2008-01-15
2008-01-08
Wasting posts
You know, when you haven't written more than 3 blog postings in a calendar year, you really should probably save them when you get ideas for them. But I'm still awake and I was ranting about this earlier so...
My new UFC dream match is Mirko Cro Cop vs Brock Lesnar.
Now, why in the world would I be dying to see a guy who has lost two fights in a row take on a guy who hasn't even fought yet?
I love Mirko Cro Cop. Watching Mirko Cro Cop in Pride is one of the first things that got me hooked on MMA. And if you follow back the history of Cro Cop, you discover that one of the things that made him famous was his absolute domination of Japanese pro wrestlers who attempted to cross over into MMA. The Pro Wrestler Hunter-Killer. So, fast forward a bit and you've got Cro Cop struggling to adjust to the UFC with people saying he should hang them up.
Enter Brock Lesnar. Lots of hype, lots of potential. If he gets past Mir with any sort of good showing, I say book him against Cro Cop. If he wins, your big new project just knocked off one of the biggest name heavies in the world. If he loses, well, he was expected to lose and you get Cro Cop some credibility back.
And the cherry on top? Make this the main event for a UFC PPV in Japan!
Sure, it's a logistical nightmare but dammit, the Japanese LOVE Cro Cop. If you saw the vid clip of Cro Cop's pro wrestling appearance for HUSTLE on NYE, you saw them go apeshit for him and all he had to do was throw one kick.
Now imagine these same fans getting one more chance to see their hero knock off the biggest pro wrestling name to make the MMA jump ever.
Mirko Cro Cop vs Brock Lesnar in the Octagon... in Japan.
Make it so, Dana White. Make it so.
My new UFC dream match is Mirko Cro Cop vs Brock Lesnar.
Now, why in the world would I be dying to see a guy who has lost two fights in a row take on a guy who hasn't even fought yet?
I love Mirko Cro Cop. Watching Mirko Cro Cop in Pride is one of the first things that got me hooked on MMA. And if you follow back the history of Cro Cop, you discover that one of the things that made him famous was his absolute domination of Japanese pro wrestlers who attempted to cross over into MMA. The Pro Wrestler Hunter-Killer. So, fast forward a bit and you've got Cro Cop struggling to adjust to the UFC with people saying he should hang them up.
Enter Brock Lesnar. Lots of hype, lots of potential. If he gets past Mir with any sort of good showing, I say book him against Cro Cop. If he wins, your big new project just knocked off one of the biggest name heavies in the world. If he loses, well, he was expected to lose and you get Cro Cop some credibility back.
And the cherry on top? Make this the main event for a UFC PPV in Japan!
Sure, it's a logistical nightmare but dammit, the Japanese LOVE Cro Cop. If you saw the vid clip of Cro Cop's pro wrestling appearance for HUSTLE on NYE, you saw them go apeshit for him and all he had to do was throw one kick.
Now imagine these same fans getting one more chance to see their hero knock off the biggest pro wrestling name to make the MMA jump ever.
Mirko Cro Cop vs Brock Lesnar in the Octagon... in Japan.
Make it so, Dana White. Make it so.
Insomnia = Inspiration
What do you do at 3:30 AM when you can't sleep?
Count sheep? Drink warm milk? Drink warm vodka?
Lessee... I played video games [the "new" Fire Pro Wrestling for PS2] until about 1:30 AM. The game just plain smokes the majority of wrestling games out there. And the addition of the MMA characters and fighting system just makes it that much cooler. I spent the last 30 minutes with the CRITICAL frequency on high using Cro Cop and trying to see how long it would take to KO people. Cro Cop via high kick CRITICAL Andre The Giant in 1:08. That... fucking... rules.
I watched Mitt Romney speaking at the Timberland corporate offices on CSPAN for about 20 minutes. I didn't vomit so that's a good thing. There must be good in him since Chuck Norris is a supporter but I haven't found it yet. He spent a few minutes answering a question about the environment where he tried to sell that people who want the government to invest in clean, green technologies because they were trying to save the planet had the same ultimate goal as people who want us to invest in them because they want us to be energy independent. Not sure I buy that. He did a lot of shilling of nuclear energy [which scares me] and some kind of "clean coal" which to be perfectly honest, I know nothing about.
After he finished, they showed Barack Obama's speech at some opera house in New Hampshire. In all honesty, the night before the Iowa Caucuses, I had a similar sleeping issue. That night, I stumbled upon an Obama speech in Iowa that literally gave me goosebumps. The man is an eloquent, inspiring speaker and there's no surprise on my end that he's motivating people to vote who generally don't. For quite some time, I've been leaning my support in his direction and I've yet to see anything to change my mind on that. The speech tonight was sounding very similar to the Iowa speech so I turned it off to try and go to sleep.
I gave up after about fifteen minutes and decided it was a good time to try to write. My lovely wife [still not used to writing that] bought me Final Draft for X-Mas in hopes that it would kickstart my lazy ass into finally writing. So, after two weeks of procrastinating, I decided to attempt it tonight. I'm a few pages in... better than nothing, right? Decided to post on here as well to try and keep the momentum going.
In case anyone was wondering, I did actually make it to the PWG show on Sunday night. Very good show. It's odd because every time I leave a PWG show, I think it was completely worth my money. However, this show was the first I'd been to in a year and probably only the fourth or fifth I'd been to in two years. They're getting ready to start running shows a little closer to home so hopefully I'll get to a few more this year.
Nothing new on the job hunt front. I went into the week before Christmas thinking I had a good chance at getting two jobs. One of them I know was given to someone else and the other one... well, the HR person who was setting up my second interview has gone off the grid. No clue on that one.
Golden Globes got canceled. As an aspiring writer, I get a little bit of joy out of seeing the corporations get fucked by the strike. It's their own fault so I have no pity for them. I feel bad for the creative folks who won't get their very public credit for their work over the past year but not for the network who won't be able to cash in on them showing up to get that credit.
How's that for a wide variety of topics? Until next time.
WRITING: A screenplay based off a song - an idea I've been cultivating for almost a year
DRINKING: Water as I feel like I'm battling a sore throat
PONDERING: Volunteering for the Obama campaign
Count sheep? Drink warm milk? Drink warm vodka?
Lessee... I played video games [the "new" Fire Pro Wrestling for PS2] until about 1:30 AM. The game just plain smokes the majority of wrestling games out there. And the addition of the MMA characters and fighting system just makes it that much cooler. I spent the last 30 minutes with the CRITICAL frequency on high using Cro Cop and trying to see how long it would take to KO people. Cro Cop via high kick CRITICAL Andre The Giant in 1:08. That... fucking... rules.
I watched Mitt Romney speaking at the Timberland corporate offices on CSPAN for about 20 minutes. I didn't vomit so that's a good thing. There must be good in him since Chuck Norris is a supporter but I haven't found it yet. He spent a few minutes answering a question about the environment where he tried to sell that people who want the government to invest in clean, green technologies because they were trying to save the planet had the same ultimate goal as people who want us to invest in them because they want us to be energy independent. Not sure I buy that. He did a lot of shilling of nuclear energy [which scares me] and some kind of "clean coal" which to be perfectly honest, I know nothing about.
After he finished, they showed Barack Obama's speech at some opera house in New Hampshire. In all honesty, the night before the Iowa Caucuses, I had a similar sleeping issue. That night, I stumbled upon an Obama speech in Iowa that literally gave me goosebumps. The man is an eloquent, inspiring speaker and there's no surprise on my end that he's motivating people to vote who generally don't. For quite some time, I've been leaning my support in his direction and I've yet to see anything to change my mind on that. The speech tonight was sounding very similar to the Iowa speech so I turned it off to try and go to sleep.
I gave up after about fifteen minutes and decided it was a good time to try to write. My lovely wife [still not used to writing that] bought me Final Draft for X-Mas in hopes that it would kickstart my lazy ass into finally writing. So, after two weeks of procrastinating, I decided to attempt it tonight. I'm a few pages in... better than nothing, right? Decided to post on here as well to try and keep the momentum going.
In case anyone was wondering, I did actually make it to the PWG show on Sunday night. Very good show. It's odd because every time I leave a PWG show, I think it was completely worth my money. However, this show was the first I'd been to in a year and probably only the fourth or fifth I'd been to in two years. They're getting ready to start running shows a little closer to home so hopefully I'll get to a few more this year.
Nothing new on the job hunt front. I went into the week before Christmas thinking I had a good chance at getting two jobs. One of them I know was given to someone else and the other one... well, the HR person who was setting up my second interview has gone off the grid. No clue on that one.
Golden Globes got canceled. As an aspiring writer, I get a little bit of joy out of seeing the corporations get fucked by the strike. It's their own fault so I have no pity for them. I feel bad for the creative folks who won't get their very public credit for their work over the past year but not for the network who won't be able to cash in on them showing up to get that credit.
How's that for a wide variety of topics? Until next time.
WRITING: A screenplay based off a song - an idea I've been cultivating for almost a year
DRINKING: Water as I feel like I'm battling a sore throat
PONDERING: Volunteering for the Obama campaign
2008-01-06
The Rain In Spain Falls Mainly On The Plain
It's crazy outside right now. We could hear an insane amount of rain pouring down and when we opened the balcony door, it looks like we were trapped in a huge storm with rain pounding down and the wind blowing really hard.
I love the rain as long as I'm not stuck in it. I used to think I even loved the rain when I had to walk around in it until last year in Rome. Our first day out and about in Rome was absolutely miserable as we got drenched in rain, blown around by gusty wind, and generally got made cold and miserable by it all. So, yeah... now I think I love the rain as long as I don't have to walk around in it.
I hope it lets up some because I was planning to go to my first Pro Wrestling Guerrilla show in a year tonight. Driving in to LA through this mess doesn't sound like my idea of fun either so I really hope it lets up before I have to make a decision. The forecast is calling for "light rain" this afternoon so I hope it's right.
Rain, rain, go away... come again some other day.
Watching: Giants/Bucs NFL Playoff game [I'm addicted to football in HD. I've never watched as much football as I have this year.]
Wondering: If the person who was going to PWG with me is going to flake.
Reading: Just finished "The Heroin Diaries" by Nikki Sixx and haven't started anything else yet
I love the rain as long as I'm not stuck in it. I used to think I even loved the rain when I had to walk around in it until last year in Rome. Our first day out and about in Rome was absolutely miserable as we got drenched in rain, blown around by gusty wind, and generally got made cold and miserable by it all. So, yeah... now I think I love the rain as long as I don't have to walk around in it.
I hope it lets up some because I was planning to go to my first Pro Wrestling Guerrilla show in a year tonight. Driving in to LA through this mess doesn't sound like my idea of fun either so I really hope it lets up before I have to make a decision. The forecast is calling for "light rain" this afternoon so I hope it's right.
Rain, rain, go away... come again some other day.
Watching: Giants/Bucs NFL Playoff game [I'm addicted to football in HD. I've never watched as much football as I have this year.]
Wondering: If the person who was going to PWG with me is going to flake.
Reading: Just finished "The Heroin Diaries" by Nikki Sixx and haven't started anything else yet
A New Year!
So, it's a new year and as I look back to find I only did 3 posts on this blog in 2007, I'm a little annoyed. What a waste.
I also decided to let my web hosting lapse this year as I was barely using it so hopefully you managed to find your way back here.
For those who haven't "heard" from me lately, I'm unemployed once more having gotten laid off in November. So, you would think I'd be posting up a storm but I haven't just yet. I did just discover that I can post via my new Blackberry though so that's promising, right?
Ah well. No big New Year's Resolution to keep posting but I shall do what I can.
Happy New Year, all.
I also decided to let my web hosting lapse this year as I was barely using it so hopefully you managed to find your way back here.
For those who haven't "heard" from me lately, I'm unemployed once more having gotten laid off in November. So, you would think I'd be posting up a storm but I haven't just yet. I did just discover that I can post via my new Blackberry though so that's promising, right?
Ah well. No big New Year's Resolution to keep posting but I shall do what I can.
Happy New Year, all.
2007-08-02
Bored
So, I'm bored.
Yes, yes... what else is new, I know.
I'm a week removed from Day One of Comic-Con, my yearly half-week to indulge my inner geek and pretend the world revolves around Batman, the X-Men, and mostly what movies look sweet.
It also tends to be a source of great inspiration for me. A couple of years ago, I sat in on a panel where Brad Meltzer said that when he first starting writing, he made a commitment to himself to write at least an hour every day no matter what... no matter how tired, how hungry, how much he wanted to go out, whatever... an hour a day at minimum. I pledged on the spot to follow the same plan.
I'm pretty sure I lasted a day.
It's no secret that my career goal for several years has been to go back to school, get a teaching credential, and become a writer while teaching... yet I never seem able to get there. There's lots of easy targets to blame... getting old, too busy at work, don't want to look at a computer when I get home, wedding planning to do, blah blah blah.
Is this the year that I snap out of it?
The amount of people on panels this year who are probably just a few years removed from being where I am is astonishing. It truly does inspire someone to reach for the stars.
But those grounded feet always seem to get in the way.
Oh, side note... I also pledged to start using this as an entertainment blog to see if I could get into the Con next year as Media. Cross your fingers!
Yes, yes... what else is new, I know.
I'm a week removed from Day One of Comic-Con, my yearly half-week to indulge my inner geek and pretend the world revolves around Batman, the X-Men, and mostly what movies look sweet.
It also tends to be a source of great inspiration for me. A couple of years ago, I sat in on a panel where Brad Meltzer said that when he first starting writing, he made a commitment to himself to write at least an hour every day no matter what... no matter how tired, how hungry, how much he wanted to go out, whatever... an hour a day at minimum. I pledged on the spot to follow the same plan.
I'm pretty sure I lasted a day.
It's no secret that my career goal for several years has been to go back to school, get a teaching credential, and become a writer while teaching... yet I never seem able to get there. There's lots of easy targets to blame... getting old, too busy at work, don't want to look at a computer when I get home, wedding planning to do, blah blah blah.
Is this the year that I snap out of it?
The amount of people on panels this year who are probably just a few years removed from being where I am is astonishing. It truly does inspire someone to reach for the stars.
But those grounded feet always seem to get in the way.
Oh, side note... I also pledged to start using this as an entertainment blog to see if I could get into the Con next year as Media. Cross your fingers!
2007-01-28
Let's Get Ready To Rumble!
So, I did this last year and even though my WWE interest may be at an all-time low [I even gave up watching Raw since it conflicts with Heroes and 24]... I stick by my belief that even if I had given up watching wrestling altogether I'd still watch the Rumble and Wrestlemania every year.
And with that... my predictions based on the 30 wrestlers listed on WWE.com as participants:
No Chance... That's What You Got
---
Tommy Dreamer - Such a shame. You coulda been a contender, Tommy.
Chavo Guerrero - If you can't draw heat off your dead relative, you can't main event Mania.
Matt Hardy - No luck. He's gone right back down to the bottom of the barrel.
Gregory Helms - Nope. Not even JBL's hype job gets him a win here.
Chris Masters - Kinda a shame. He showed some potential before the Wellness Program kicked him down South. Since coming back, he's been booked like a joke.
The Miz - God no.
Sandman - Hopefully he gets to come in with the kendo stick. That'll make for a fun spot at least.
Kevin Thorn - Not even the curveball of the winner taking the ECW title shot makes him a contender here.
Viscera - King Mabel maybe. Viscera no.
Super Crazy - Only if Heyman gets brought back to book it.
Shelton Benjamin - Maybe a few months ago he'd be up one category... but not anymore.
Kenny Dykstra - In a couple years, perhaps... but not yet.
Slim Shot
--------
Carlito - Again, a few months ago I'd say he might have stood a shot. But I don't see him at the main event level yet... even in ECW.
Hardcore Holly - Could be, right? A fluke Royal Rumble winner for all those naysayers who say things are too predictable. Is Holly/Lashley for the ECW Title at Mania that unimaginable? Not really.
Kane - Not likely but always possible. Kane vs Batista would be alright. Kane vs Lashley would probably be fun.
MVP - Too soon for the rookie, I think but he's been getting a pretty big push so it's not completely impossible.
Sabu - I just can't see it. Gotta imagine a Money In The Bank is in his future.
Odds Are Slightly Better
---
Chris Benoit - Benoit being in a WM main event means it'll be worlds better than anyone else being in it. But I don't see it this time around as too likely.
Finlay - See above.
Jeff Hardy - Someone must have noticed that Jeff's been worlds better since his return, right? He just doesn't have a good match with any of the current champs. Turn on "Extreme Rules" and I can see a Lashley/Hardy match being fun. Do the title switch and Jeff vs Umaga would be fun as hell but probably not Mania main event material.
CM Punk - This is another one that would've been much more likely a few months ago. Now it seems like Punk is on the booking team's shitlist which makes it unlikely he'll get the green light yet.
