Thoroughly Modern Melhead

2010-01-05T22:19:00.003-05:00

For those that check this, bless you sweet reader, I'm hopefully going to be updating http://allthesepeople.tumblr.com/ in the future. It seems all the cool kids are on tumblr now and since it just took me a 100th of the time to log into tumblr compared to blogger, that is also part of it.

2009-09-02T03:07:00.005-04:00

Labor Daze

http://filefactory.com/file/ah5fbg3/n/Labor_Daze_zip

Track-listing

I've Seen Enough - Cold War Kids
Hi-Fi Goon - Throw Me the Statue
Hey! Little Child - Alex Chilton
Watch Your Step- Jason Anderson
Changing- The Moondogies
Run Chicken Run- The Felice Brothers
Dream City - Free Energy
Early Warnings - Forgeign Born
Tell It (In My Ear) - Fergus & Geronimo
Bartender - Earthmen and Strangers
Garbage Day - Brendon Benson
Canadian Girl - The Walkmen
Dear Boy- Bodies of Water
Lost In The Flood - Bruce Springsteen
Sleep All Summer- Crooked Fingers
Bear- The Antlers
This Time Tomorrow - The Kinks
Here To Fall - Yo La Tengo

Some old standby songs, some new jams. As the unofficial end of summer approaches I suppose I got it stuck in my mind that this was gonna be a "I'm bummed the summer is ending" type of a mixtape. This summer was a lot of fun: beach houses, big buses, trip back home and a couple of weddings, among other things I'm surely forgetting. I started to miss beach volleyball on Sundays even before it was over. Then I realized the only thing I like doing more than playing beach volleyball on Sundays is watching football all day on Sundays. And plus, it's always fuckin summer out here.

Enjoy.

2009-08-22T13:42:00.002-04:00

Part two in a two part series documenting text communication with my family

sis-Hey I was just reading a magazine and it said mr belding has a karaoke cd coming out
bro-haha, that's awesome. He's probably going to have to sell it out of his trunk but that's ok.
sis-ha ha yeah and he was talking about how he wasn't invited to the saved by the bell reunion on jimmy fallon's show
bro-that is kinda messed up. And you know he was available. He'd a been on the first jetblue flight outta burbank.
sis- yup and i think screech wasn't there either

2009-07-05T14:40:00.003-04:00

JAMS FOR JULY

Just some tunes that I wanted to put together, some local flavor, some other stuff. Most were going to be on a mixtape I made in May which didn't pan out because of some computer issues. Maybe some familiar names, maybe not. Probably stuff you'll like if you like rock and roll / America.

Anyway, just wanted to try out posting on a fileshare site, see how it all works. I'm sure the files won't load or you won't be able to listen to it for some reason or other. I'm not that technically proficient.

http://rapidshare.com/files/251306421/Jams_for_July.zip

Homemade cover!

Tracklisting

Sun Was High (So Was I) - Best Coast
Stuck for the Summer - Two Hours Traffic
Christee Christee - Zach Vinson
Empty House - Paper Route
Wilco (The Song) - Wilco
Double Dutch -The Henry Clay People
Young Hearts Spark Fire - Japandroids
Wake Up Call from the Nexus of Me and You - Downtown/Union
Radio Kalininbrad - Handsome Furs
Tongue Tied - Le Switch
I Want You To Know - Dinosaur Jr
Abel - The National
Got to Get You Off of My Mind -The Rosewood Thieves
I Must Be Dreaming - The Monolators
What's In It For? - Avi Buffalo
Hold Your Head High - Heartless Bastards
Carmelita (1974 Demo) - Warren Zevon

Hope this works and you like some of the songs.

2008-11-19T03:57:00.002-05:00

Check One Tuesday @ The Echoplex

The main point I want make is that even though Everest has toured or is going to tour with Neil Young, Wilco and Death Cab for Cutie and will probably be a critically acclaimed band and have a large amount of success, they don't have one song that is as good as 'Working Part Time' by The Henry Clay People.

Everest may end up having their own huge headlining tour down the road but I gotta believe that I'll remember The Henry Clay People a lot longer and have fonder memories of seeing them play then I will of seeing Everest.

Maybe it's because I have a tend to root for underdogs with moxie, maybe it's because I've seen them play in front of about 15 people, 12 of which I'm sure were in other bands playing that night or maybe because I saw the lead singer at The Hold Steady concert as a ticket buying fan.

Although Everest did bring out The Watson Twins for one song, so they are cool with me. Also, Everest also doesn't have a song that is as good as 'How Am I To Be' either.

