a full-on curmudgeon like ol' Frank, but I'm getting there. The early 30s seems kind of young to qualify for curmudgeondom, but hey, at least I've got a goal to reach for.

So what's it all about? I guess these blogs are a way for people to express their thoughts. So I figured I'd jump on the bandwagon and vent mine. Maybe this will be therapeutic. Or frustrating. Either way, I'm going to say what I've got to say. Not that all of what I write will be complaints. There's more to my mind than that! I'll write about the sheer enjoyment I get out of life too. Like when I get a great deal by using a coupon. Ohhhh, that's sweet. Or perhaps I'll send out a missive about music. Or the TV programs. We'll see what happens.

And to that end, let me start by stating that I used to hate the term "blog". I certainly don't love it, but I also don't hate it anymore. There's something too cutesy about it's combination from "Web log". And in case you didn't know, a combination of words like that is called a portmanteau. Now that's a word I can get behind. Wrap your tongue around that a few times and feel the thrust. Damn. Mmmmm. For the record, another thing you may notice here is that I love words and the English language. So perhaps I'll give you a taste of that too.

For now, let's just say welcome. And don't forget to ask me about my coupons. . .