Some Real Contenders
---
King Booker - No one wants another Booker/Batista match... but Booker/Cena? I'd buy that for a dollar. Booker jumping to Raw would give him an entire new slate of characters to run against. I don't see it as likely as much as I'd like to see it happen though.
Johnny Nitro - A real dark horse. I would love to see Nitro pick up the shocking win to reveal K-Fed as his trainer heading into Mania. K-Fed was a fun heel during his run and having him be part of the main program heading into Mania against Cena wouldn't hurt at all. Another one I'd really like to see but is super unlikely.
Ric Flair - With Rocky Balboa fresh in everyone's mind, it's the perfect year to run one last Flair For The Gold program. Especially if it was against Umaga. I'd love to see it but it seems to not be in the cards sadly.
Rob Van Dam - Rumor is that Vince is trying to keep RVD from jumping to TNA when his contract is up. Could a Rumble win and Mania match for the title keep him around? RVD/Cena would be fun again... not so fond of RVD/Lashley though.
The Great Khali - Khali/Cena would be a good way to pay tribute to Hogan/Andre but will they trust Khali to perform on that big of a stage. A guy who got pulled from one major PPV because of a lack of confidence in his skill seems unlikely to get the ball here.
The Cream Of The Crop
---
Edge - The MVP of Raw for 2006. He was robbed from his Mania main event last year and basically carried the entire brand as thanks. He was in almost every interesting program throughout the year. So, if you want to use the Mania main event as a "thank you", he'd be your guy. Edge vs Batista does nothing for me. Edge jumping to ECW with the title shot would boost that show a ton but would seem odd. Edge vs Cena has been seen a ton so there'd have to be a major twist to make it worthwhile again. I really like Edge so I'd love to see him win it but I don't know where you go with it.
Randy Orton - My fear. I like Orton to an extent but I have no desire to see him in any of the three title matches... nor do I have a desire to see Team RKO split up. Unfortunately, I have a bad feeling that he'll be your winner.
Shawn Michaels - Michaels vs Cena would be great. Michaels vs Batista would be... eh. Michaels vs Lashley... not so much. Michaels/Umaga would be a lot of fun though. He's gotta be an odds on favorite since the Rumble is in San Antonio and he's coming off the great performances on Raw lately. Probably who I would like to see win as there's the most possibilities of where to go with it.
Undertaker - All buzz shows Taker/Batista as the Smackdown main event so giving Taker the Rumble win he's never gotten would set that up perfectly. Can't say that I mind to see him winning here as long as he's winning at Mania as well.
Final results
---
Who should win: Shawn Michaels
Who will win: Randy Orton
And with that... my predictions based on the 30 wrestlers listed on WWE.com as participants:
No Chance... That's What You Got
---
Tommy Dreamer - Such a shame. You coulda been a contender, Tommy.
Chavo Guerrero - If you can't draw heat off your dead relative, you can't main event Mania.
Matt Hardy - No luck. He's gone right back down to the bottom of the barrel.
Gregory Helms - Nope. Not even JBL's hype job gets him a win here.
Chris Masters - Kinda a shame. He showed some potential before the Wellness Program kicked him down South. Since coming back, he's been booked like a joke.
The Miz - God no.
Sandman - Hopefully he gets to come in with the kendo stick. That'll make for a fun spot at least.
Kevin Thorn - Not even the curveball of the winner taking the ECW title shot makes him a contender here.
Viscera - King Mabel maybe. Viscera no.
Super Crazy - Only if Heyman gets brought back to book it.
Shelton Benjamin - Maybe a few months ago he'd be up one category... but not anymore.
Kenny Dykstra - In a couple years, perhaps... but not yet.
Slim Shot
--------
Carlito - Again, a few months ago I'd say he might have stood a shot. But I don't see him at the main event level yet... even in ECW.
Hardcore Holly - Could be, right? A fluke Royal Rumble winner for all those naysayers who say things are too predictable. Is Holly/Lashley for the ECW Title at Mania that unimaginable? Not really.
Kane - Not likely but always possible. Kane vs Batista would be alright. Kane vs Lashley would probably be fun.
MVP - Too soon for the rookie, I think but he's been getting a pretty big push so it's not completely impossible.
Sabu - I just can't see it. Gotta imagine a Money In The Bank is in his future.
Odds Are Slightly Better
---
Chris Benoit - Benoit being in a WM main event means it'll be worlds better than anyone else being in it. But I don't see it this time around as too likely.
Finlay - See above.
Jeff Hardy - Someone must have noticed that Jeff's been worlds better since his return, right? He just doesn't have a good match with any of the current champs. Turn on "Extreme Rules" and I can see a Lashley/Hardy match being fun. Do the title switch and Jeff vs Umaga would be fun as hell but probably not Mania main event material.
CM Punk - This is another one that would've been much more likely a few months ago. Now it seems like Punk is on the booking team's shitlist which makes it unlikely he'll get the green light yet.
Some Real Contenders
---
King Booker - No one wants another Booker/Batista match... but Booker/Cena? I'd buy that for a dollar. Booker jumping to Raw would give him an entire new slate of characters to run against. I don't see it as likely as much as I'd like to see it happen though.
Johnny Nitro - A real dark horse. I would love to see Nitro pick up the shocking win to reveal K-Fed as his trainer heading into Mania. K-Fed was a fun heel during his run and having him be part of the main program heading into Mania against Cena wouldn't hurt at all. Another one I'd really like to see but is super unlikely.
Ric Flair - With Rocky Balboa fresh in everyone's mind, it's the perfect year to run one last Flair For The Gold program. Especially if it was against Umaga. I'd love to see it but it seems to not be in the cards sadly.
Rob Van Dam - Rumor is that Vince is trying to keep RVD from jumping to TNA when his contract is up. Could a Rumble win and Mania match for the title keep him around? RVD/Cena would be fun again... not so fond of RVD/Lashley though.
The Great Khali - Khali/Cena would be a good way to pay tribute to Hogan/Andre but will they trust Khali to perform on that big of a stage. A guy who got pulled from one major PPV because of a lack of confidence in his skill seems unlikely to get the ball here.
The Cream Of The Crop
---
Edge - The MVP of Raw for 2006. He was robbed from his Mania main event last year and basically carried the entire brand as thanks. He was in almost every interesting program throughout the year. So, if you want to use the Mania main event as a "thank you", he'd be your guy. Edge vs Batista does nothing for me. Edge jumping to ECW with the title shot would boost that show a ton but would seem odd. Edge vs Cena has been seen a ton so there'd have to be a major twist to make it worthwhile again. I really like Edge so I'd love to see him win it but I don't know where you go with it.
Randy Orton - My fear. I like Orton to an extent but I have no desire to see him in any of the three title matches... nor do I have a desire to see Team RKO split up. Unfortunately, I have a bad feeling that he'll be your winner.
Shawn Michaels - Michaels vs Cena would be great. Michaels vs Batista would be... eh. Michaels vs Lashley... not so much. Michaels/Umaga would be a lot of fun though. He's gotta be an odds on favorite since the Rumble is in San Antonio and he's coming off the great performances on Raw lately. Probably who I would like to see win as there's the most possibilities of where to go with it.
Undertaker - All buzz shows Taker/Batista as the Smackdown main event so giving Taker the Rumble win he's never gotten would set that up perfectly. Can't say that I mind to see him winning here as long as he's winning at Mania as well.
Final results
---
Who should win: Shawn Michaels
Who will win: Randy Orton
2007-01-06
Back In... Blue?
So, I'm back again for another year of trying to do this blog thing right. I just renewed my website for another year so hopefully I can contribute a bit more to society with it! Apparently I made 56 blog posts in 2006... wow... that really sucks. Let's try and get that higher for '07, shall we?
Here's an easy waste of time...
Go to iTunes... do a Smart Playlist to show songs added in 2006... sort by play count and see your favorite songs that you listened to in '06. In true Casey Kasem tradition of keeping my feet on the ground and still reaching for the stars, here's my [our] Top 200 of 2006...
(NOTE: This does have a margin for error as some songs may be artifically inflated by merging two files into one play count.)
200. The Distance - Travis
199. The Beautiful Occupation - Travis
198. Happy - Travis
197. Re-Offender - Travis
196. Gigolos Get Lonely Too - The Time
195. If I Ever Fall In Love - Shai
194. Steady As She Goes [Acoustic] - The Raconteurs
193. Three Or Four - The New Pornographers
192. Sing Me Spanish Techno - The New Pornographers
191. I Wish I Had An Evil Twin - The Magnetic Fields
190. Enterlude - The Killers
189. I've Changed [Alternative Version] - Josh Joplin Group
188. Fawkes The Phoenix - John Williams
187. Happy (Reprise) - Jenny Lewis And The Watson Twins
186. Holiday From Real - Jack's Mannequin
185. Heaven Adores You - Earlimart
184. 1st Instant/Last Report - Earlimart
183. Stable Song - Death Cab For Cutie
182. Brothers On A Hotel Bed - Death Cab For Cutie
181. Stop! - The Bens
180. Fired - Ben Folds
179. The Wrong Girl - Belle And Sebastian
178. All I Want To Do Is Rock - Travis
177. Why Does It Always Rain On Me - Travis
176. Of Montreal - The Stills
175. Pick A Part That's New - Stereophonics
174. Solitary - Skye
173. Wildwood Flower - Reese Witherspoon
172. Army Reserve - Pearl Jam
171. Wasted Reprise - Pearl Jam
170. Song Beneath The Song - Maria Taylor
169. The River Is Wild - The Killers
168. Bones - The Killers
167. Melt Your Heart - Jenny Lewis And The Watson Twins
166. Speed Trials - Elliott Smikth
165. I Wasn't Prepared - Eisley
164. The Crane Wife 3 - The Decemberists
163. The New Year - Death Cab For Cutie
162. Marching Bands Of Manhattan - Death Cab For Cutie
161. Hang On To Yourself - David Bowie
160. Hey Now Now - The Cloud Room
159. Suspended From Class - Camera Obscura
158. Cross-Fire - The Bens
157. Carrying Cathy - Ben Folds
156. Sleep The Clock Around - Belle And Sebastian
155. A Century Of Fakers - Belle And Sebastian
154. I Fought In A War - Belle And Sebastian
153. Cherry Blossom Girl (Hope Sandoval Version) - Air
152. The City Lights - Umbrellas
151. Sing - Travis
150. Square One - Tom Petty
149. Still In Love Song - The Stills
148. Love & Death - The Stills
147. Whatever's Left - Snow Patrol
146. Gleaming Auction - Snow Patrol
145. Just You And Me - Rie Sinclair
144. Steady As She Goes - The Raconteurs
143. Hey There Delilah - Plain White Ts
142. Come Back - Pearl Jam
141. Comatose - Pearl Jam
140. Mexico - Jump, Little Children
139. Bruised - Jack's Mannequin
138. Feel So Free- Ivy
137. Fire Island - Fountains of Wayne
136. Brightly Wound - Eisley
135. Hold On, Slow Down - Earlimart
134. Bruised - The Bens
133. Rockin' The Suburbs - Ben Folds
132. Roy Walker - Belle And Sebastian
131. I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor - The Arctic Monkeys
130. Everywhere [cover] - Yellowcard
129. Allison Krausse - The Stills
128. Break Your Mama's Back - Slow Runner
127. This Mess We're In - PJ Harvey and Thom Yorke
126. Parachutes - Pearl Jam
125. Time Bomb - Old 97s
124. Bling (Confessions Of A King) - The Killers
123. Is It Any Wonder? - Keane
122. Jackson - Joaquin Phoenix
121. Run Devil Run - Jenny Lewis And The Watson Twins
120. Bright Future In Sales - Fountains of Wayne
119. Got You Where I Want You - The Flys
118. My Lovely - Eisley
117. Munich - Editors
116. Live And Learn - The Cardigans
115. Annie Waits - Ben Folds
114. Step Into My Office, Baby - Belle And Sebastian
113. Wrap Your Love Around Me - The Village Green
112. Side - Travis
111. Flowers In The Window - Travis
110. Elevator Love Letter - Stars
109. Somewhere A Clock Is Ticking - Snow Patrol
108. Grazed Knees - Snow Patrol
107. False Alarm - Sloan
106. Fidelity - Regina Spektor
105. Use It - The New Pornographers
104. My List - The Killers
103. The Big Guns - Jenny Lewis And The Watson Twins
102. La La Lie - Jack's Mannequin
101. I'm Ready - Jack's Mannequin
100. Hung Up On You - Fountains of Wayne
99. Steadier Footing - Death Cab For Cutie
98. Summer Skin - Death Cab For Cutie
97. Shine Like A New Pin - Camera Obscura
96. Blackout - British Sea Power
95. Sundress (acoustic) - Ben Kweller
94. I'm Waking Up To Us - Belle And Sebastian
93. Asleep On A Sunbeam - Belle And Sebastian
92. Rubber And Soul - Arie Brun
91. Marker In The Sand - Pearl Jam
90. These Are The Fables - The New Pornographers
89. Polyester Bride - Liz Phair
88. Exitlude - The Killers
87. When You Were Young - The Killers
86. Cocaine Blues - Joaquin Phoenix
85. Dark Blue - Jack's Mannequin
84. Trolley Wood - Eisley
83. Memories - Eisley
82. Red Hot Drops - Chad Van Gaalen
81. This Modern Love - Bloc Party
80. Chicago - Sufjan Stevens
79. Chocolate - Snow Patrol
78. World Wide Suicide - Pearl Jam
77. Like U Crazy - Mates of State
76. I Don't Believe You - The Magnetic Fields
75. Lift Me - Madrugada feat. Arie Brun
74. Sam's Town - The Killers
73. Scratch - Kendall Payne
72. It Ain't Me, Babe - Joaquin Phoenix
71. Sgt. Major - Jet
70. You're Beautiful - James Blunt
69. Everyday Is a Holiday - Esthero w/Sean Lennon
68. The Hidden Track - Earlimart
67. Your Heart Is An Empty Room - Death Cab For Cutie
66. The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
65. Sometimes Always [cover] - The Brakes
64. I'm A Cuckoo - Belle And Sebastian
63. Hoppinpolla - Sigur Ros
62. Across The Universe - Rufus Wainwright
61. Get Through - Mark Joseph
60. I Think I Need A New Heart - The Magnetic Fields
59. Handle With Care - Jenny Lewis And The Watson Twins
58. You Are What You Love - Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins
57. Rise Up With Fists!!! - Jenny Lewis And The Watson Twins
56. MFEO: Part 1 - Jack's Mannequin
55. OLE! - The Bouncing Souls
54. Losing Lisa Ben Folds
53. Gone - Ben Folds
52. The Model - Belle And Sebastian
51. Piazza, New York Catcher - Belle And Sebastian
50. Dear Catastrophe Waitress - Belle And Sebastian
49. Blood And Peanut Butter - Camplight
48. Somewhere Across Forever - Stellastarr*
47. Are You True? - The New Amsterdams
46. Sometimes The Sun - The Lashes
45. Why Do I Keep Counting? - The Killers
44. For Reason's Unknown - The Killers
43. Stacy's Mom - Fountains of Wayne
42. Golly Sandra - Eisley
41. How To Be Dead - Snow Patrol
40. Who I Am Hates Who I've Become - Relient K
39. From California (acoustic) - The New Amsterdams
38. Uncle Jonny - The Killers
37. The Charging Sky - Jenny Lewis And The Watson Twins
36. Maybe Tomorrow - Goldenhorse
35. Baby's Been Bad - Goldenhorse
34. The Engine Driver - The Decemberists
33. I'm A Rocker - Bruce Springsteen
32. Wrapped Up In Books - Belle And Sebastian
31. You Don't Send Me - Belle And Sebastian
30. You Only Live Once - The Strokes
29. In The Sun - Michael Stipe w/Chris Martin
28. Hip Teens Don't Wear Blue Jeans - The Frank Popp Ensemble
27. Zak And Sara - Ben Folds
26. Rescued - Jack's Mannequin
25. Beautiful World - Colin Hay
24. I Hear The Bells - Mike Doughty
23. Read My Mind - The Killers
22. Sukie In The Graveyard - Belle And Sebastian
21. I Dare You - Shinedown
20. We Will Become Silouhettes - The Postal Service
19. High - James Blunt
18. Am I Just One - Carey Ott
17. We Are The Sleepyheads - Belle And Sebastian
16. Stay Loose - Belle And Sebastian
15. Forever Lost - The Magic Numbers
14. Jessica - Adam Green
13. Little By Little - Oasis
12. All You Need Is Hate - The Delgados
11. The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts - Sufjan Stevens
10. Flying High - Jem
9. I'm Gonna Make You Love Me - The Jayhawks
8. Kiss The Girl - Get Set Go
7. Drinking For 11 - The Mad Caddies
6. Crooked Teeth - Death Cab For Cutie
5. Why Does It Always Rain On Me - Travis
4. Adelaide - Old 97s
3. The Mixed Tape - Jack's Mannequin
2. Precious - Depeche Mode
1. Sunset Soon Forgotten - Iron And Wine
And it's right HERE that I realize iTunes fucked me by including 16 songs tied for #200 at the bottom of the list. So. uh... well, you do the math!