2008-11-15T05:07:00.003-05:00

A running list of movies I've seen for the first time in 2008, in chronological order

Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project
I am Legend
There Will Be Blood
City of Industry
Malice
Rambo
Metropolitan
Ace in the Hole
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Mr. Jealousy
Gone Baby Gone
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
Once
Michael Clayton
Zodiac
Barcelona
Semi-Pro
The Darjeeling Unlimited
Foreign Correspondent
Into the Wild
The King Kong: A fistful of quarters
Neko Case - Live in Austin
The Parallax View
From Here to Eternity
The Lookout
Shine a Light
The Wanderers
The Searchers
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
Iron Man
My Morning Jacket - Okonokos
Midnight Cowboy
I'm Not There
Windy City Heat
Things to do before you are 30
Blast of Silence
The Incredible Hulk
Strangers on a Train
Harper
Hancock
The Dark Knight
Being There
Pineapple Express
Be Kind Rewind
Rear Window
Vertigo
Talk to Me
The Guns of the Navarone
Burn after Reading
Thief
Shadow of a Doubt
Brief Encounter
Absence of Malice
A League of Ordinary Gentlemen
Road to Perdition
Body of Lies
In Bruges
The Bank Job
Rachel Getting Married
Dirty Harry
The Indian Runner

2008-11-15T04:18:00.002-05:00

Not much is better than this right now

Bad days have turned good after reading and laughing at this

2008-10-14T23:53:00.006-04:00

If you were wondering, "What is Zach's 'My car is fucked and I'm drinking' playlist?"

This is my "My car is fucked and I'm drinking" playlist

Something Is Not Right WIth Me - Cold War Kids
Stay Positive - The Hold Steady
Here's Your Future - The Thermals
I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself - The White Stripes (Live In Las Vegas)
The '59 Sound - The Gaslight Anthem
This Is Goodbye - The Monolators
Language City - Wolf Parade
Working Part Time - The Henry Clay People

(The Nickcatchdubs & Mr. Ducker Radio Friendly Unit Shifter 90's alternative Mix mixtape portion of the playlist)
El Scorcho -Weezer
Flagpole Sitta - Harvey Danger
Bulls on Parade - Rage Against the Machine

Don't You Evah - Spoon
One Big Holiday - My Morning Jacket (Live @ KVRX radio session 2000)
Shattered - Rolling Stones
In the New Year - The Walkmen
I'm Glad - The Black Keys (Captain Beefheart cover)

If you would like any of these songs or as a playlist, yell (holler) at your boy or hit up google / itunes you torrenting sumbitches.

ps, if you don't download the Catchdubs mixtape to get the sweet fade-in transition from Harvey Danger to Rage Against the Machine, then you are sad because if you hit me up on facebook or IM to say "Yo Zach, I didn't have the bandwith or memory on my Ibook to download that sweet mixtape you told me about" I will attempt to explain it to you but I won't do it justice so, you do you, and update your RAM playboy / playgirl. I could be projecting my insufficient laptop status on you loyal reader, maybe, maybe not, maybe fuck yourself - Dignam

2008-02-07T22:23:00.001-05:00

My week with The Monolators in Los Angeles

In the week leading up to the Super Bowl most people complain about the hype, listen to co-workers give asinine opinions on the game or try to keep the ESPN consumption to a minimum. I did all of these things and I also rocked out.

With a schedule that usually goes in hand with someone with an ironic mustache and a fedora, I went to three free rock shows during the week and just so happens The Monolators were at each show.

The last night of The Parson Red Heads residency at Spaceland in January was the first time I caught the Monolators. I got there as soon as I could after work and managed to catch the last three or four songs by the Parson Red Heads. I liked this band well enough as the members of this sprawling band were bounding around the stage, dressed like they were ready to go to a hipster version of a P-Diddy white party when I heard on of them say, "Stick around for the Monolators," I knew it was safe to go back to the bar for another Stella because I wasn't leaving any time soon.

The Red Heads finished and The Monolators set up. If I ever interviewed a band like the Monolators, who still set up their gear by themselves, I'd ask, "What is going through your head as you see the band in front of you finish and it's time for you to set up?"

But I'd try to make it sound more profound and nuanced but sadly I'd also stammer and say um and uhh a lot more. Alas, those fake journalist questions are neither here nor there.

So the Monolators are ready get live and low and behold, a solid portion of the people are still around. This doesn't happen all the time when the band 'headlining' is done and the last band takes the stage after midnight. But these people aren't fools, they know what is in store. Although it could be that they don't have a real job and don't have to be up early in the morning (raising hand) or they are in a band (hand down).

This following sentiment shouldn't really matter that much but it does and always will and I say I don't really care that much but I care at least a little bit.