15. Kill The Messenger - Jack's Mannequin
14. If You Find Yourself Caught In Love - Belle And Sebastian
13. Butterfly - Weezer
12. Peace - Weezer
11. It Must Be Summer - Fountains of Wayne
10. Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want (cover) - Elefant
9. Defying Gravity - Wicked Soundtrack
8. Saint Simon - The Shins
7. Hackensack - Fountains of Wayne
6. Lord Anthony - Belle And Sebastian
5. Mi Mancherai (Il Postino) - Josh Groban
4. Crown of Love - The Arcade Fire
3. The Luckiest - Ben Folds
2. Telescope Eyes - Eisley
1. If She Wants Me - Belle And Sebastian
Here's an easy waste of time...
Go to iTunes... do a Smart Playlist to show songs added in 2006... sort by play count and see your favorite songs that you listened to in '06. In true Casey Kasem tradition of keeping my feet on the ground and still reaching for the stars, here's my [our] Top 200 of 2006...
(NOTE: This does have a margin for error as some songs may be artifically inflated by merging two files into one play count.)
200. The Distance - Travis
199. The Beautiful Occupation - Travis
198. Happy - Travis
197. Re-Offender - Travis
196. Gigolos Get Lonely Too - The Time
195. If I Ever Fall In Love - Shai
194. Steady As She Goes [Acoustic] - The Raconteurs
193. Three Or Four - The New Pornographers
192. Sing Me Spanish Techno - The New Pornographers
191. I Wish I Had An Evil Twin - The Magnetic Fields
190. Enterlude - The Killers
189. I've Changed [Alternative Version] - Josh Joplin Group
188. Fawkes The Phoenix - John Williams
187. Happy (Reprise) - Jenny Lewis And The Watson Twins
186. Holiday From Real - Jack's Mannequin
185. Heaven Adores You - Earlimart
184. 1st Instant/Last Report - Earlimart
183. Stable Song - Death Cab For Cutie
182. Brothers On A Hotel Bed - Death Cab For Cutie
181. Stop! - The Bens
180. Fired - Ben Folds
179. The Wrong Girl - Belle And Sebastian
178. All I Want To Do Is Rock - Travis
177. Why Does It Always Rain On Me - Travis
176. Of Montreal - The Stills
175. Pick A Part That's New - Stereophonics
174. Solitary - Skye
173. Wildwood Flower - Reese Witherspoon
172. Army Reserve - Pearl Jam
171. Wasted Reprise - Pearl Jam
170. Song Beneath The Song - Maria Taylor
169. The River Is Wild - The Killers
168. Bones - The Killers
167. Melt Your Heart - Jenny Lewis And The Watson Twins
166. Speed Trials - Elliott Smikth
165. I Wasn't Prepared - Eisley
164. The Crane Wife 3 - The Decemberists
163. The New Year - Death Cab For Cutie
162. Marching Bands Of Manhattan - Death Cab For Cutie
161. Hang On To Yourself - David Bowie
160. Hey Now Now - The Cloud Room
159. Suspended From Class - Camera Obscura
158. Cross-Fire - The Bens
157. Carrying Cathy - Ben Folds
156. Sleep The Clock Around - Belle And Sebastian
155. A Century Of Fakers - Belle And Sebastian
154. I Fought In A War - Belle And Sebastian
153. Cherry Blossom Girl (Hope Sandoval Version) - Air
152. The City Lights - Umbrellas
151. Sing - Travis
150. Square One - Tom Petty
149. Still In Love Song - The Stills
148. Love & Death - The Stills
147. Whatever's Left - Snow Patrol
146. Gleaming Auction - Snow Patrol
145. Just You And Me - Rie Sinclair
144. Steady As She Goes - The Raconteurs
143. Hey There Delilah - Plain White Ts
142. Come Back - Pearl Jam
141. Comatose - Pearl Jam
140. Mexico - Jump, Little Children
139. Bruised - Jack's Mannequin
138. Feel So Free- Ivy
137. Fire Island - Fountains of Wayne
136. Brightly Wound - Eisley
135. Hold On, Slow Down - Earlimart
134. Bruised - The Bens
133. Rockin' The Suburbs - Ben Folds
132. Roy Walker - Belle And Sebastian
131. I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor - The Arctic Monkeys
130. Everywhere [cover] - Yellowcard
129. Allison Krausse - The Stills
128. Break Your Mama's Back - Slow Runner
127. This Mess We're In - PJ Harvey and Thom Yorke
126. Parachutes - Pearl Jam
125. Time Bomb - Old 97s
124. Bling (Confessions Of A King) - The Killers
123. Is It Any Wonder? - Keane
122. Jackson - Joaquin Phoenix
121. Run Devil Run - Jenny Lewis And The Watson Twins
120. Bright Future In Sales - Fountains of Wayne
119. Got You Where I Want You - The Flys
118. My Lovely - Eisley
117. Munich - Editors
116. Live And Learn - The Cardigans
115. Annie Waits - Ben Folds
114. Step Into My Office, Baby - Belle And Sebastian
113. Wrap Your Love Around Me - The Village Green
112. Side - Travis
111. Flowers In The Window - Travis
110. Elevator Love Letter - Stars
109. Somewhere A Clock Is Ticking - Snow Patrol
108. Grazed Knees - Snow Patrol
107. False Alarm - Sloan
106. Fidelity - Regina Spektor
105. Use It - The New Pornographers
104. My List - The Killers
103. The Big Guns - Jenny Lewis And The Watson Twins
102. La La Lie - Jack's Mannequin
101. I'm Ready - Jack's Mannequin
100. Hung Up On You - Fountains of Wayne
99. Steadier Footing - Death Cab For Cutie
98. Summer Skin - Death Cab For Cutie
97. Shine Like A New Pin - Camera Obscura
96. Blackout - British Sea Power
95. Sundress (acoustic) - Ben Kweller
94. I'm Waking Up To Us - Belle And Sebastian
93. Asleep On A Sunbeam - Belle And Sebastian
92. Rubber And Soul - Arie Brun
91. Marker In The Sand - Pearl Jam
90. These Are The Fables - The New Pornographers
89. Polyester Bride - Liz Phair
88. Exitlude - The Killers
87. When You Were Young - The Killers
86. Cocaine Blues - Joaquin Phoenix
85. Dark Blue - Jack's Mannequin
84. Trolley Wood - Eisley
83. Memories - Eisley
82. Red Hot Drops - Chad Van Gaalen
81. This Modern Love - Bloc Party
80. Chicago - Sufjan Stevens
79. Chocolate - Snow Patrol
78. World Wide Suicide - Pearl Jam
77. Like U Crazy - Mates of State
76. I Don't Believe You - The Magnetic Fields
75. Lift Me - Madrugada feat. Arie Brun
74. Sam's Town - The Killers
73. Scratch - Kendall Payne
72. It Ain't Me, Babe - Joaquin Phoenix
71. Sgt. Major - Jet
70. You're Beautiful - James Blunt
69. Everyday Is a Holiday - Esthero w/Sean Lennon
68. The Hidden Track - Earlimart
67. Your Heart Is An Empty Room - Death Cab For Cutie
66. The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
65. Sometimes Always [cover] - The Brakes
64. I'm A Cuckoo - Belle And Sebastian
63. Hoppinpolla - Sigur Ros
62. Across The Universe - Rufus Wainwright
61. Get Through - Mark Joseph
60. I Think I Need A New Heart - The Magnetic Fields
59. Handle With Care - Jenny Lewis And The Watson Twins
58. You Are What You Love - Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins
57. Rise Up With Fists!!! - Jenny Lewis And The Watson Twins
56. MFEO: Part 1 - Jack's Mannequin
55. OLE! - The Bouncing Souls
54. Losing Lisa Ben Folds
53. Gone - Ben Folds
52. The Model - Belle And Sebastian
51. Piazza, New York Catcher - Belle And Sebastian
50. Dear Catastrophe Waitress - Belle And Sebastian
49. Blood And Peanut Butter - Camplight
48. Somewhere Across Forever - Stellastarr*
47. Are You True? - The New Amsterdams
46. Sometimes The Sun - The Lashes
45. Why Do I Keep Counting? - The Killers
44. For Reason's Unknown - The Killers
43. Stacy's Mom - Fountains of Wayne
42. Golly Sandra - Eisley
41. How To Be Dead - Snow Patrol
40. Who I Am Hates Who I've Become - Relient K
39. From California (acoustic) - The New Amsterdams
38. Uncle Jonny - The Killers
37. The Charging Sky - Jenny Lewis And The Watson Twins
36. Maybe Tomorrow - Goldenhorse
35. Baby's Been Bad - Goldenhorse
34. The Engine Driver - The Decemberists
33. I'm A Rocker - Bruce Springsteen
32. Wrapped Up In Books - Belle And Sebastian
31. You Don't Send Me - Belle And Sebastian
30. You Only Live Once - The Strokes
29. In The Sun - Michael Stipe w/Chris Martin
28. Hip Teens Don't Wear Blue Jeans - The Frank Popp Ensemble
27. Zak And Sara - Ben Folds
26. Rescued - Jack's Mannequin
25. Beautiful World - Colin Hay
24. I Hear The Bells - Mike Doughty
23. Read My Mind - The Killers
22. Sukie In The Graveyard - Belle And Sebastian
21. I Dare You - Shinedown
20. We Will Become Silouhettes - The Postal Service
19. High - James Blunt
18. Am I Just One - Carey Ott
17. We Are The Sleepyheads - Belle And Sebastian
16. Stay Loose - Belle And Sebastian
15. Forever Lost - The Magic Numbers
14. Jessica - Adam Green
13. Little By Little - Oasis
12. All You Need Is Hate - The Delgados
11. The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts - Sufjan Stevens
10. Flying High - Jem
9. I'm Gonna Make You Love Me - The Jayhawks
8. Kiss The Girl - Get Set Go
7. Drinking For 11 - The Mad Caddies
6. Crooked Teeth - Death Cab For Cutie
5. Why Does It Always Rain On Me - Travis
4. Adelaide - Old 97s
3. The Mixed Tape - Jack's Mannequin
2. Precious - Depeche Mode
1. Sunset Soon Forgotten - Iron And Wine
And it's right HERE that I realize iTunes fucked me by including 16 songs tied for #200 at the bottom of the list. So. uh... well, you do the math!
15. Kill The Messenger - Jack's Mannequin
14. If You Find Yourself Caught In Love - Belle And Sebastian
13. Butterfly - Weezer
12. Peace - Weezer
11. It Must Be Summer - Fountains of Wayne
10. Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want (cover) - Elefant
9. Defying Gravity - Wicked Soundtrack
8. Saint Simon - The Shins
7. Hackensack - Fountains of Wayne
6. Lord Anthony - Belle And Sebastian
5. Mi Mancherai (Il Postino) - Josh Groban
4. Crown of Love - The Arcade Fire
3. The Luckiest - Ben Folds
2. Telescope Eyes - Eisley
1. If She Wants Me - Belle And Sebastian
2006-12-12
2006-12-11
2006-11-22
Can't Be Witty Today
My friend who passed away earlier this year would have turned 30 yesterday.
...
I can't even begin to wrap my brain around that. It still seems completely unreal at times... almost impossible that someone I've known all my life is gone.
It's odd the things that'll spark him to memory though. Almost anything can do it.
I sat at the Bridge School Benefit watching Pearl Jam with a tear in my eye thinking how much he would have loved to be there.
I get e-mails from Master Replicas about their latest Star Wars collectible coming out and smile thinking how quickly he would have ordered it.
I see the Harry Potter trailer online and feel a bit of sadness that he'll never get to see how that story wraps up.
It's been a tough year for me... lots of changes personally and professionally. Turning 30 myself in about a month so that's always a... well, I guess "milestone" is a word to use.
But we continue to live. We smile, we cry... we perservere and live our lives the way we think is best. And hopefully the way he would have liked it.
We'll be getting together on Saturday night to play some poker and drink a whole hell of a lot, I'd imagine.
Just the way he would have liked it.
We miss you, buddy... and we'll never forget you.
...
I can't even begin to wrap my brain around that. It still seems completely unreal at times... almost impossible that someone I've known all my life is gone.
It's odd the things that'll spark him to memory though. Almost anything can do it.
I sat at the Bridge School Benefit watching Pearl Jam with a tear in my eye thinking how much he would have loved to be there.
I get e-mails from Master Replicas about their latest Star Wars collectible coming out and smile thinking how quickly he would have ordered it.
I see the Harry Potter trailer online and feel a bit of sadness that he'll never get to see how that story wraps up.
It's been a tough year for me... lots of changes personally and professionally. Turning 30 myself in about a month so that's always a... well, I guess "milestone" is a word to use.
But we continue to live. We smile, we cry... we perservere and live our lives the way we think is best. And hopefully the way he would have liked it.
We'll be getting together on Saturday night to play some poker and drink a whole hell of a lot, I'd imagine.
Just the way he would have liked it.
We miss you, buddy... and we'll never forget you.
2006-11-17
Think He'll Have Buyer's Remorse?
And no, I didn't Photoshop this. This was a legit eBay page at around 7 AM PST this morning.
2006-10-16
Tracy Morgan Is A Jedi!
So, I've got a few extra minutes in the day suddenly as I find myself working a 6AM-3PM shift for the next two weeks. Whatever shall I do with all that extra time at home.
...
Which brings us here.
Lots of stuff I could write about... lots of topics "in the news."
The Dodgers' season is tragically over... and I've got no real excuses for them other than, "Damn, the Mets are pretty good."
The Lakers' season is about to start... and half the team is injured already including the coach. Not a good sign.
Cinemax is showing all six Star Wars movies in order... AND IN HD! That's definite cause for celebration and likely a sick day if I had my druthers.
Kurt Angle in TNA? Weird.
Rich Franklin destroyed? Neat!
Ahhh... the new TV season. That seems Post-Worthy.
My viewing schedule is pretty cramped this season thus far... even without a few early drops [Smith, Jericho, Justice].
Monday is crazy... take a look...
How I Met Your Mother is off to a great start for their second season. You have to wonder in the back of your mind how long they can really go before introducing the mother but as long as NPH is there in his brilliant greatness, I'm along for the ride to find out.
The Class - What's this? A second CBS show on my viewing slate?! This one is... interesting. I haven't decided how much I like it yet but it's been good for a few laughs in the first few weeks.
Heroes - Sodding brilliant! I'm enjoying the hell out of this one so far. Curious to see where it leads.
Studio 60 - My absolute favorite new show of the season. It's a damn shame that the ratings suck because this truly is Sorkin's return to brilliance. It seems to be one of those "too smart for the mass populace" shows that die a painful and regretful death [see: Arrested Development] because the people who watched Everybody Loves Raymond for ten years can't keep up with it. Tis a shame. I think it's not long for this time slot at minimum... maybe not long for this world which will make me angry.
Weeds - Love it. Love, love, love it. I adore Mary Louise Parker to no end. Showtime could put on 30 minutes of her doing her nails and I'd be riveted. And in HD? Ohhhh, lawd have mercy.
And somewhere in there, I still manage to find time for Raw. When 24 comes back? We may have a problem. I'm running out of TVs. Oh, and I forgot What About Brian which made its return last week. A fun show but I'm going to have trouble squeezing it into the viewing pattern every week.
Tuesday
-------
Damn all of you! All of you fuckers not watching Veronica Mars religiously and making me afraid someone's going to rip it off my TV! WATCH! PLEEEEEEEASE! You so won't regret it. I promise. I swear. Would I lie?
Other than that, Tuesday is my "catchup" night to watch everything that I couldn't on Monday.
Oh, and ECW gets squeezed in there somewhere too usually to be watched in fast forward on the weekend.
Wednesday
---------
I watched 30 Rock last week. I was surprised at how funny it was. It bombed in the ratings though so I probably shouldn't get attached but any show that had an underwear-clad Tracy Morgan running through traffic with a lightsaber screaming "I AM A JEDI!" gets my support for the moment.
I DVRd 20 Good Years... haven't watched it yet. Don't know if I will.
LOST!! I'm still a Lost junkie. The first five minutes of this season absolutely floored me. I adore this show and a curse on all of those haters talking it down. If you're not watching Lost, you should be... you still should be.
The Nine has been DVRd twice... and hasn't been watched yet. Not sure it will either.
Thursday
--------
After giving up on Earl three eps in last season, I've decided to try it again. I haven't been disappointed so far. It's a funny bone tickler that warms me up for...
THE OFFICE! Whereas The Office won the "Funniest Show on TV" title last season sorta by default when AD went belly-up, it really earned it towards the last half of the season. This season has been great so far as well and is easily one of my most eagerly anticipated shows of the week.
Ugly Betty. Eh. It's okay.
Gray's Anatomy. Not really feeling this season of this. It's too much of a downer.
Six Degrees. This one's okay. It doesn't make me want to turn the TV off so that's a good thing, right?
The Ultimate Fighter. Oh, this season blows but Matt Serra makes me tune in every week for his comedy-filled cornerwork.
TNA Impact. Taped for a very, very, very fast forward later in the week.
Friday
-----
I tape Smackdown out of habit. I usually visually skim it very quickly on the weekend... but sometimes just end up deleting it. Lately, it seems like I've been watching wrestling out of force of habit moreso than any kind of enjoyment of it.
Saturday
-------
Nothing! It's catchup day.
Sunday
------
Desperate Housewives is it. It's been better than last year. Pretty entertaining.
And that's that!
...
Which brings us here.
Lots of stuff I could write about... lots of topics "in the news."
The Dodgers' season is tragically over... and I've got no real excuses for them other than, "Damn, the Mets are pretty good."
The Lakers' season is about to start... and half the team is injured already including the coach. Not a good sign.
Cinemax is showing all six Star Wars movies in order... AND IN HD! That's definite cause for celebration and likely a sick day if I had my druthers.
Kurt Angle in TNA? Weird.
Rich Franklin destroyed? Neat!
Ahhh... the new TV season. That seems Post-Worthy.
My viewing schedule is pretty cramped this season thus far... even without a few early drops [Smith, Jericho, Justice].
Monday is crazy... take a look...
How I Met Your Mother is off to a great start for their second season. You have to wonder in the back of your mind how long they can really go before introducing the mother but as long as NPH is there in his brilliant greatness, I'm along for the ride to find out.
The Class - What's this? A second CBS show on my viewing slate?! This one is... interesting. I haven't decided how much I like it yet but it's been good for a few laughs in the first few weeks.
Heroes - Sodding brilliant! I'm enjoying the hell out of this one so far. Curious to see where it leads.
Studio 60 - My absolute favorite new show of the season. It's a damn shame that the ratings suck because this truly is Sorkin's return to brilliance. It seems to be one of those "too smart for the mass populace" shows that die a painful and regretful death [see: Arrested Development] because the people who watched Everybody Loves Raymond for ten years can't keep up with it. Tis a shame. I think it's not long for this time slot at minimum... maybe not long for this world which will make me angry.
Weeds - Love it. Love, love, love it. I adore Mary Louise Parker to no end. Showtime could put on 30 minutes of her doing her nails and I'd be riveted. And in HD? Ohhhh, lawd have mercy.
And somewhere in there, I still manage to find time for Raw. When 24 comes back? We may have a problem. I'm running out of TVs. Oh, and I forgot What About Brian which made its return last week. A fun show but I'm going to have trouble squeezing it into the viewing pattern every week.
Tuesday
-------
Damn all of you! All of you fuckers not watching Veronica Mars religiously and making me afraid someone's going to rip it off my TV! WATCH! PLEEEEEEEASE! You so won't regret it. I promise. I swear. Would I lie?
Other than that, Tuesday is my "catchup" night to watch everything that I couldn't on Monday.
Oh, and ECW gets squeezed in there somewhere too usually to be watched in fast forward on the weekend.
Wednesday
---------
I watched 30 Rock last week. I was surprised at how funny it was. It bombed in the ratings though so I probably shouldn't get attached but any show that had an underwear-clad Tracy Morgan running through traffic with a lightsaber screaming "I AM A JEDI!" gets my support for the moment.
I DVRd 20 Good Years... haven't watched it yet. Don't know if I will.
LOST!! I'm still a Lost junkie. The first five minutes of this season absolutely floored me. I adore this show and a curse on all of those haters talking it down. If you're not watching Lost, you should be... you still should be.
The Nine has been DVRd twice... and hasn't been watched yet. Not sure it will either.
Thursday
--------
After giving up on Earl three eps in last season, I've decided to try it again. I haven't been disappointed so far. It's a funny bone tickler that warms me up for...
THE OFFICE! Whereas The Office won the "Funniest Show on TV" title last season sorta by default when AD went belly-up, it really earned it towards the last half of the season. This season has been great so far as well and is easily one of my most eagerly anticipated shows of the week.
Ugly Betty. Eh. It's okay.
Gray's Anatomy. Not really feeling this season of this. It's too much of a downer.
Six Degrees. This one's okay. It doesn't make me want to turn the TV off so that's a good thing, right?
The Ultimate Fighter. Oh, this season blows but Matt Serra makes me tune in every week for his comedy-filled cornerwork.
TNA Impact. Taped for a very, very, very fast forward later in the week.
Friday
-----
I tape Smackdown out of habit. I usually visually skim it very quickly on the weekend... but sometimes just end up deleting it. Lately, it seems like I've been watching wrestling out of force of habit moreso than any kind of enjoyment of it.
Saturday
-------
Nothing! It's catchup day.
Sunday
------
Desperate Housewives is it. It's been better than last year. Pretty entertaining.
And that's that!
2006-10-07
2006-10-06
Some Things Just Don't Need An Intro
Much love to ya, Markus.
"So I am watching the Yankees/Tigers game tonight and they have Ernie Harwell on the TV being interviewed. He used to be one of the broadcasters for the Brooklyn Dodgers and is the Tigers radio broadcaster.
As the interview goes on, they talk about the times when he broadcasted when Jackie Robinson was on the team and they mention a few other players.
During this time, Joe Morgan had to interject, "That was when they were the REAL Dodgers."
Now I know why you dislike all that is Joe Morgan. And that is why Joe Morgan is a Buttfucker."
"So I am watching the Yankees/Tigers game tonight and they have Ernie Harwell on the TV being interviewed. He used to be one of the broadcasters for the Brooklyn Dodgers and is the Tigers radio broadcaster.
As the interview goes on, they talk about the times when he broadcasted when Jackie Robinson was on the team and they mention a few other players.
During this time, Joe Morgan had to interject, "That was when they were the REAL Dodgers."
Now I know why you dislike all that is Joe Morgan. And that is why Joe Morgan is a Buttfucker."
2006-09-27
New Beginnings
I've gotta admit... this whole blogging thing never quite panned out as I had expected. I pictured myself posting everyday, enlisting a legion of shee- err, readers who would wander the earth to carry out my most evil of plots.
...
Or something like that.
But between the new job and other recent events, I just seem to push off my "writing hour" every night.
Yes, I'm supposed to have a "writing hour."
At Comic-Con this year, I went to a panel called "Fans Turned Pro"... supposed to be some kind of inspirational talk designed for inspiring writers to somehow glean something of great brilliance in a 60 minute panel.
What did I take away from it?
Brad Meltzer, while working a "day job", promised himself that no matter what he'd write an hour a night, just to keep sharp while working towards publishing his first novel. I really like Meltzer's comic work... his novel that I read wasn't too shabby either... so I thought this was a hell of an idea.
I adopted his plan, determined to spend at least sixty minutes writing every night. Be it on here... something more creative... whatever.
But so go the best laid plans of mice and men.
I think I've written one hour total since then maybe. Of course, I could give you the excuses... crazy project at work... really busy weekends... umm... uhhh...
Eh... I'm just lazy.
Go Dodgers!
...
Or something like that.
But between the new job and other recent events, I just seem to push off my "writing hour" every night.
Yes, I'm supposed to have a "writing hour."
At Comic-Con this year, I went to a panel called "Fans Turned Pro"... supposed to be some kind of inspirational talk designed for inspiring writers to somehow glean something of great brilliance in a 60 minute panel.
What did I take away from it?
Brad Meltzer, while working a "day job", promised himself that no matter what he'd write an hour a night, just to keep sharp while working towards publishing his first novel. I really like Meltzer's comic work... his novel that I read wasn't too shabby either... so I thought this was a hell of an idea.
I adopted his plan, determined to spend at least sixty minutes writing every night. Be it on here... something more creative... whatever.
But so go the best laid plans of mice and men.
I think I've written one hour total since then maybe. Of course, I could give you the excuses... crazy project at work... really busy weekends... umm... uhhh...
Eh... I'm just lazy.
Go Dodgers!
2006-09-24
2006-09-11
In Remembrance
A little over a month since my last post and unfortunately for those looking for something a little brighter in tone, this one's going to be a bit depressing.
When Brian called me to tell me about our friend's funeral, we had the same thought at the same time...
"What if they want us to say something?"
It's a reasonable concern. They say that people fear public speaking more than death itself. At one time, that probably would have been me as well... hasn't been that way for a long time though. I wasn't worried about that.
What freaked me out was the modern day trend of "open mic" eulogies... those funerals where they turn over the mic to the crowd and offer time for anyone who wants to say something.
Not that I was afraid to get up there really... I was concerned that I couldn't do it... that I'd be physically unable to get the words out.
But my greatest fear was no one doing it... was everyone sitting and staring. People don't like public speaking... there'd be no shame and not getting up to say your part on an emotional day.
But I wouldn't let it happen. Brian and I pledged we'd have something in our head... something to say if we needed to. Something to say... just in case.
It turned out not to be needed. They had one person speak and that's it. They didn't need to hear our words.
But somehow I've continued to keep mine in my head... somehow I think I need to "say" it.
So, in the hopes of one more step towards closure, I give you my eulogy to the best of my recollection.
***
I've known Danny for over twenty years... and yeah, I'm going to call him Danny. I never got used to the whole "Dan" thing. It's hard to change someone's name in your own head after such a long time.
Danny's been my friend for over twenty years... something that not a lot of people can say these days. These days most people change friends every few years... calling them "accquaintances" to make it somehow better. But Danny was my friend.
In a lot of ways, none of this seems real to me yet. For the past week, I've felt like that any second I'd snap out of it... that I'd wake up and find out it was all a really bad dream. I keep thinking I'll wake up and find myself back in high school, Danny rocking back and forth in a chair, beating me senseless in his latest video game he'd bought... or sitting in his living room getting mad at me for reading comics quicker than him. That's the Danny I'll remember.
But being here today, it's kind of a reality check. This really is all happening. This isn't going away. It's something we all have to find a way to deal with.
To me, Danny will always be the friend who was ready to do anything at anytime. I'm sure every group of friends has one... Danny was ours. He was the guy who would be driving around the desert in the morning, hear an ad on the radio, and drive all the way to San Diego for a concert that night. He didn't argue about it. He never had "better things to do." That wasn't Danny.
To me, Danny was the friend who was always there for me. I may not have realized it a month ago... but I do now. He was the one who I shared a locker with in high school... the one who offered to share his locker with me even though he'd gotten up early to get one and I had gotten there too late. He didn't care. He offered it and didn't hesitate. He was the one who I spent every Wednesday after school with for almost two years, racing down Main Street to the comic store, then going to his house to read everything we'd bought. He helped me move when we'd barely talked in months. He'd call to offer concert tickets when we hadn't seen each other in ages. No matter how many days, weeks, months it had been... he'd be there and he wouldn't hesitate to do it.
In my life, I was never lucky enough to have a sibling. I've always been a little jealous of that bond. But what I was lucky enough to have is a group of friends that I can't imagine being closer to if we were blood. Danny was one of those friends.
So, to me... today, I feel like I lost more than a friend. In a lot of ways, I feel like I lost a brother.
I was fortunate enough to see Danny a couple weeks ago while he was in the hospital. It was only for an hour and a half or so... but it felt like we'd never skipped a beat. We could just as easily have had the same conversation one day after high school... or on the way to a Pearl Jam concert... or hanging out around his dining room table playing poker. It wasn't the conversation you'd expect to have with someone in his situation. He was full of hope... his spirits were high. We talked about going to the Star Wars convention next May he wanted to go to so badly.
And just like that... it was over. Like I said, it just doesn't seem real.
One of the last things Danny said to me that day before I left was, "I hope if nothing else... what I'm going through makes you guys really live your lives."
And I believe he meant that. Even with all the pain he was in... with how afraid he must have been inside, he was thinking of us. He was hopeful that we'd see what he went through and realize that it really could have been any of us. I'm about one month younger than Danny... and trust me, that fact has not been lost on me over the past few weeks. It really could have been any of us.
So, I hope... I really hope that if you are going to take something away from this service today, I hope it's that. I hope that you take hold of that hope... that wish that Danny had. I hope you go home tonight and look at your life... and find that thing you've always wanted to do... that place you've always wanted to go. Find it... and do it. Go on that trip. Write that novel. Get married. Have kids. Whatever it is that you've been pushing off til later, do it... because if we've learned anything in this past month, there may not be a later.
I think the greatest gift... the greatest tribute that any of us could pay to Danny's memory would be to sit back a year from now... one year from today and examine your life. I hope that you all find something... anything... that you did that Danny inspired you to do. Something you wouldn't have done without that wish that we would all go and live our lives like every day is the last. I think... I believe that's the least we can do for someone who meant so much to all of us.
I'm going to let someone else come up here now and share their memories... but before I do, I've got one thing left to say to Danny... and a lot of people will laugh... but I do it because I know Danny would have loved it.
The Force will be with you, my friend... always.
***
When Brian called me to tell me about our friend's funeral, we had the same thought at the same time...
"What if they want us to say something?"
It's a reasonable concern. They say that people fear public speaking more than death itself. At one time, that probably would have been me as well... hasn't been that way for a long time though. I wasn't worried about that.
What freaked me out was the modern day trend of "open mic" eulogies... those funerals where they turn over the mic to the crowd and offer time for anyone who wants to say something.
Not that I was afraid to get up there really... I was concerned that I couldn't do it... that I'd be physically unable to get the words out.
But my greatest fear was no one doing it... was everyone sitting and staring. People don't like public speaking... there'd be no shame and not getting up to say your part on an emotional day.
But I wouldn't let it happen. Brian and I pledged we'd have something in our head... something to say if we needed to. Something to say... just in case.
It turned out not to be needed. They had one person speak and that's it. They didn't need to hear our words.
But somehow I've continued to keep mine in my head... somehow I think I need to "say" it.
So, in the hopes of one more step towards closure, I give you my eulogy to the best of my recollection.
***
I've known Danny for over twenty years... and yeah, I'm going to call him Danny. I never got used to the whole "Dan" thing. It's hard to change someone's name in your own head after such a long time.
Danny's been my friend for over twenty years... something that not a lot of people can say these days. These days most people change friends every few years... calling them "accquaintances" to make it somehow better. But Danny was my friend.
In a lot of ways, none of this seems real to me yet. For the past week, I've felt like that any second I'd snap out of it... that I'd wake up and find out it was all a really bad dream. I keep thinking I'll wake up and find myself back in high school, Danny rocking back and forth in a chair, beating me senseless in his latest video game he'd bought... or sitting in his living room getting mad at me for reading comics quicker than him. That's the Danny I'll remember.
But being here today, it's kind of a reality check. This really is all happening. This isn't going away. It's something we all have to find a way to deal with.
To me, Danny will always be the friend who was ready to do anything at anytime. I'm sure every group of friends has one... Danny was ours. He was the guy who would be driving around the desert in the morning, hear an ad on the radio, and drive all the way to San Diego for a concert that night. He didn't argue about it. He never had "better things to do." That wasn't Danny.
To me, Danny was the friend who was always there for me. I may not have realized it a month ago... but I do now. He was the one who I shared a locker with in high school... the one who offered to share his locker with me even though he'd gotten up early to get one and I had gotten there too late. He didn't care. He offered it and didn't hesitate. He was the one who I spent every Wednesday after school with for almost two years, racing down Main Street to the comic store, then going to his house to read everything we'd bought. He helped me move when we'd barely talked in months. He'd call to offer concert tickets when we hadn't seen each other in ages. No matter how many days, weeks, months it had been... he'd be there and he wouldn't hesitate to do it.
In my life, I was never lucky enough to have a sibling. I've always been a little jealous of that bond. But what I was lucky enough to have is a group of friends that I can't imagine being closer to if we were blood. Danny was one of those friends.
So, to me... today, I feel like I lost more than a friend. In a lot of ways, I feel like I lost a brother.
I was fortunate enough to see Danny a couple weeks ago while he was in the hospital. It was only for an hour and a half or so... but it felt like we'd never skipped a beat. We could just as easily have had the same conversation one day after high school... or on the way to a Pearl Jam concert... or hanging out around his dining room table playing poker. It wasn't the conversation you'd expect to have with someone in his situation. He was full of hope... his spirits were high. We talked about going to the Star Wars convention next May he wanted to go to so badly.
And just like that... it was over. Like I said, it just doesn't seem real.
One of the last things Danny said to me that day before I left was, "I hope if nothing else... what I'm going through makes you guys really live your lives."