Like I previously mentioned, I came right from work so I was rocking the glasses, had on a pair of khakis and a button down dress shirt on. I dressed like pretty much no one else at Spaceland, which I don't really care about too much but at the same time I couldn't help but think people were looking at me a little askew. Or maybe it was the huge bulge in my pocket. Hey, it was my Nike windbreaker I jammed in there because I got too hot, relax. Bottom line, I was gettin looks like I was a narc or gasp! liked Coldplay.

This has nothing to do with the Monolators at all.

I had seen The Monolators twice before I think, once at Mr. T's bowl (for free) and at Bordello ($8), sharing the incredibly talented bill with The Henry Clay People, Correatown (right before Walk Hard came out which I thought would make that band blow up but the movie tanked, but there is still time for that young lass,) and The Broken West. Just a lot of talent in that weird, hard to find, (construction is not a game around there) adds-to-my-low-street-cred bar that Wednesday night.

So I knew what to expect.

But they completely blew the doors off that Monday night. Just an inspired performance, everything seemed louder, a touch faster and basically, they would not be denied. We Fell Dead, 14 Degrees, Eagle fighting Zebra, You Look Good on the Train and a couple others rocked intensely hard. I bounced around like a silly person, yelling out choruses and stomping my feet the whole set.

But through out this mayhem I was worried. Could it be? For the third time seeing them in the flesh were they not going to play my favorite song? This song was my first taste of The Monolators (shout to la-underground and Jax @ Rock Insider).

Stawberry Roan, I hadn't heard it live and I was worried that this epic performance would be not as sweet as it could have been.

Eli- "Ok, we're gonna play one more song, what do you guys wan-"
me- Strawberry Roan, owww, Strawberry Roan
Tall Dude from the Parson Red Heads - "yeah, Strawberry Roan"
me - (louder) "STRRRAWBERRRY ROAN"

Your son he can't come out tonight cause he so far gone, he's so far gone
ohhh, he's makin nice, he's makin nice

At about this point, I'm cheesing like its a prom photo and my date is Cindy Crawford, jumping up and down is inaccurate it's more like throwing myself in the air.

The tall dude from the Parson Red Heads is rocking out and we high five, "This song is sweet, I can't believe we did that" he says and I'm thinking Fuckin A right and get back to getting down with the get down. (It's this portion of the story that makes me hope the Parson Red Heads get fuckin big time and I have a humorous story that my grandkids will not give a shit about because I'm old and have droopy ears but they have to be nice and listen to me talk about the good old days because I'm their grandpa)

I felt just unbelievably happy after the show, ears ringing, kinda like I had about five too many Crown shots but I wasn't drunk at all. It was just an amazing performance and as the sports cliche goes, they left it all out there. The rest of shows I see 2008 will face a tall order to beat that show out for my favorite performance of the year.

Just three days later I would be back at Spaceland for another free show, this time for The Airborne Toxic Event. As other blogs have said already, this show was packed, people turned away after waiting in line for over an hour (my roomies and I were almost in that group). I wasn't even that geeked to see them, all the bands on the show, as a group were the reason I wanted to go. Standing in line all that time to see one band that truthfully I didn't know all that well wasn't my intention. But time was invested and it was too late to turn back.

The show was good, I appreciated the songs the next day when they weren't associated with long lines and VIP guests getting in the door in front of me and the Amstel Lights that were a long time coming before I could swig them down. Shout out to Jack Bauer though.

This still has to do with The Monolators because I saw them after the show, told them they rocked, shook Eli's hand and kept it moving. My car was far away.

Friday I get a text message from my roommate that The Monolators were playing for free that night too. First Friday's at Mr. T's bowl in Highland Park was where I saw them the first time. There are lots of cool things about a show at Mr. T's.

(taken from Mr.T's website)

It's definitely one of the most unique places to see a show. People aren't there for the scene, most are there to see a friend's band or some band they heard about from a friend.

They played a couple of new songs, "I'm knocking" I think was the title of one of them which I could see doing very well in 08.

The first time I saw them they played Eagle fighting Zebra because "it's appropriate, there actually was just a fight outside" Eli remarked to the crowd which kinda leads into why shows at Mr. T's could not be such a good time. But no fights this time, no eagle fighting zebras either.

After the show, I stuck around, thinking about wanting to get a shirt. Somewhat due to the Sierra Nevada intake, wanting to support the band and wanting to rock a local band t-shirt to show how cool I am I made the decision to purchase one.