And I believe he meant that. Even with all the pain he was in... with how afraid he must have been inside, he was thinking of us. He was hopeful that we'd see what he went through and realize that it really could have been any of us. I'm about one month younger than Danny... and trust me, that fact has not been lost on me over the past few weeks. It really could have been any of us.
So, I hope... I really hope that if you are going to take something away from this service today, I hope it's that. I hope that you take hold of that hope... that wish that Danny had. I hope you go home tonight and look at your life... and find that thing you've always wanted to do... that place you've always wanted to go. Find it... and do it. Go on that trip. Write that novel. Get married. Have kids. Whatever it is that you've been pushing off til later, do it... because if we've learned anything in this past month, there may not be a later.
I think the greatest gift... the greatest tribute that any of us could pay to Danny's memory would be to sit back a year from now... one year from today and examine your life. I hope that you all find something... anything... that you did that Danny inspired you to do. Something you wouldn't have done without that wish that we would all go and live our lives like every day is the last. I think... I believe that's the least we can do for someone who meant so much to all of us.
I'm going to let someone else come up here now and share their memories... but before I do, I've got one thing left to say to Danny... and a lot of people will laugh... but I do it because I know Danny would have loved it.
The Force will be with you, my friend... always.
***
2006-08-09
The Fragile
This one's gonna be a little different.
They say that creative people use their respective outlets as a way to express their emotions... a way to shine their happiness, to rage with their anger, to engage in war with their frustrations.
And I would imagine... to cry with their sorrow.
What do you do when you can't speak without your voice cracking... you can't blink without tears covering your face? When your heart is breaking apart and all the glue in the world couldn't stand a chance of healing it?
I can't speak. I can barely think. I feel like the entire world is crashing down all around me. It just doesn't seem real. It seems like I'm gonna get a jab in the ribs from B and told to stop talking in my sleep.
It seems impossible... that the day will simply shrink away and everything will be right again.
A friend has died.
It comes like a thunderstorm. A call from another friend... the ringtone alone sending chills down my spine. It was just a few short weeks ago that my friend sent a text "In the hospital. Have leukemia."
In a day when you read of people getting fired through texting, it seems almost unreal to use that medium to tell your friends that you've got cancer... but that was my friend. Always unique. Always doing things the way they shouldn't be done. My heart fell to my knees when I read it but there was still the gimmer of hope. The thought that maybe it wasn't as cold and chilling as it sounded. Leukemia.
It's the thing you always hear about with kids... never someone your own age. And then the feeling sets in. He's 29... he was months from turning 30. Just like me. And he's got cancer. Your entire perspective on reality shifts. "If it can happen to him then..." You start counting up the things you haven't done... the things you wish you hadn't done... the things that you've been pushing off "for later" and then it sinks in.
What happens when there's no more later?
It's selfish, I know... to drown in your own mortality while your friend is battling for his life in a hospital bed. But it's unavoidable. First, you feel frightened... then comes the guilt.
Why wasn't I a better friend? Why do I have to admit that we barely spoke outside of e-mails and text messages? Why do I have to freely admit that he was frequently the butt of jokes? It doesn't seem fair. It's some kind of cruel twist of fate.
A few days before we got the news, another friend of ours got engaged saying, "We needed a reason to all get together again." Upon parting that night, he commented that we only all get together at weddings anymore. I flippantly replied, "Soon it'll be funerals."
I've hated myself for that for three weeks now. It's that superstitious nature in us all that says somehow we contributed... somehow we said the wrong thing... we tempted fate and made someone else suffer for it. I know it's a ludicrous thought but I can't fight it off.
I was sick when I got the news. Emotionally sick, sure. But physically as well. I had a cold and couldn't risk making the situation worse by dragging my diseased self into his room. I called, of course... we all called. But somehow it just didn't feel like it was enough.
He sounded fine... great. I had a better conversation with him than we'd had in years. He was talking about future plans... about going to this event... going to do this and that. He was in high spirits even though he'd started chemotherapy. They told him they thought they caught it early... they told him that he had an eighty percent chance. It all sounded great. The glimmer grew stronger... a beacon of hope to keep us all from losing ourselves.
I finally got to see him a week or so later. Almost exactly a week ago. I'd heard from others who had gone. "He looks great... strong as can be." "He looks pretty bad but he seems in good spirits." You have to see it for yourself. I felt twisted inside. His parents were there... so full of high spirits. They were talking about him getting out this week... about buying him a new car... about having a poker night for him at their new house. It all seemed to be almost past us... like we had almost creeped over the darkness and all that was beyond us was light.
But it just wasn't right. He looked so pained... so uncomfortable. He wasn't him... but I kept thinking that he would be. That everything would be fine once he got back into the real world. He was a fighter... he's a tough son of a bitch. All the comforting words that people tell each other... I started to buy into it. I thought everything was bright and shiny. He talked a lot about things he wanted to do... about places he thought we should go. He wanted nothing more than to go to the Star Wars convention in LA with me next year. He was so excited about it... so enthused.
I left that day without a worry... without a drop of concern. Somehow I'd managed to convince myself that we were all going to be fine. It was just a blip on the radar... a hiccup in the game of life. He was going to be fine... we all were.
Another week went by. A few calls from friend to friend... asking if we'd heard anything... if we'd spoken to him. The calls grew a little more concerned by the end of the week when it seemed like no one had for a few days.
Then our world got rocked on Sunday. He had taken "a turn for the worse"... a phrase that I'll never be able to hear the same way again. All the joy was ripped out of me. I couldn't believe it. He was in intensive care and "it didn't look good." I couldn't understand... I couldn't wrap my brain around it. "But he was fine on Saturday! They were going to let him out this week!" No one could understand what had happened but we knew... we just knew.
I think I've been prepared since then. The optimist in me held out hope. A call on Monday morning from yet another friend made things darker as he believed they'd put him on life support. It was darkness. Total darkness.
Yet you try to live. You still have to work... you still have to live. The guilt hangs heavy throughout... like you shouldn't be laughing... hell, you shouldn't even be smiling. You batter yourself emotionally. "How the hell can I be laughing at some sitcom while my friend is fighting for his life?" I don't know. I can't answer that. It's just... somehow you have to. If you don't, you'll drown in the darkness. You just... you have to.
No word yesterday. Which almost seemed encouraging to me. I dreaded my phone ringing. I dreaded the news it might bring. Work-related calls brought me joy because they couldn't be what I feared.
And today? The gunshot to the heart.
"He passed away last night."
It rings... echoes through your brain. How? Why?
Especially why.
In a world so dominated by religion, belief, and fate... someone tell me why? Someone explain to me how this fits a divine plan... a holy vision.
How does it make sense for someone not even thirty with a family and friends who loved him... with nephews who adored him...
It's just not right.
I mocked him... relentlessly at times... but I always knew he was a good person. He had his moments where I wanted to strangle him... but never because he was a thoughtless, souless being.
He cared. He loved. He helped.
It's not... it can't be right.
This day can't be happening... it just can't.
Nothing in the world makes sense to me. Nothing stands up right. Everything is broken... twisted... shattered.
Mortality. Friendship. Belief. Emotion. Guilt. Love.
Nothing is the same as it was yesterday. Nothing is right.
The tears continue to roll. My eyes sting as I try to type. My mom was concerned about me... thought I was going to make myself sick as I could barely talk when I spoke to her. I was more concerned about her. Now she has to live with the thought that someone my age... someone she's known for most of his life has died. How can she spend the day not wondering what his parents must be feeling... what it must feel like to lose a child?
I had to call one of our friends to tell him. He sounded shocked... stunned. Like he couldn't believe it. And then he asks if I'm okay. My voice is cracking... I can barely think... my world is crashing and burning...
"Yeah, I'm okay"
I am, I suppose. Like I said, you have to... you just have to live.
Brain. Heart. Soul. It all hurts... and it probably will for a long, long while.
But you just have to live.
One of the last things he ever got to say to me is, "I hope if nothing else... what I'm going through inspires you guys to really live your lives."
You got it, my friend. For you... and all you meant to all of us... it's the least we can do.
We love you, man.
Rest in peace.
They say that creative people use their respective outlets as a way to express their emotions... a way to shine their happiness, to rage with their anger, to engage in war with their frustrations.
And I would imagine... to cry with their sorrow.
What do you do when you can't speak without your voice cracking... you can't blink without tears covering your face? When your heart is breaking apart and all the glue in the world couldn't stand a chance of healing it?
I can't speak. I can barely think. I feel like the entire world is crashing down all around me. It just doesn't seem real. It seems like I'm gonna get a jab in the ribs from B and told to stop talking in my sleep.
It seems impossible... that the day will simply shrink away and everything will be right again.
A friend has died.
It comes like a thunderstorm. A call from another friend... the ringtone alone sending chills down my spine. It was just a few short weeks ago that my friend sent a text "In the hospital. Have leukemia."
In a day when you read of people getting fired through texting, it seems almost unreal to use that medium to tell your friends that you've got cancer... but that was my friend. Always unique. Always doing things the way they shouldn't be done. My heart fell to my knees when I read it but there was still the gimmer of hope. The thought that maybe it wasn't as cold and chilling as it sounded. Leukemia.
It's the thing you always hear about with kids... never someone your own age. And then the feeling sets in. He's 29... he was months from turning 30. Just like me. And he's got cancer. Your entire perspective on reality shifts. "If it can happen to him then..." You start counting up the things you haven't done... the things you wish you hadn't done... the things that you've been pushing off "for later" and then it sinks in.
What happens when there's no more later?
It's selfish, I know... to drown in your own mortality while your friend is battling for his life in a hospital bed. But it's unavoidable. First, you feel frightened... then comes the guilt.
Why wasn't I a better friend? Why do I have to admit that we barely spoke outside of e-mails and text messages? Why do I have to freely admit that he was frequently the butt of jokes? It doesn't seem fair. It's some kind of cruel twist of fate.
A few days before we got the news, another friend of ours got engaged saying, "We needed a reason to all get together again." Upon parting that night, he commented that we only all get together at weddings anymore. I flippantly replied, "Soon it'll be funerals."
I've hated myself for that for three weeks now. It's that superstitious nature in us all that says somehow we contributed... somehow we said the wrong thing... we tempted fate and made someone else suffer for it. I know it's a ludicrous thought but I can't fight it off.
I was sick when I got the news. Emotionally sick, sure. But physically as well. I had a cold and couldn't risk making the situation worse by dragging my diseased self into his room. I called, of course... we all called. But somehow it just didn't feel like it was enough.
He sounded fine... great. I had a better conversation with him than we'd had in years. He was talking about future plans... about going to this event... going to do this and that. He was in high spirits even though he'd started chemotherapy. They told him they thought they caught it early... they told him that he had an eighty percent chance. It all sounded great. The glimmer grew stronger... a beacon of hope to keep us all from losing ourselves.
I finally got to see him a week or so later. Almost exactly a week ago. I'd heard from others who had gone. "He looks great... strong as can be." "He looks pretty bad but he seems in good spirits." You have to see it for yourself. I felt twisted inside. His parents were there... so full of high spirits. They were talking about him getting out this week... about buying him a new car... about having a poker night for him at their new house. It all seemed to be almost past us... like we had almost creeped over the darkness and all that was beyond us was light.
But it just wasn't right. He looked so pained... so uncomfortable. He wasn't him... but I kept thinking that he would be. That everything would be fine once he got back into the real world. He was a fighter... he's a tough son of a bitch. All the comforting words that people tell each other... I started to buy into it. I thought everything was bright and shiny. He talked a lot about things he wanted to do... about places he thought we should go. He wanted nothing more than to go to the Star Wars convention in LA with me next year. He was so excited about it... so enthused.
I left that day without a worry... without a drop of concern. Somehow I'd managed to convince myself that we were all going to be fine. It was just a blip on the radar... a hiccup in the game of life. He was going to be fine... we all were.
Another week went by. A few calls from friend to friend... asking if we'd heard anything... if we'd spoken to him. The calls grew a little more concerned by the end of the week when it seemed like no one had for a few days.
Then our world got rocked on Sunday. He had taken "a turn for the worse"... a phrase that I'll never be able to hear the same way again. All the joy was ripped out of me. I couldn't believe it. He was in intensive care and "it didn't look good." I couldn't understand... I couldn't wrap my brain around it. "But he was fine on Saturday! They were going to let him out this week!" No one could understand what had happened but we knew... we just knew.
I think I've been prepared since then. The optimist in me held out hope. A call on Monday morning from yet another friend made things darker as he believed they'd put him on life support. It was darkness. Total darkness.
Yet you try to live. You still have to work... you still have to live. The guilt hangs heavy throughout... like you shouldn't be laughing... hell, you shouldn't even be smiling. You batter yourself emotionally. "How the hell can I be laughing at some sitcom while my friend is fighting for his life?" I don't know. I can't answer that. It's just... somehow you have to. If you don't, you'll drown in the darkness. You just... you have to.
No word yesterday. Which almost seemed encouraging to me. I dreaded my phone ringing. I dreaded the news it might bring. Work-related calls brought me joy because they couldn't be what I feared.
And today? The gunshot to the heart.
"He passed away last night."
It rings... echoes through your brain. How? Why?
Especially why.
In a world so dominated by religion, belief, and fate... someone tell me why? Someone explain to me how this fits a divine plan... a holy vision.
How does it make sense for someone not even thirty with a family and friends who loved him... with nephews who adored him...
It's just not right.
I mocked him... relentlessly at times... but I always knew he was a good person. He had his moments where I wanted to strangle him... but never because he was a thoughtless, souless being.
He cared. He loved. He helped.
It's not... it can't be right.
This day can't be happening... it just can't.
Nothing in the world makes sense to me. Nothing stands up right. Everything is broken... twisted... shattered.
Mortality. Friendship. Belief. Emotion. Guilt. Love.
Nothing is the same as it was yesterday. Nothing is right.
The tears continue to roll. My eyes sting as I try to type. My mom was concerned about me... thought I was going to make myself sick as I could barely talk when I spoke to her. I was more concerned about her. Now she has to live with the thought that someone my age... someone she's known for most of his life has died. How can she spend the day not wondering what his parents must be feeling... what it must feel like to lose a child?
I had to call one of our friends to tell him. He sounded shocked... stunned. Like he couldn't believe it. And then he asks if I'm okay. My voice is cracking... I can barely think... my world is crashing and burning...
"Yeah, I'm okay"
I am, I suppose. Like I said, you have to... you just have to live.
Brain. Heart. Soul. It all hurts... and it probably will for a long, long while.
But you just have to live.
One of the last things he ever got to say to me is, "I hope if nothing else... what I'm going through inspires you guys to really live your lives."
You got it, my friend. For you... and all you meant to all of us... it's the least we can do.
We love you, man.
Rest in peace.
2006-08-03
Insomnia
Well, as I note that it's been almost two months since I've posted, it only seems logical that this post would be inspired by something I just couldn't avoid...
Insomnia.
Don't get me wrong. I've never been someone who has had trouble sleeping at all. By far, it's usually the exact opposite. In fact, I could probably count on one hand the number of times in my life when I just could not sleep at all... that is, if I could remember the last one.
I can remember two. One vividly, one very much not so. The "very much not so" was some random Christmas as a youngster. I remember getting the "if you don't go to sleep, Santa won't come" lecture but try as I might to avoid that fate, I just couldn't. In fact, if my memory isn't clouded by days of future past, I think I actually "wandered" into the living room at like 3 AM to try and catch a glimpse of what big item Santa had arrived with... you know, the thing that wasn't under the tree the night before but suddenly arrived during the night. Good times.
The other that comes to mind was the night before my family went to Florida in '89. We were going for two weeks, splitting time between Disney World and Vero Beach, spring training home for the Dodgers. Obviously, that combination alone was exciting as all hell. The hype for the trip was unbearable as for nearly a year, I read Disney World guide after guide... going as far as my mom actually having to laminate the cover on one because it was getting trashed from me reading it so much. Ahhhh, to be young again. So a mixture of that excitement with a little trepidation over my first plane flight tossed in led to a very restless night before the trip.
As I write this, it strikes me as a bizarre parallel to the change we go through in life from childhood to adulthood.
You see, the reason I can't sleep tonight is because some fucking retard I work with called me at a hair before 3 AM to ask a completely boneheaded question that I shouldn't have to answer at 3 AM if she'd actually put in some fucking effort before calling me. Just because her bitch ass is getting paid to be up at 2 AM... mine is not. So when the sultry sounds of "Livin' On A Prayer" erupted from my phone at slightly before 3 AM, I expected an emergency of epic proportions. Instead, I got steamed. As a result, I'm going to end up with about four hours of sleep on the night... luckily I went to sleep earlier than usual. I'll be a complete wreck at work tomorrow and who do we have to blame? The fucking temp who is too dumb to live... who offends me by forcing me to share oxygen on the same planet with her.
Where's my point again?
Oh yeah. The parallel.
As a youth, my sleeplessness is caused by excitement... by anticipation... by dreaming of what's to come the following day. The kind of thing that a kid should be experiencing.
As an adult?
It's caused by a fucking retard who is too selfish and lazy to kindly remove her head from her ass so I don't get a wicked echo when she calls me.
Ahhh... that's why I draw comparisons to the great philosophers, you know?
Insomnia.
Don't get me wrong. I've never been someone who has had trouble sleeping at all. By far, it's usually the exact opposite. In fact, I could probably count on one hand the number of times in my life when I just could not sleep at all... that is, if I could remember the last one.
I can remember two. One vividly, one very much not so. The "very much not so" was some random Christmas as a youngster. I remember getting the "if you don't go to sleep, Santa won't come" lecture but try as I might to avoid that fate, I just couldn't. In fact, if my memory isn't clouded by days of future past, I think I actually "wandered" into the living room at like 3 AM to try and catch a glimpse of what big item Santa had arrived with... you know, the thing that wasn't under the tree the night before but suddenly arrived during the night. Good times.
The other that comes to mind was the night before my family went to Florida in '89. We were going for two weeks, splitting time between Disney World and Vero Beach, spring training home for the Dodgers. Obviously, that combination alone was exciting as all hell. The hype for the trip was unbearable as for nearly a year, I read Disney World guide after guide... going as far as my mom actually having to laminate the cover on one because it was getting trashed from me reading it so much. Ahhhh, to be young again. So a mixture of that excitement with a little trepidation over my first plane flight tossed in led to a very restless night before the trip.
As I write this, it strikes me as a bizarre parallel to the change we go through in life from childhood to adulthood.
You see, the reason I can't sleep tonight is because some fucking retard I work with called me at a hair before 3 AM to ask a completely boneheaded question that I shouldn't have to answer at 3 AM if she'd actually put in some fucking effort before calling me. Just because her bitch ass is getting paid to be up at 2 AM... mine is not. So when the sultry sounds of "Livin' On A Prayer" erupted from my phone at slightly before 3 AM, I expected an emergency of epic proportions. Instead, I got steamed. As a result, I'm going to end up with about four hours of sleep on the night... luckily I went to sleep earlier than usual. I'll be a complete wreck at work tomorrow and who do we have to blame? The fucking temp who is too dumb to live... who offends me by forcing me to share oxygen on the same planet with her.
Where's my point again?
Oh yeah. The parallel.
As a youth, my sleeplessness is caused by excitement... by anticipation... by dreaming of what's to come the following day. The kind of thing that a kid should be experiencing.
As an adult?
It's caused by a fucking retard who is too selfish and lazy to kindly remove her head from her ass so I don't get a wicked echo when she calls me.
Ahhh... that's why I draw comparisons to the great philosophers, you know?
2006-06-15
Rock And Roll Is A Savage Animal
Ok... which of you fuckers isn't watching VH1's Supergroup?
Well, up until two weeks ago, I'd be one of those fuckers... but now I'm hooked, dammit. Granted, it's an easy premise to piss on. Five aging rock stars shoved together into a "supergroup" to see if they can hit it big. I mean... two weeks ago, I would say "How could I watch a fucking show starring Sebastian Bach?"
But now?
"How could I NOT watch a fucking show starring Sebastian Fucking Bach?!"
The man has turned into an aged rock diva before our very eyes and I'm loving every moment of it. My favorite quote?
"A name like Skid Row doesn't come along every fucking day."
Beautiful. Simply beautiful.
Last week's ep was based on the battle to name the band. For some reason [gee, I wonder why], they decided the original name of the band they had picked, Fist, no longer flew for them. Let's forget that they had given the name to the marketing people who had busted their ass to come up with concept art which... was quite frankly... ranging from embarassing to deeply disturbing. One concept looked better fit for a gay fetish mag than for a rock album cover.
Not... that... I'd know.
Ahem.
Back on point.
If you missed Supergroup last Sunday, you missed sixty minutes of Sebastian Bach telling anyone and everyone that SAVAGE ANIMAL was the perfect name for the band because a] it "rolled off his tongue", b] because he's a savage animal, c] because they are all savage animals, and most importantly, d] "ROCK AND ROLL IS A SAVAGE ANIMAL! GRRRRRRARRRRRGH!"
Oh... and you also missed him convincing his wife to pose nude with porn star and fellow Supergroup member's wife Tera Patrick just for shits and giggles which allowed Sebastian to channel his inner-Austin Powers in a photo shoot segment.
All we needed were for his moans and groans to be followed with a "And I'm spent" and the world would have ended in one cataclysmic global killing money shot.
And I'm spent. Stay tuned, kids.
Well, up until two weeks ago, I'd be one of those fuckers... but now I'm hooked, dammit. Granted, it's an easy premise to piss on. Five aging rock stars shoved together into a "supergroup" to see if they can hit it big. I mean... two weeks ago, I would say "How could I watch a fucking show starring Sebastian Bach?"
But now?
"How could I NOT watch a fucking show starring Sebastian Fucking Bach?!"
The man has turned into an aged rock diva before our very eyes and I'm loving every moment of it. My favorite quote?
"A name like Skid Row doesn't come along every fucking day."
Beautiful. Simply beautiful.
Last week's ep was based on the battle to name the band. For some reason [gee, I wonder why], they decided the original name of the band they had picked, Fist, no longer flew for them. Let's forget that they had given the name to the marketing people who had busted their ass to come up with concept art which... was quite frankly... ranging from embarassing to deeply disturbing. One concept looked better fit for a gay fetish mag than for a rock album cover.
Not... that... I'd know.
Ahem.
Back on point.
If you missed Supergroup last Sunday, you missed sixty minutes of Sebastian Bach telling anyone and everyone that SAVAGE ANIMAL was the perfect name for the band because a] it "rolled off his tongue", b] because he's a savage animal, c] because they are all savage animals, and most importantly, d] "ROCK AND ROLL IS A SAVAGE ANIMAL! GRRRRRRARRRRRGH!"
Oh... and you also missed him convincing his wife to pose nude with porn star and fellow Supergroup member's wife Tera Patrick just for shits and giggles which allowed Sebastian to channel his inner-Austin Powers in a photo shoot segment.
All we needed were for his moans and groans to be followed with a "And I'm spent" and the world would have ended in one cataclysmic global killing money shot.
And I'm spent. Stay tuned, kids.
2006-06-01
The Phoenix Rises
Wow. So, I missed an entire month of posting. That kinda sucks. AND... I missed a month's Mixtape! That _really_ sucks.
I won't make the crazy promise to post every day but I'll attempt to do better.
So, what happened in May? The Lakers are out... the Dodgers are winning... ECW is returning... the original Star Wars Trilogy is coming out on DVD... weird stuff.
May was season finale month for most of the shows I watch and what a crazy month it was. I knew a few of my loyal readers haven't finished up the finales yet so I'll hold off on discussing that for the moment.
The new job is going well... and now that I've been there over two months, I have to start wondering when you stop calling it a "new job." My former place of employ has gone down the shitter in those two months... well, if it was possible to sink much further... from what I hear. A former colleague got let go today and I've had a few former co-workers tell me how crappy it's gotten. Really bad stuff. There's still a lot of good people there and I hope they can get out before they go down with the ship.
What else?
Let's leave it there for now.
Good to be back!
Song I'm Listening To Currently: "Driftwood" by Travis
Book I'm Reading Currently: None
Movie I Last Saw In The Theater: Thank You For Smoking
I won't make the crazy promise to post every day but I'll attempt to do better.
So, what happened in May? The Lakers are out... the Dodgers are winning... ECW is returning... the original Star Wars Trilogy is coming out on DVD... weird stuff.
May was season finale month for most of the shows I watch and what a crazy month it was. I knew a few of my loyal readers haven't finished up the finales yet so I'll hold off on discussing that for the moment.
The new job is going well... and now that I've been there over two months, I have to start wondering when you stop calling it a "new job." My former place of employ has gone down the shitter in those two months... well, if it was possible to sink much further... from what I hear. A former colleague got let go today and I've had a few former co-workers tell me how crappy it's gotten. Really bad stuff. There's still a lot of good people there and I hope they can get out before they go down with the ship.
What else?
Let's leave it there for now.
Good to be back!
Song I'm Listening To Currently: "Driftwood" by Travis
Book I'm Reading Currently: None
Movie I Last Saw In The Theater: Thank You For Smoking
2006-04-27
LAKERS!
Sorry for the very inactive blogging as of late but it's playoff time and my brain is elsewhere.
On a side note, if you want to chat about random stuff in between listening to me ramble here, I set up a Message Board at www.youremyboyblue.net/board for that very purpose. Stop by and say hey.
But back to bidness... how 'bout them Lakers?
They've developed a killer gameplan for this series and have stuck to it no matter what. Pound the ball in... control the paint... control the tempo... do not get baited into a run and gun.
Game One should've been theirs. They _just_ missed stealing it.
Game Two was all Lakers, baby!
I just hope they can keep it up. Hopefully the Staples crowd will be roaring and will carry them through Three and Four to send them back to AZ with a 3-1 lead looking to close the door.
Time to do what you're supposed to do... hold the home court.
Purple and gold all the way! Let's do this!
On a side note, if you want to chat about random stuff in between listening to me ramble here, I set up a Message Board at www.youremyboyblue.net/board for that very purpose. Stop by and say hey.
But back to bidness... how 'bout them Lakers?
They've developed a killer gameplan for this series and have stuck to it no matter what. Pound the ball in... control the paint... control the tempo... do not get baited into a run and gun.
Game One should've been theirs. They _just_ missed stealing it.
Game Two was all Lakers, baby!
I just hope they can keep it up. Hopefully the Staples crowd will be roaring and will carry them through Three and Four to send them back to AZ with a 3-1 lead looking to close the door.
Time to do what you're supposed to do... hold the home court.
Purple and gold all the way! Let's do this!
2006-04-22
LAKERS IN SIX!
Seeing as the playoffs are about to start, I thought I'd throw down my NBA predictions for posterity.
Before I get into it, I'd like to put my support behind Steve Nash for the MVP. As I said in one of my first posts on this thing, Kobe just didn't lift the team up enough to deserve it under my definition of that award. If you have a "most outstanding player", then by far, it's him. But for an MVP, it's gotta go to Nash. Who would have imagined the Suns as the #2 seed after Amare went down? Not me for damn sure. The guy went above and beyond to keep his team in the elite and to me, he takes that award hands down.
Not that I'll complain if Kobe wins, mind you. But just saying.
Okay! Prediction time!
I'll preface this by saying that while I consider myself an NBA fan, I'm primarily a Lakers fan. As such, the teams throughout the league will be judged mostly on what I saw of them against the Lakers. And it'll also explain things like "LAKERS IN SIX!"
Here we go...
(8) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (1) Detroit Pistons
The Bucks? Milwaukee?! To quote Major League, "I didn't know they still had a team." So, it's the team that time forgot taking on the brutal juggernaut from Detroit. How the hell could you pick against the Pistons? They just seem so incredibly unstoppable at times.
PISTONS IN FOUR
(7) Chicago Bulls vs. (2) Miami Heat
What I'd like to see happen is for Dwayne Wade to take a billion shots in Game One ending in a Bulls win... then Shaq going insane, screaming at everyone in sight, demanding someone get him the fucking ball, and ending with something about not getting paid enough. Game Two would see Shaq slaughter his own teammates in an attempt to get more touches, culminating in him ripping out Alonzo Mourning's good kidney as the PA announcer calls out "FATALITY!" The rest of the series would see Shaq play one on five and still say, "I'm the most dominant player in the league. They can't stop me unless they foul me. And Kobe eats ass." Bulls in the most shocking sweep ever.
But that won't happen.
HEAT IN FIVE
(6) Indiana Pacers vs. (3) New Jersey Nets
Well... the Pacers seem to be on life support to me. They dumped Artest [and rightfully so] and really seemed in shambles for the bulk of the year. The Nets somehow managed to not have Vince Carter's leg explode at the All Star Break and are really making one hell of a run. And to think they wanted to trade Kidd... for three years.
NETS IN FIVE
(5) Washington Wizards vs. (4) Cleveland Cavaliers
Admittedly, I haven't seen much from the Wizards this season but I'd almost have to imagine they're the worst five seed in quite some time. King James shall not be denied in his postseason debut... not this early anyways. He'll will his team of scrubs to victory... but it may take some time.
CAVS IN SIX
************
(8) Sacramento Kings vs. (1) San Antonio Spurs
The West is a very dangerous place this year. It's not completely out of the realm of possibility to envision the Kings beating the Spurs... four times in seven games though? Not too likely. The Kings will show some toughness and make it a series that'll take some wind out of the Spurs' sails.
SPURS IN SIX
(7) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (2) Phoenix Suns
Lemme start this one by saying that I'm damn proud of this team this year. They've gone from a lottery team to a seven seed based on one of the greatest individual seasons in league history... plus the sudden decision from Lamar Odom and Kwame Brown to actually... you know... play! The Lakers can't run with the Suns and expect to win. Games that break the hundred point mark are likely Suns victories. They need to slow down the tempo... they need to clog the paint... they need to post Kwame and Odom as much as possible and grind the game out. It may not be fast-paced and exciting, but to win, it's what they need to do. Let Nash get his. Don't double. Don't crowd when he penetrates. Stay at home on his shooters. Let Nash get 40 but if you can make the other guys shoot with a hand in their face, you might have a chance.
And now that my amateur strategy session is over, I say that the Lakers have had a hell of a season... and I think they just might extend it.
Of course... I could be biased.
LAKERS IN SEVEN
(6) Los Angeles Clippers vs. (3) Denver Nuggets
Well, well, well... the Clips have made it to the dance. And you know what? They're not half-bad. On a "normal" team, Elton Brand would be a major MVP contender. Unfortunately, he's on the Clippers... and like it or not, the Clippers will always be seen as a wannabe until they win in the postseason.
Luckily for them... this is that year.
CLIPPERS IN SIX
(5) Memphis Grizzlies vs. (4) Dallas Mavericks
Memphis put together a great season and major props to Jerry West for dragging his team out of mediocrity. The former Canadian team has gotten to the playoffs... which is more than the horrid Toronto franchise can manage. Unfortunately, the Mavs look just too strong for them. Plus? Somewhere along the way, the Mavs learned how to play some defense. Gasp. Shock. Horror.
MAVS IN FIVE
*********************
Second Round!
------------
Pistons vs Cavs
In what should be a network showcase for Lebron and a cash cow for the league, the Pistons will continue to show why overwhelming defense and incredible team play will shut down an individual player [and has] every time. Sorry, King James. Not your year to take the throne.
PISTONS IN FIVE
Nets vs Heat
After attempting to become the Yankees of the NBA by stocking up on overpriced veterans and going with "star power" over designing a team, I'm sure Pat Riley never dreamed he'd be staring down a possible second round exit. But with the roll that the Nets have been on, that's exactly what he's doing. This should be a tremendous series to watch though and the league will be very happy to see Kidd and Carter vs Shaq and Wade. In the end, I expect the Heat to "find a way."
HEAT IN SEVEN
Spurs vs Mavs
The reason that the seeding system will change next year, the two best teams currently in the West meet in the second round in what should be a damn fun series. Unfortunately for Mavs fans [that's you, Ivar], it'll also be the series that shows why the Spurs a step above the Mavs still.
SPURS IN SIX
Lakers vs Clippers
In the series that the fans of LA will love and the rest of the nation will hate, cross-town rivals will square off in the postseason. It'll be a tremendously exciting series with both teams getting home-court advantage. In the end, Number 8 will wlll his team into the WCF by showing the postseason experience that the Clips are lacking.
LAKERS IN SIX
Conference Finals
---------------
Pistons vs Heat
Since Day One of the season, everyone guessed this would be the ECF and they won't be wrong. Barring any severe injuries, this should be your showdown that the Heat have waited for since getting bounced last year. They went out and re-tooled, stocked up on firepower, hoping to outgun the Pistons when this came around again.
But I just don't see it. I look for this to be the Heat at their finest... bickering, fighting over the ball, and total rage because their number isn't getting called enough. Which means once again the Pistons will show why this is a team game.
PISTONS IN SIX
Spurs vs Lakers
Well, it's been a good run for my Purple and Gold... but if they make it this far, this is likely where the Cinderella story ends. The other teams, while maybe unlikely, I can see a win. If the Mavs got here over the Spurs, I could even imagine the Lakers beating them to make the finals. But I've just seen the Spurs kick us around like dogs for too long now. I don't see it happening. Not this year anyways. So while my heart will pick the Lakers to win the whole thing to bring another trophy home... my brain picks the Spurs.