2007-12-07T21:04:00.000-05:00

The following is part one in a one part series documenting electronic communication with my family

To: Dad, Amanda, Mom (sent 9:36 am)
(text) Looks like dad has a singing career we did not know about...& a good tan

(the picture part of the picture message)

Responses:

Dad - Some secret are best not to know!!!!!!! (12:36 pm)
Amanda - Nice picture lol also be on the lookout for something go the mail tomorrow love ya (3:44 pm)
Mom - He must be holding out on me (5:37 pm)

I love my family.

2007-07-31T18:05:00.000-04:00

It's about to go down?

The San Francisco Giants are in town and I will be there for all three games. This makes me nervous and very excited. I'm excited to potentially be a very small part of Bonds breaking the most hallowed record in baseball. I mean, this is a 'tell the grandkids' type of situation. It doesn't happen very often.

I'm very nervous because of what could happen. Frankly, I'm not ruling anything out. Drunks out on the field, fights in the stands, bomb threats, #25 getting sniped, anything really. So consider this the first entry in a series about a series in Echo Park.

Oh yeah, Bonds isn't scheduled to start tonight.

2007-05-23T14:51:00.000-04:00

I would have posted sooner but I sprained my elbow jumping off that Yay Area bandwagon, that landing was a doozy.

Anyway, since auction guy is doing what he does best I figure I'd soak in the atmosphere here in lovely North Hollywood and add something here while I'm at it.

One thing I'm happy I have: Electric Relaxation by A Tribe Called Quest as a ringtone. Of course my phone is usually on vibrate, nontheless, I'm happy I have it.

One thing I'm not too please about: I need to get my turn signals fixed. To those who live and work in L.A, you may be thinking it's not really that big deal of a deal since no one really uses their blinkers any way but I feel like I'm gonna get T-boned without them.

One concert clip I could watch on a regular basis:

One youtube clip that speaks for itself:

A link to a site that features a song that will probably be pretty popular soon

Eight days until The Hold Steady at the El Rey. More in antcipation soon.

2007-05-03T22:28:00.000-04:00

As I type this, Utah is up 10 on Houston and looks like they will even the series (also The Wonder Years is recording too on ION network but that's a story for another time).

As the game goes on the Reggie Miller and Dick Stockton talk of set plays and strategy. Miller talks of plays that Van Gundy runs and which personnel they will use in specific scenarios.

I bring up this hard fought game and its style of play because I, like seemingly the rest of the non-mormon and sizzurp dranking population, are just waiting for a completely different style of basketball to start.

Dallas vs. Golden State.

Just a couple quick things before the tip I wanted to jot down.

This has been one of the most entertaining series I've seen. Big 3's and steals that might not be such a big deal in other games, when they happen in this series seem not only big but important. Like when I was watching and get the chills watching Baron backpedal on D after hitting a fallaway over a helpless Mavs defender. I think, this is the big three that I'll remember B-diddy hitting, knowing that this will be the one they show on Sportscenter. But the game is just filled with big shots that Baron and the rest of the Warriors have hit.

Also, there are dozens of things that the Warriors do each game that make me, the kid who went to basketball camp from 11 to 17, cringe. Ill-advised shots, passes to half court when taking the ball from out of bounds, skip passes that not only skip one guy but two, not much of a plan on offense, reaching for steals around mid-court, these are a few things.

I could add more things I'm sure but it doesn't matter at all. I love watching them play. As a Hornets fan, I feel like I'm a proud alum watching Baron Davis play. Late-arriving media, he wrecked shit in Charlotte too in the playoffs. I love watching Stephen Jackson potentially go ape shit in a couple different ways during the game. Also, maybe the most important thing that I love about this Warriors squad. Everyone on this team I would love to have on my team. I don't wanna sound like Winslow Jr. and use the 'going to war' analogy but in this scenario is apt. I'd go to war with everyone of the seven guys that Nellie uses.

Everyone is in yellow. It looks like the jammed five more thousand people in the arena then the fire code allows. It's gonna be loud and I can't wait to see how it plays out.

2007-05-01T16:16:00.000-04:00

I am going to update this at least once a week. It not exactly the most productive thing to do in the world but it's better than having ESPN News on in the background while I check my email for the 40th time. Might as well write on here.

I am also going to update this anytime a pitcher on my fantasy baseball team, Donaghy Estates, pitches against the Dodgers in Chavez Ravine. I have six National League pitchers on my team and Kelvim Escobar who might pitch when the Angels come to town next month.

And once in a while...like today!...I'm going to write about the first five songs that come up on my iPod while on random play. This is such a cliche and lame idea but I want to try it anyway. No skipping. And considering there are a gang of songs I haven't even heard on the iPod, could be interesting.

Here it goes:

Three Bricks - Ghostface feat. Notorious B.I.G and Raekwon

Starts off with first Biggie verse from Niggas Bleed which is kinda odd I think, just seems outta place on this cd. It's not like you can say anything bad about this verse, Biggie smashes it as he did on a regular basis. I usually don't make it to this track on Fishscale which is kinda long anyway but still pretty good.

Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You - Bob Dylan

"Throw my ticket out the window, throw my suitcase out there too, throw my troubles out the door, I don't need them anymore, 'cause tonight I'll be staying here with you." The opening line to one of my favorite songs off maybe my favorite Dylan cd. This whole cd is definitely the softer side of Dylan, easily his most country sound. He's not unleashing any of that 'Idiot Wind' or 'Positively 4th Street' venom. He's singing about how happy he is, how in love he is, how he's changing his plans because he's staying here with you. And it's Bob Dylan so you aren't gonna say, "Oh man, Bob, I gotta get up early in the morning, I'll call you later."

Brown Skin Lady - Black Star

Mos Def and Talib Kweli were quite the duo. Their solo careers have not gone to heights as some expected. It's not one of my favorite songs from this cd but it fits in nicely with the rest of the cd, not so much as a random song you just pick out to listen too. I've always liked the Talib line, " I don't get many compliments but I am confident."

Cherub Rock - Smashing Pumpkins

I was never a huge Pumpkins fan but the stuff I have heard I tended to like. I just didn't really get into them too much. This is a jam though. Guitar solo rocks. I don't think I really know much more to say about this song, it's a good, solid rock song.

Leavin' Trunk - The Black Keys

I love the Black Keys. I think they should be right up there with The White Stripes. Maybe had the Black Keys had stunning music videos made by Gondry things would be different. This is off their first full length, The Big Come Up. I got around to getting this one after their Thickfreakness and Rubber Factory. There are a lot of songs on this cd that I haven't heard a lot. It's a grimey, blusey, shout at cocktail waitresses in a dive bar type jam. It's also pretty straight forward.

Goin' upstairs to pack my leavin' trunk
I ain't seen no whiskey - woman make me sloppy
Ain't seen no whiskey - woman made me drunk
Goin' back home - where I had much better luck
Look here darling - want me to be your king
Said you're kiddin' darling - gotta keep it hid
Don't let your main man - your husband catch me here
Don't let your main man - your husband catch me here

That's all in the first 1:45, the next 75 seconds are just the Akron boys treating their guitar and drums like they did something wrong.

2007-01-24T17:56:00.000-05:00

This project is going down in flames and I'm bailing out.

2007-01-23T15:39:00.000-05:00

Memphis at Denver

Quick summary of this game - Didn't watch the whole thing, starting watching it after 24 at about midnight, couldn't stay awake. So I can't really comment on the whole game. HA! How's that for professionalism.

Anyway I think the Nuggets will be fine. Melo looked rusty, naturally. Memphis is not a good defensive team so we'll see how they do against a tougher team.

A couple other things from the game that I thought were interesting:

- I watched the game on NBA TV so I wasn't sure what the deal was with the announcers. I wasn't sure if they were a national team or a home crew. After a little while it was fairly clear that they were the Denver home announcing crew. Because if I were calling a game with Reggie Evans playing substantial minutes, I'd mention the fact that he grabbed Chris Kaman's nuts during a game almost every chance I got.

- Also, Evans tried to slam home a put back, lost the ball in the process and landed completely horizontal on the ground. That probably wasn't on SportsCenter.

- J.R. Smith would defend George Costanza's style of offensive basketball, no question.

- The industrious crew at NBA TV was lucky enough to have a mic close enough to AI to hear a very audible "GOD DAMN IT" after a missed free throw. Thanks Allen and NBA TV.

- The color commentator said "Gasol is a little slow for what they are trying to do now," speaking on their new fast paced offensive style. Gasol is too slow?? I know he's not gonna win any races but a seven-footer with good range and not too fond of a lot of back to the basket moves and a aversion to strong defensive play is almost probably a good fit for the up and down style of play.

- AI looks like he actually likes Steve Blake. I think Blake is going to be a very important part of this team. Finished with 12 assists, which should be easy to get with the guys he can pass to. Stripped Mike Miller a couple of times trying to post up, showing that bigger guards aren't gonna just back him down no problem. He's always around the ball on both ends, hits open shots, not going to fuck up so bad where AI yells at him. Blake will fit in just fine.

- Mike Miller keeps his hair where he wants it to be with a rubber band.

Tonight

As clear as it was that I was gonna watch the Nuggets last night, Wizards vs. Suns tonight is going to be a treat.

It's the Wizards vs. Suns. That's it really.

I got some other game TiVo'd as well

2007-01-22T17:41:00.000-05:00

My week with free NBA League Pass.