SPURS IN SIX
FINALS
------
Pistons vs Spurs
The big rematch that both teams have expected since last June... and I still don't know what to think. Last year, I rooted against the Pistons to drive a co-worker crazy but... they're just so damn good. I have a lot of respect for the Pistons since they offed the Lakers in the Finals in a season I thought that title was a lock. The Spurs are scary good as well though. It should be another tremendous series but in the end?
PISTONS IN SEVEN
And that's that. Enjoy your weekend and GO LAKERS!
Before I get into it, I'd like to put my support behind Steve Nash for the MVP. As I said in one of my first posts on this thing, Kobe just didn't lift the team up enough to deserve it under my definition of that award. If you have a "most outstanding player", then by far, it's him. But for an MVP, it's gotta go to Nash. Who would have imagined the Suns as the #2 seed after Amare went down? Not me for damn sure. The guy went above and beyond to keep his team in the elite and to me, he takes that award hands down.
Not that I'll complain if Kobe wins, mind you. But just saying.
Okay! Prediction time!
I'll preface this by saying that while I consider myself an NBA fan, I'm primarily a Lakers fan. As such, the teams throughout the league will be judged mostly on what I saw of them against the Lakers. And it'll also explain things like "LAKERS IN SIX!"
Here we go...
(8) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (1) Detroit Pistons
The Bucks? Milwaukee?! To quote Major League, "I didn't know they still had a team." So, it's the team that time forgot taking on the brutal juggernaut from Detroit. How the hell could you pick against the Pistons? They just seem so incredibly unstoppable at times.
PISTONS IN FOUR
(7) Chicago Bulls vs. (2) Miami Heat
What I'd like to see happen is for Dwayne Wade to take a billion shots in Game One ending in a Bulls win... then Shaq going insane, screaming at everyone in sight, demanding someone get him the fucking ball, and ending with something about not getting paid enough. Game Two would see Shaq slaughter his own teammates in an attempt to get more touches, culminating in him ripping out Alonzo Mourning's good kidney as the PA announcer calls out "FATALITY!" The rest of the series would see Shaq play one on five and still say, "I'm the most dominant player in the league. They can't stop me unless they foul me. And Kobe eats ass." Bulls in the most shocking sweep ever.
But that won't happen.
HEAT IN FIVE
(6) Indiana Pacers vs. (3) New Jersey Nets
Well... the Pacers seem to be on life support to me. They dumped Artest [and rightfully so] and really seemed in shambles for the bulk of the year. The Nets somehow managed to not have Vince Carter's leg explode at the All Star Break and are really making one hell of a run. And to think they wanted to trade Kidd... for three years.
NETS IN FIVE
(5) Washington Wizards vs. (4) Cleveland Cavaliers
Admittedly, I haven't seen much from the Wizards this season but I'd almost have to imagine they're the worst five seed in quite some time. King James shall not be denied in his postseason debut... not this early anyways. He'll will his team of scrubs to victory... but it may take some time.
CAVS IN SIX
************
(8) Sacramento Kings vs. (1) San Antonio Spurs
The West is a very dangerous place this year. It's not completely out of the realm of possibility to envision the Kings beating the Spurs... four times in seven games though? Not too likely. The Kings will show some toughness and make it a series that'll take some wind out of the Spurs' sails.
SPURS IN SIX
(7) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (2) Phoenix Suns
Lemme start this one by saying that I'm damn proud of this team this year. They've gone from a lottery team to a seven seed based on one of the greatest individual seasons in league history... plus the sudden decision from Lamar Odom and Kwame Brown to actually... you know... play! The Lakers can't run with the Suns and expect to win. Games that break the hundred point mark are likely Suns victories. They need to slow down the tempo... they need to clog the paint... they need to post Kwame and Odom as much as possible and grind the game out. It may not be fast-paced and exciting, but to win, it's what they need to do. Let Nash get his. Don't double. Don't crowd when he penetrates. Stay at home on his shooters. Let Nash get 40 but if you can make the other guys shoot with a hand in their face, you might have a chance.
And now that my amateur strategy session is over, I say that the Lakers have had a hell of a season... and I think they just might extend it.
Of course... I could be biased.
LAKERS IN SEVEN
(6) Los Angeles Clippers vs. (3) Denver Nuggets
Well, well, well... the Clips have made it to the dance. And you know what? They're not half-bad. On a "normal" team, Elton Brand would be a major MVP contender. Unfortunately, he's on the Clippers... and like it or not, the Clippers will always be seen as a wannabe until they win in the postseason.
Luckily for them... this is that year.
CLIPPERS IN SIX
(5) Memphis Grizzlies vs. (4) Dallas Mavericks
Memphis put together a great season and major props to Jerry West for dragging his team out of mediocrity. The former Canadian team has gotten to the playoffs... which is more than the horrid Toronto franchise can manage. Unfortunately, the Mavs look just too strong for them. Plus? Somewhere along the way, the Mavs learned how to play some defense. Gasp. Shock. Horror.
MAVS IN FIVE
*********************
Second Round!
------------
Pistons vs Cavs
In what should be a network showcase for Lebron and a cash cow for the league, the Pistons will continue to show why overwhelming defense and incredible team play will shut down an individual player [and has] every time. Sorry, King James. Not your year to take the throne.
PISTONS IN FIVE
Nets vs Heat
After attempting to become the Yankees of the NBA by stocking up on overpriced veterans and going with "star power" over designing a team, I'm sure Pat Riley never dreamed he'd be staring down a possible second round exit. But with the roll that the Nets have been on, that's exactly what he's doing. This should be a tremendous series to watch though and the league will be very happy to see Kidd and Carter vs Shaq and Wade. In the end, I expect the Heat to "find a way."
HEAT IN SEVEN
Spurs vs Mavs
The reason that the seeding system will change next year, the two best teams currently in the West meet in the second round in what should be a damn fun series. Unfortunately for Mavs fans [that's you, Ivar], it'll also be the series that shows why the Spurs a step above the Mavs still.
SPURS IN SIX
Lakers vs Clippers
In the series that the fans of LA will love and the rest of the nation will hate, cross-town rivals will square off in the postseason. It'll be a tremendously exciting series with both teams getting home-court advantage. In the end, Number 8 will wlll his team into the WCF by showing the postseason experience that the Clips are lacking.
LAKERS IN SIX
Conference Finals
---------------
Pistons vs Heat
Since Day One of the season, everyone guessed this would be the ECF and they won't be wrong. Barring any severe injuries, this should be your showdown that the Heat have waited for since getting bounced last year. They went out and re-tooled, stocked up on firepower, hoping to outgun the Pistons when this came around again.
But I just don't see it. I look for this to be the Heat at their finest... bickering, fighting over the ball, and total rage because their number isn't getting called enough. Which means once again the Pistons will show why this is a team game.
PISTONS IN SIX
Spurs vs Lakers
Well, it's been a good run for my Purple and Gold... but if they make it this far, this is likely where the Cinderella story ends. The other teams, while maybe unlikely, I can see a win. If the Mavs got here over the Spurs, I could even imagine the Lakers beating them to make the finals. But I've just seen the Spurs kick us around like dogs for too long now. I don't see it happening. Not this year anyways. So while my heart will pick the Lakers to win the whole thing to bring another trophy home... my brain picks the Spurs.
SPURS IN SIX
FINALS
------
Pistons vs Spurs
The big rematch that both teams have expected since last June... and I still don't know what to think. Last year, I rooted against the Pistons to drive a co-worker crazy but... they're just so damn good. I have a lot of respect for the Pistons since they offed the Lakers in the Finals in a season I thought that title was a lock. The Spurs are scary good as well though. It should be another tremendous series but in the end?
PISTONS IN SEVEN
And that's that. Enjoy your weekend and GO LAKERS!
2006-04-12
Guilty Pleasures
Well, firstly... so much for my "posting every day" pledge. I suck. Sue me. I just need to figure out when to shoehorn a semi-regular posting period into the day... plus need to get my brain in that mindset. It'll happen, dammit.
Second... the challenge was made. After the R&B vs Jazz mixtape showdown, the challenge was thrown down to make a disc of your guilty pleasure tracks.
Admitting your guilty pleasures is a very interesting concept. You're exposing yourself to rampant embarassment and humiliation... while at the same time it's a little bit "cleansing." Very interesting indeed.
And so... this CD is made. The criteria was this: It had to be a song that if someone you barely knew picked up your iPod and heard, you'd probably try to blame someone else for it. Oh, and at B's insistance, I had to ban TV Theme songs and wrestling themes from the disc. Makes sense, right?
Now, the most horrifying thing is when you go through your music library to find these things and realize that about 25% of it are somewhat guilty pleasures. But after hard work and dedication... I've narrowed it down to one disc.
Here we go...
1] "Everything" - FeFe Dobson
See... some of these can be blamed on B quite easily. She gets these catchy little poppy songs, tosses them on the iBook, I stumble across them while playing stuff at random and get it stuck in my head. Why is this embarassing? Well, it's a little po song! And she says things like, "Ay oh." Snappy little pop love songs are quite entertaining though. The lyrics in this one are fairly silly and sappy and kinda remind me of an Ashlee Simpson song that we once discovered was the absolute worst lyrics in the history of the music industry. This is the vein of something like "Sometimes" by Britney Spears. Shiny, happy, sappy. A tale of a man not ready to commit and the woman dying a little inside each moment that he can't. *tear*
2] "You're The Best" - Bill Conti
I have a hard time naming this as a guilty pleasure. Find me a guy my age who didn't love this song after seeing Karate Kid and you've found an empty shell of a human being. Maybe not even a human being. Maybe a Scientologist! A story of ultimate triumph... of the struggle versus evil... of overcoming the odds that we all face! It's an inspirational piece to be sure. But... the look on people's faces when they hear it? That puts it in the guilty pleasure category. I'd say it makes me feel sorry for those people but we do not train to be merciful here... mercy is for the weak.
3] "Lady Of My Heart" - Jack Wagner
To truly make you understand this... I must reveal another very guilty pleasure.
I'm a soap opera fan.
*cringe*
Okay, okay... let me explain. I was brought up watching them. It's not my fault! It's one of the hazards of growing up in a house filled with women! So, anyways... since my very early days, I remember watching General Hospital. And although I'm not currently watching it... you know it's always coming again. I tend to watch religiously for a period... then stop... then start again at some point. And with the return of Robert Scorpio and Holly and... well, I'm just making a fool of myself now. Suffice to say that I'm sure I'll be tuning in religiously again very soon.
Back to the music. For any General Hospital fan, you know they're famous for their supercouples. Whether it's Luke and Laura, Robert and Holly, Robert and Ana... or Frisco and Felicia... they make that show go 'round. This was Frisco and Felicia's love song and as a GH geek, it'll never leave my brain.
And you may mock me...
...now.
4] "How Do I Deal" - Jennifer Love Hewitt
If you have to ask why this is a guilty pleasure, you must not know who the Ghost Whisperer is! I believe this is from the "I Still Know..." soundtrack but if I remember right, it only played during the credits. I'm not sure what the obsession is of TV/movie stars of trying to make it in the music industry but... well, this one worked. I think there must be some kind of warped ego thing that makes musicians long to be TV/movie stars and vice versa. It'd probably make one hell of a thesis paper actually. Erm... well... this is a poppy love song. So, I'm guilty as a Catholic in... well... just a Catholic period generally. Catholic joke on Easter! Yes! I'm so going somewhere warm and toasty. The original J-Lo has a nice little pop song here that anyone who can get past the fact that she's a failed movie star and musician now barely clinging to a CBS TV show will enjoy.
5] "Leave (Get Out)" - JoJo
We definitely get to blame this one on B. I would never listen to anything by anyone named JoJo if it wasn't shoved into my ear where it got stuck in the waxy buildup. I think the secret formula to a hit pop [or rap] song these days is: "catchy hook" + "decent beat" = $$$$. I'm a musical genius. I missed my calling as the man who scours the earth to find young innocent girls to sully and shove into tight spandex for 13 year olds to burst into puberty to. All A&R guys probably dream of finding someone who'll change the music world... but they should just be shooting to find someone to make little boys shoot. Money, baby. Oh, and I think this girl is 14 or something... which makes this even dirtier. Like when lil' Christina was telling us to rub her the right way. You dirty little minx.
6] "The Old Songs" - Barry Manilow
I fought with myself to put this here. I'm a very proudly admitted Barry Manilow fan. I'm a sucker for the sappy pop that he used to put out in the 70s and 80s... not so much his attempts to stay relevant by covering songs from the 50s now. I'd prefer more poppy greatness like this. How many songs _really_ tell you a story anymore? This is how a love song should be written. Ol' Barry weaves a brilliant tale of a couple on the rocks... the man desperately hoping that he can rebuild that relationship through the joy of music. Music makes the world go 'round. It builds us up and tears us asunder but if there's always the hope that those old songs will bring love back into your heart, it can't be as bad as we're thinking it is. Christ, that was corny but dammit, it's Barry Manilow! He's so much more than Mandy and Copacabana! OPEN YOUR MINDS AND HEARTS, PEOPLE!
7] "Invisible" - Clay Aiken
The thing about this one is... you really could plug any American Idol winner into this slot. I mean, I've got Kelly Clarkson songs I'm embarassed to like... I've got Diana DeGarmo songs I'm ashamed to listen to [you should see my Top 25].. Bo Bice.. Carrie Underwood... you name it. But Clay Aiken takes this spot because it's just wrong. It's just wrong that weasely little fuck can stick in my brain like this. It's a sign that I've done a lot wrong in my life, I think. Karma's a bitch and so is Clay Aiken. Did you ever hear the story about him at Christmas last year with this little school choir? The rumor was that he had hired the choir to perform with him somewhere with a promise to make a donation to the school, pose for pictures with them, hang out for a bit and shoot the shit, etc. Come showday, he ignored the kids, refused to sign autographs, and handed over a pay envelope that was ultimately empty. SOME AMERICAN IDOL! There's a reason Ruben won, you skinny piece of- anyways... this guy is apparently a world-class cock and yet... his damn little pop song is stuck in my brain. Also, I think this song just might be about stalking and sexual assault. "If I was invisible, then I could just watch you in your room. If I was invisible, I'd make you mine tonight." Pervy lil' fuck.
8] "The More You Ignore Me" - Morrissey
Sigh. I really hate having this one here. For years, I've held firm to my hatred of all things Smiths and Morrissey. Not because I have issues with him being a celibate bisexual. Who he wants to fuck... or in this case, doesn't want to... if perfectly fine with me. But he's so damn whiny! Men shouldn't cry like that in music! But... but... now, it must be told. As a high schooler...
...I had this single.
And that's all I will say about this... ever... again.
9] "Come Clean" - Hilary Duff
What the hell is wrong with me?! WHY DO I LOVE POP PRINCESSES?! This one I can blame on wrestling. I was at an indy show where someone used this music as an intro as a joke kinda. Somehow, it got stuck in my head and won't leave. This is one of those songs you know you should skip when it comes up on the random... but somehow can't bring yourself to hit the button. "It's just a few minutes... it'll be over soon... it'll all be okay." Beat + Hook = Money. Works every time. Someone front me the cash to start a record company! I'm onto something here!
10] "With You" - Jessica Simpson
FUCK! FUCKING FUCKITY FUCK! WHY?! Well, Miss Daisy Duke herself appears here after crushing Nick Lachey's heart and soul. Did she really dump him for the guy from Jackass? I'm secretly hoping it was something far more sordid. Maybe a drunken tryst with Jess and Ashlee... an a2m gone very, very wrong... a Dirty Sanchez on the wrong sister. There must be more to it. They seemed so happy together! HE WAITED TIL THEY WERE MARRIED! THAT'S TRUE LOVE, DAMMIT! Maybe she stumbled upon him and the rest of 98 Degrees trying to make the next Creed/Kid Rock video. Oh, and this is the video where she pokes fun at herself for being the dumbest blond on TV since Christmas Snow herself. Cheers, Jess. Enjoy your singledom. Go see if you can get the Lakers to run a pre-game train on you as part of Phil's Playoff Zen Strategy. To cleanse the mind, one must cleanse their- well... you get the idea. Oh, the song? I like it. Kill me.
11] "Think of Laura" - Christopher Cross
Annnnnnd... let's go back to the GH obsession. If you were a GH fan in the 80's, Luke and Laura were your damn world. Your lives revolved around their lives. And when Laura vanished into the mist of the docks one night presumably to die at the hands of David Grey. So, years later when Luke was about to become the mayor of Port Charles when a mysterious lady started appearing in GH and following him around? Your heart was aflutter. And then? The capper? This damn song! This song they'd play everytime someone would mention Laura! My god, your heart must be made of stone if you didn't get teary-eyed, you cynical fucks.