As you may or may not of heard, from 1-22 to 1-28 there will be a free trial for the NBA League pass.

I'm going to watch as much NBA as possible. With no meaningful responsibilities or a rigid schedule to get in my way plus the benefit of having TiVo, I will be able to log a lot of hours with the league.

It is my hope to keep updating this blog with my thoughts, musings, ruminations, predictions, hopes, dreams, darkest fears and observations that I've gathered from watching hoops this week.

Tonight the clear game to watch will be Memphis at Denver. AI and Melo finally get to play together. I'm excited to see how it pans out. It will be interesting at the very least.

2006-10-17T04:03:00.000-04:00

The Hold Steady, Jack Bauer and my mile walk down Santa Monica Blvd. - A concert review.

Back in the third week of July I found out through my various interweb resources that the Black Keys and The Hold Steady were coming to town. The Black Keys released Magic Potion and came to Avalon and that was that, good stuff but not all that I hoped for.

Roughly a month later, The Hold Steady's new CD, Boys and Girls in America was released. It was the first day of the baseball playoffs and I wasn't working until later that afternoon. Luckily for me the playoffs started at the crack of 10 am. I was going to make a day of it or at least a late morning and early afternoon of it. Left the apartment at 9:30 to hit up the Empire Center for the CD and some Krispy Kremes. After a big runaround at Target and Best Buy (both of which mind you are based in the Twin Cities - the hometown of Craig and the gang) in which they didn't have it. So I scrambled, and as a shot in the dark, tried Warehouse music on Olive in Burbank. They had one copy and it went for about five bucks more than it would have anywhere else. Should I tell Warehouse to go screw and take my discriminating taste and funds to Amoeba which would mean I would miss more of the Twins - A's game? Or should I just bite the bullet and get out of dodge quickly while the Krispy Kremes are still warm and head back to Runnymede? I chose the latter. I was pretty sure I was gonna enjoy the hell out of the CD anyway so what's five bucks anyway.

As they say out here "cut to.." October 16th. The Hold Steady are finally in town at the Troubadour. I had been playing 'Boys and Girls in America' in my car, on my iPod almost exclusively since it was released. I was hanging around watching the game and I fell asleep watching the first half of the Cards - Bears game. Woke up, kinda had that quick panic, like "What time is it?!?" and thought I was gonna be late to show. I knew I wasn't gonna miss any of The Hold Steady but in the back of my mind I always think "What if they actually start on time? It could happen ya know" I took Laurel Canyon over the hill to Santa Monica and parked on the street east of La Cienega. Now, I had only seen where the Troubadour was once before. I guess I got confused and thought it was a lot closer to where I parked. And from my experience in West Hollywood which stems mainly from the time I spend out here during my internship, I had the mindset of 'If you are lucky to get a spot on the street, you keep that spot, now matter the walk, god has shined down on you' This is because when I was in West Hollywood it was on Sunset and on a weekend night, of course there aren't any spots on the street on Sunset Strip on Friday and Saturday night. A random Monday in October on Santa Monica is a different story. I realized this as I passed easily a dozen closer spots as I walked down Santa Monica passing all the various alternative lifestyle establishments. I guess if you are gonna pick a spot to walk by yourself at night, you could get a ton more grimey than Santa Monica in West Hollywood.

After a roughly 20 minute walk I reach the Troubadour. Of course the Hold Steady wasn't on yet, neither was the second band of the night. But I'm glad I'm there ahead of time, not rushing or worrying about missing the opening song. I nurse a Sam Adams in the front bar and make it in for the second half of the second band on the bill Sean Na Na.

I could give a fuck about Sean Na Na, I don't know a damn thing about them but they sound reasonably good so I'm nodding my head to the first song that I saw them play. Not really blowing me away but they guy in front of me seems to be really fucking enjoying it. He kinda turns to talk to his friend and I get a fairly good look at him. I think it was who I thought it was but I'm not sure. It couldn't be could it? Nah, no way. So Sean Na Na keeps rocking out and I get another, longer look at the familiar face in front of me.

Well friends, it was none other than JACK MOTHER FUCKING BAUER. Yes, Kiefer Sutherland was in front of me at the concert.

If it was just another random guy on TV, it'd be a nice little anecdote but this isn't any normal TV guy. It is Jack Bauer for pete's sake. I mean, how can you pretend like that's not a big deal?

So he's just loving Sean Na Na. Playing air guitar, getting real live at the show. Oh yeah, and he is completely and absolutely wasted. Remember when you got really drunk that one time and you loved everyone and were hanging on them for support, hugging them and shit? That's the level Jack Bauer was at. Just smashed. He had a cigarette behind his ear that was all bent up, taking the curve of his head, not exactly straight and narrow like it was fresh out of the pack.