12] "Rush Rush" - Paula Abdul
To this day, I will not allow anyone to speak poorly of Ms. Abdul. So what if she's so lit up on American Idol she's one step away from walking out to the judging table with a syringe hanging from her arm? So what if she's one of those "mysterious glasses" they drink from away from climbing on stage, shedding her clothes, and having a giant orgy on stage? Is she still not a former Laker Girl? Is she still not the one who taught us about cold hearted snakes and that oppposites attract? And is she still not the one who put together this touching ballad of romance and... well, rushing. She says she can feel you all through her... and dammit, I believe her.
13] "Lost In Your Eyes" - Debbie Gibson
Dammit, I was a kid! I didn't know any better! To a wee lad like myself, Debbie [now Deborah... que chigon!] was just a hot little blond who sung about sappy crap but... she was hot! I'm fairly sure I had two of her albums on tape... and I have no idea why. But I do still like this song. You know how much I like Debbie Gibson? I even have [and like] the Circle Jerks song that she performed on... I guess you can call it a performance... she pretty much just yelled along with the chorus... and appeared at one of their shows to stage dive. Oh, those lucky bastards who had to catch her. Mmmmm.
14] "Stronger" - Britney Spears
Aha! The one who started it all! _The_ Pop Princess herself. Once again, I could probably slot any Britney song into this slot... but I've gotta go with the one where she told the world she was a new woman... not a girl... and that she was gonna do whatevah the fuck she wanted! Once again, hook + beat = money... and it's topped off even nicer when it's Britney [Ms. Spears if you're nasty] belting out the vocals in her trademark fashion. She's stronger than yesterday... it's nothing but her way. A song of self-confidence and... uhh... bitchiness? I don't know. But it's catchy, dammit. Enjoy it.
15] "Ain't Gonna Hurt Nobody" - Kid And Play
Oh, come on. You all mark for the huge flat top. Don't deny it. Everyone's got these in their closet. Everyone's got the cheesy rap/hip hop song that kinda introduced you to the genre that you realize now that you probably shouldn't like, but can't help it. Everyone's got their "Bust A Move" or "Wild Thing" or something with the Fat Boys. Maybe "Baby Got Back" for a newer generation. NO ONE STARTED WITH PE OR NWA, DAMMIT! DON'T TELL ME YOU DID! Add to this one that it's not from House Party... BUT HOUSE PARTY 2! THE ONE WITH THE PAJAMAJAMMYJAM! OHHHHHWHATARUSH! Ahhh... even now I can picture these two stylists trying to do that little dance thing they did with one another in the first House Party. Kid And Play made movie freestyle battles cool long before Eminem walked down 8 Mile.
16] "I'm Gonna Miss You" - Milli Vanilli
How did we not know? Seriously. How the hell did we not look at these two rejects from the wedding scene in Coming To America and not know? These guys could barely speak English... yet they had silky dulcet tones to serenade the pants off all the white women in the world? We're all such fools. And all it took for enlightenment? A skipping record.
Oh my god.
SOMEONE GET ME THE MONEY TO START A RECORD LABEL! I could make _twenty_ Milli Vanillis now! With digital technology, we'd never have another problem! Milli Vanilli 2k6 would be off the hook! Well, until we got the Blue Screen of Death in mid "Girl You Know It's True." Anyways... this was my fav of the MV songs. And yes, I had the whole album... and no, I didn't burn it protest.
Oh, if Milli Vanilli had to give back their Grammys, Barry Bonds better give back every piece of hardware that cheatin' sumbitch ever "earned."
17] "These Words" - Natasha Bedingfield
Uh huh. B's fault. Totally. I wouldn't even ever hear songs like this if it wasn't for her! I don't watch MTV... I don't listen to KIIS... I have no opportunity to be exposed to crap like this! IT'S ALL HER FAULT!
And this one drives me absolutely crazy. She's whiny... she's bitching about writer's block... about the troubles of being a creative arist for a living. Oh please. I should have such problems. Maybe I should write a novel about being too fucked in the head to write a novel and make a BILLION FUCKING DOLLARS FROM IT!
I hate this woman... I hate everything this song represents... yet...
The song is stuck in my head. I think it's the whiny voice... it's like a siren's cry. Maybe she's not human either. She's like those singy things in Goblet Of Fire [the book] that made all the men do stupid shit... like buy her fucking music.
18] "Voices That Care" - Voices That Care
Ahhhh... here's a good one. "We Are The World" was a moment... an institution. An epic event that will likely never be recreated. But that won't stop the music industry from trying. For every disaster... for every war... for every famine... there's a song with a bunch of musicians trying to "help the cause." They're really trying to catch the WATW lightning in a bottle again. WATW was massive. Everyone had the song... everyone knew the song... everyone could tell you everyone singing on the song. The video was everywhere... the song was everywhere.
Voices That Care was a song released during the first Iraq war... a tribute to the troops. A fine sentiment because as much as we hate this current Iraq war... at least the first one seemed to have a legitimate reason for it. We were liberating an invaded country. Let's forget that if it had happened anywhere else in the world where there wasn't a shitload of oil involved we probably would've turned a blind eye...
I've lost my point.
Anyways... the song has Will Smith rapping about "right or wrong, we're all prayin' you remain strong, that's why we're all here and singin' along." That tells you why this song didn't reach the level I'm sure they were hoping for... although if I remember right, it did have a Fox special to promote it.
But I dig the song. I dig the sentiment behind it. I applaud the effort... even as I'm listening to it now and hearing a fuckin' Kenny G sax solo in the middle of it.
Sigh.
Never mind.
19. There's Gotta Be More To Life - Stacie Orrico
B's fault! TOTALLY B'S FAULT! I don't even know what else to right about these pop princesses other than this one at least let me quote it once in a blog posting which was quite amusing. I wonder how much money someone like this chick made off this song. I mean... to the best of my knowledge... she really only had the one hit single. What does one hit single = in dollars? In years gone by, I bet it's a small fortune because to get the one song, usually you had to buy an entire album of shitty songs. With iTunes and other music services [both legal and illegal] now, I would think the power of only having one single would be rapidly declining. And therein lies the real reason the music industry hates being able to sell one song at a time...
They simply don't have enough talented musicians to make full albums that people want. Gone are the days of Pearl Jam's "Ten" or Bruce Springsteen's "Born To Run" or so many countless others... "Pretty Hate Machine"... "Live Through This"... "Nevermind"... even things like "Like A Virgin". Usher in a new era of one hit wonders who couldn't write an album's worth of quality material to save their pampered little lives.
So off point.. but take it!
20] BONUS TRACK!
So, I said no TV themes... but this is the Bonus Track... and it wouldn't be a Guilty Pleasure album without a TV Theme song. But it couldn't be just any theme song... it couldn't be something that people would instantly recognize and be able to sing along to... no "Who's The Boss" or "Growing Pains"... no "Cheers" or "Dukes of Hazzard"...
You can't even get Joanie Loves Chachi.
When it comes to embarassing TV songs... you gotta dig deeper.
You go to "Go For It!"
You go to the song that the Saved By The Bell girls sang as part of their great musical group "The Hot Sundaes." You go to one of the most famed episodes of all time as Jessie Spano got hooked on speed and had a horrible on-air crash where she told Zack that she could sing! That she was ready to sing for the talent scouts!
"I'M SO EXCITED! I'M SO EXCITED [sobbing] I'm... so... scared."
Classic television. Classic music.
Oh, and if you want to read the recap of the episode [and check out the awesome picture at the bottom right]...
http://www.lightsoutfilms.com/tv_jessiessong.html
And that's that. Musical challenge anyone?
2006-04-06
LET'S KNUCKLE UP!
Season 3 of the Ultimate Fighter started tonight.
God, I love this show. Much like I enjoyed the hell out of WWE's Tough Enough, seeing these kids train and battle for their dream is absolutely fascinating stuff. A more "manly" version of American Idol, I guess.
I truly believe that MMA is the next great sporting craze. How people can still watch boxing while turning up their noses at MMA is bizarre beyond words. You see politicians calling it human cockfighting... calling it barbaric... whatever. Yet not a single soul has died on American soil in a sanctioned MMA match. Can boxing claim that?
And this year's Ultimate Fighter is even better as your coaches are Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock... and those fuckers hate each other. Beautiful stuff. When the coaches want to break each other, you know the students are gonna have one hell of a year.
Keep your eyes on this one, peeps... it's gonna be hella fun.
Song I'm Listening To Currently: None
Book I'm Reading Currently: None
Movie I Last Saw In The Theater: Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire [IMAX]
God, I love this show. Much like I enjoyed the hell out of WWE's Tough Enough, seeing these kids train and battle for their dream is absolutely fascinating stuff. A more "manly" version of American Idol, I guess.
I truly believe that MMA is the next great sporting craze. How people can still watch boxing while turning up their noses at MMA is bizarre beyond words. You see politicians calling it human cockfighting... calling it barbaric... whatever. Yet not a single soul has died on American soil in a sanctioned MMA match. Can boxing claim that?
And this year's Ultimate Fighter is even better as your coaches are Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock... and those fuckers hate each other. Beautiful stuff. When the coaches want to break each other, you know the students are gonna have one hell of a year.
Keep your eyes on this one, peeps... it's gonna be hella fun.
Song I'm Listening To Currently: None
Book I'm Reading Currently: None
Movie I Last Saw In The Theater: Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire [IMAX]
2006-04-05
It Reminded Me Of A Two Dollar Whore Singing Showtunes Behind The Church On 57th Street To The Thai Unemployed Midgets
Guilty pleasure admission time...
I am an American Idol fan.
(insert cringe)
I hate admitting it... because during the first couple of seasons of AI, I was a hater. I was the one spewing vile insults about it when people were talking about it at work. I was the one who hadn't seen a second of it and had no desire to... but had no problem with mocking those who did.
I was wrong.
The show is the guiltiest of the guilty pleasures. There's so much wrong with it that we all obviously should despise it... and even those who despise it [or say they do] seem like they're almost trying too hard to dislike it. Like if they gave themselves a chance to watch it, they might be wrong and hate themselves for it.
Ever notice how many people preface AI comments with, "Oh, my girlfriend makes me watch it" or some slight variation of it? Or how many people claim only to watch the audition shows where people make total fools of themselves?
But yes... I now find myself every Tuesday and Wednesday watching, listening, critiquing, wondering when Paula's gonna OD on stage with the rest of you. Who will it be this week? Who will have their dreams crushed and be sent packing? Will it be the "Too Dumb To Be Real" country bumpkin Kellie? Will it be the "Hard Rock Only For AI" Chris? All these personalities become engrained in your brain... and you're almost a little bit sad to see them go when it's their time.
But sooner or later... they all have their time. It's the American dream... and on this show, only one can win it all.
(tear)
Plus, there's Badunkidunk! Ohhhh mama!
Song I'm Listening To Currently: "The Old Songs" - Barry Manilow
Book I'm Reading Currently: None
Movie I Last Saw In The Theater: Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire [IMAX]
I am an American Idol fan.
(insert cringe)
I hate admitting it... because during the first couple of seasons of AI, I was a hater. I was the one spewing vile insults about it when people were talking about it at work. I was the one who hadn't seen a second of it and had no desire to... but had no problem with mocking those who did.
I was wrong.
The show is the guiltiest of the guilty pleasures. There's so much wrong with it that we all obviously should despise it... and even those who despise it [or say they do] seem like they're almost trying too hard to dislike it. Like if they gave themselves a chance to watch it, they might be wrong and hate themselves for it.
Ever notice how many people preface AI comments with, "Oh, my girlfriend makes me watch it" or some slight variation of it? Or how many people claim only to watch the audition shows where people make total fools of themselves?
But yes... I now find myself every Tuesday and Wednesday watching, listening, critiquing, wondering when Paula's gonna OD on stage with the rest of you. Who will it be this week? Who will have their dreams crushed and be sent packing? Will it be the "Too Dumb To Be Real" country bumpkin Kellie? Will it be the "Hard Rock Only For AI" Chris? All these personalities become engrained in your brain... and you're almost a little bit sad to see them go when it's their time.
But sooner or later... they all have their time. It's the American dream... and on this show, only one can win it all.
(tear)
Plus, there's Badunkidunk! Ohhhh mama!
Song I'm Listening To Currently: "The Old Songs" - Barry Manilow
Book I'm Reading Currently: None
Movie I Last Saw In The Theater: Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire [IMAX]
2006-04-04
Dueling Holidays
Well, well, well... it's been a while, my friends.
Between starting the new job and going to Vegas last week, I've been keeping pretty busy and haven't had a lot of time but I'm going to make an honest effort to get back to regular posting on here... maybe even daily if I can manage to come up with that much to bullshit about.
But today... I have a very specfic topic in mind.
Dueling Holidays.
You see... as a non-football fan, I've always felt a little deprived as a human being. No, not that I'm missing out on something great on the gridiron... but rather I've always felt just one holiday short.
I have no Superbowl Sunday. Sure, I'll watch the game but I don't really give a damn.
In response, I propose two new holidays be added to the schedule.
WRESTLEMANIA SUNDAY!!!
Oh come on... don't roll your eyes at me. For any and all wrestling fans around the world... hell, to people who haven't even watched wrestling in years... everyone comes together on Wrestlemania Sunday. Even when the lineup looks like ass, you've got better odds than any other day on the calendar of seeing something truly special unfold inside that squared circle.
On Saturday night, I was in Vegas drinking with my friend Steve, an old high school chum, his wife, and a couple of their friends that they happened to be going to a concert with. Somehow, the topic turned to wrestling... and then... to Wrestlemania. Steve's Friend #1 said: "It's Wrestlemania! Let's go to Sam's Town and watch it!" Friend #2 replied with a, "But wrestling sucks now." F#1: BUT IT'S WRESTLEMANIA!
You're damn right it is... and that's all it takes to be a special day to me.
And my other proposed holiday?
Baseball Opening Day!
Yes, that was two days in a row this year... but what a great two days it was. Unfortunately, I didn't get to take Opening Day off this year since I was just coming back from Vegas but the feel was in the air all day. It's that one day of the baseball season when absolutely anything can happen... when everyone is even and even the Tampa Bay fans can dream of the World Series.
For baseball fans, our sport has become the redheaded stepchild of sports. It's "too boring" or "too slow" for the instant gratification masses who don't appreciate the subtleties of the game... for those thimbles of humanity who are too shallow to realize they are watching a living artform unfold.
There's no one scoring every time down the floor... there's no one getting tackled every forty seconds.
But there's art... there's the glory of victory... the agony of defeat...
The dreams of what's possible.
There's baseball... and that's enough for me.
Song I'm Listening To Currently: "My Son Mystic" - Gay Dad
Book I'm Reading Currently: None
Movie I Last Saw In The Theater: Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire [IMAX]
Between starting the new job and going to Vegas last week, I've been keeping pretty busy and haven't had a lot of time but I'm going to make an honest effort to get back to regular posting on here... maybe even daily if I can manage to come up with that much to bullshit about.
But today... I have a very specfic topic in mind.
Dueling Holidays.
You see... as a non-football fan, I've always felt a little deprived as a human being. No, not that I'm missing out on something great on the gridiron... but rather I've always felt just one holiday short.
I have no Superbowl Sunday. Sure, I'll watch the game but I don't really give a damn.
In response, I propose two new holidays be added to the schedule.
WRESTLEMANIA SUNDAY!!!
Oh come on... don't roll your eyes at me. For any and all wrestling fans around the world... hell, to people who haven't even watched wrestling in years... everyone comes together on Wrestlemania Sunday. Even when the lineup looks like ass, you've got better odds than any other day on the calendar of seeing something truly special unfold inside that squared circle.
On Saturday night, I was in Vegas drinking with my friend Steve, an old high school chum, his wife, and a couple of their friends that they happened to be going to a concert with. Somehow, the topic turned to wrestling... and then... to Wrestlemania. Steve's Friend #1 said: "It's Wrestlemania! Let's go to Sam's Town and watch it!" Friend #2 replied with a, "But wrestling sucks now." F#1: BUT IT'S WRESTLEMANIA!
You're damn right it is... and that's all it takes to be a special day to me.
And my other proposed holiday?
Baseball Opening Day!
Yes, that was two days in a row this year... but what a great two days it was. Unfortunately, I didn't get to take Opening Day off this year since I was just coming back from Vegas but the feel was in the air all day. It's that one day of the baseball season when absolutely anything can happen... when everyone is even and even the Tampa Bay fans can dream of the World Series.
For baseball fans, our sport has become the redheaded stepchild of sports. It's "too boring" or "too slow" for the instant gratification masses who don't appreciate the subtleties of the game... for those thimbles of humanity who are too shallow to realize they are watching a living artform unfold.
There's no one scoring every time down the floor... there's no one getting tackled every forty seconds.
But there's art... there's the glory of victory... the agony of defeat...
The dreams of what's possible.
There's baseball... and that's enough for me.
Song I'm Listening To Currently: "My Son Mystic" - Gay Dad
Book I'm Reading Currently: None
Movie I Last Saw In The Theater: Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire [IMAX]
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