He is clearly into this band. And honestly, if Jack Bauer is co-signing this band, I am not going to be the guy standing behind him that catches a hot one for not rocking out enough. Keep in mind, I've seen every episode of 24, I know what this man is capable of.

Oh yeah, and Jack Bauer is blind drunk. You wanna cross a dialed up Jack Bauer? Be my guest pal, leave me something in the will playboy. You think I'm gonna be the a-hole who goes the way of so many other lames on 24 because I'm trying to be too cool and just nod my head? Fuck that, Sean Na Na is my new favorite band and I'm gonna act accordingly.

Eventually Agent Bauer made his way behind me with the people he was hanging on earlier. I'll be damned if I'm gonna turn around and shift my focus from the best god damn band in the world. At some point I assume he went outside to try and smoke that cigarette. I couldn't risk not cheering for the rest of the set from Sean Na Na so I kept it up. For all I know Chloe had a wig on and was tending bar up in that bitch with the Bluetooth feeding Jack updates.

I get another Sam Adams and make my way back to where I was standing earlier. Jack Bauer is not in sight. I am somewhat relieved.

Soon Craig and the rest of the guys from The Hold Steady made it to the stage. Before they even played a note I was amped up. Seeing these guys in such a small venue with a bunch of fans was gonna be awesome. They started with 'Stuck between Stations' off their new CD. It was on. This just set the concert off with a bang.

They definitely lived up to their reputation of partying hard while playing. Craig Finn, lead singer and 'bullshitter' opened and drank at least six Budweisers on stage. Tad, guitarist passed around the Jim F'n Beam around a lot, everyone took generous slugs a couple of different times.

I really love The Hold Steady's music but I'd be a liar if I thought their image of hard drinking, semi-nerdy, pop culture soaked, Twins fans didn't add to my enjoyment.

Back to the show, I think the easiest thing to say about seeing the Hold Steady live is how enthusiastic they are. They truly are having a great time. They don't care about anything else for the time they are on stage. They are dedicated to having fun and rocking out.

Some particular details about the stage presence of The Hold Steady:
- Finn has the guitar slung over his shoulder but really only plays it I'd say 25% of the show. Most of the heavy lifting guitar wise is done by Tad.
- Tad kinda looks like a bigger, slightly meaner and generally more like a rock star version of JD Drake. True story.
- Tad also played the double bowed guitar for a couple songs, like one Jimmy Page had in "The Song remains the same"
- When he was playing his normal electric guitar, he did this move where he threw it across his body and since it was strapped across his chest, it spun around his whole body and landed in his hands again. Pretty epic.
- Their bass player looks a lot like Eric Thomas.
- Toward the end of the show, Finn just started throwing beer into the crowd and on to Tad. Refreshing to see some actual rock star type behavior on stage. Every show I've seen so far out here, everyone is drinking bottled water exclusively on stage. Not the Hold Steady. They actually drink and have a good time. Like I said before, their enthusiasm is contagious, kinda like what Gideon saw in Denver.
- Finn has the most active hands as a lead singer I've ever seen. He does all these gestures and has all sorts of spastic motions with his hands.
- He also does thing where he sings (yells) the lyrics in to the microphone, then pulls away and repeats the lyrics to himself. You can read his lips but you can't actually hear him. It's pretty great to see live in person.

They did this throughout their roughly 15 song set which featured songs from each CD but had more from Boys and Girls in America than any other.

They came back on stage for encore with "Positive Jam," the leadoff song from their first CD. They killed it as expected. I'm pretty sure they didn't do another song before closing it with "Killer Parties." As the song ended, the guys in the band started pulling people standing up front up on to the stage. Then people who just got pulled up on stage started pulling more people up on stage. Pretty cool, you could definitely tell everyone was stoked to be up on stage. I've seen bands do this before but I've never seen them put the guitars on the shoulders of the fans like did tonight. It was such madness up on stage I couldn't tell if the guitars were still plugged in or not. But the rhythm section carried on regardless. This odd cross section of fans filled the stage and everyone was hugging and carrying on, etc. The set ended and eventually the fans came down off stage.

With my face Completely rocked off, I closed my tab and made my walk back down Santa Monica to head back over the hill. I knew as soon as the show started this was gonna be a great show and they definitely came through. Some of the other shows I had been to I enjoyed but ultimately left disappointed. Not this time. The Hold Steady came through and wrecked it.

The whereabouts of Agent Bauer is unknown at this time.

2006-07-08T02:01:00.000-04:00

I think this might be one of the most interesting outcomes of the internet in it's current state.

(alt. link) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_CSo1gOd48

I don't know if you've already seen this video. I came across it when I checked YouTube's most viewed videos. As of press time, almost seven million people have viewed this video.

There are many, many questions that come to mind when I think of this video and the fact that almost seven million people have clicked on the link to watch this video. A few of these questions I think I know the answer to. There are certainly more questions I have no idea what the answer is.

I suppose the central question is what made millions of people watch a video featuring two unfamous, above-average-but-not-quite-model-type-hot-girls lip sync a song by the Pixies, who, while having a quite rabid and loyal fan base, aren't exactly the Rolling Stones.

The next part of the equation is how many people actually watched the whole thing. If one click on the video equals a view, certainly a portion of the audience shifted their attention to other videos once the video started. Maybe they didn't think it was funny or entertaining or maybe they were misled.

Which leads me to the next part of the equation. How many people clicked on the link simply because a relatively attractive girl was in a near Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct position. There is no porn on YouTube and I think most people know this by now. But how many people clicked on the link to see just how far YouTube would go? Um, no me neither. - Garth

I have to think that this was a large portion of the views. I could see if it said The Pixies in the video description, that would draw the rabid Pixie fan base in. But it just says "Hey Clip", that's it. Who goes searching on YouTube for clips with "Hey" in the title? I can't imagine many. On this assumption, I am to believe the hint of a quick beav shot shot the viewership up.

Another thing I don't quite get is that over 54,000 people, its top referrer, clicked on the video from this website...http://www.witze-welt.de/videos/showvideo.php?id=64

There is almost nothing about this fact that I understand. Why did people who read this website and speak this language find this video entertaining? What is the purpose of this site? Do people that read this site know what is going on? Does it even matter? This is just a small percentage of the things I don't understand.

As I write this I clicked on more of Tasha's videos, the user who uploaded the video. None of her other 16 videos are even remotely as popular as this one, she has one called Mad World which about 75,000 people saw, nothing to sneeze at. However, in a couple of the other videos she explains the Hey video in various interviews on various television talk shows. Unfortunately I don't speak and cannot understand Hebrew so any explanation that the ladies may have given doesn't help me at all.

I'm even more puzzled and amazed than when I started.

Even more puzzled and amazed than when I started part two: Kevin Smith paid the Hey clip an homage in one of his Clerks 2 promos.

This doesn't happen everyday. This doesn't happen in any other sort of entertainment. This has to be one of the most unique situations I've ever seen.

Other things I wonder:

Are these girls related?

What other songs did they consider, why this one?

Will Pitchfork ever interview these girls, or name drop them snarkily in a review?

Can they really play the guitar at all?

How long did this take to do?

How popular did they actually think this would be? They couldn't have possibly thought more than their friends would watch this, let alone millions.

Has any member of the Pixies seen this video? What do they think?

Of the nearly seven million people that watched this clip, how many was this the first time hearing the song "Hey" by the Pixies? I knew of a few other Pixies songs but it was my first time hearing this one. I have the Pixies greatest hits and listening to it after watching the video. I skipped to Hey to listen to it. I couldn't get the video out of my head while listening to the song. I know this happens a lot. But usually it's a fuckin music video that MTV aired that the band was a willing participant in, not two girls lip-synching to in a bedroom. For millions of people, the song Hey by the Pixies will be the image of the those two girls dancing around and absolutely nothing to do with Pixies who wrote, composed, performed the song and released it on Doolittle in 1989.

I don't know many people that are HUGE Pixies fans, I know they are out there though and I'm pretty sure they are probably freaking out at the above sentiment.

Back to more on why this particular clip is so damn popular. I've watched it a couple of times and it is well done. It's not sloppily put together. It looks like they have definitely edited and cut videos before. If this was amateur hour, kids just goofing around, I'm sure there friends would think it would be funny but I doubt millions of people would like it so much. So part of the reason I think it's so popular is that it is a well-executed video.

Another thing is that this video is oddly endearing. If you asked me would I ever call a lip synced video by two people I don't know to a song I had never heard before endearing, I'd probably think you were a fool. In this video it's just two people having fun. Not in a hipster, ironic way. It looks like they legitimately care about the song and video. It looks like the did it because the genuinely liked the song and had fun with it simply because they liked the song so much as opposed to some hipsters who might do the same thing with a REO Speedwagon song, doing it for some ironic, 'aren't we so in on the joke' type of reasoning.

I want to know what is going to happen as a result of this video. Will these two girls get a great entry point in the entertainment industry in some capacity as a result of the clip? Will other bands co-opt this strategy and release videos like this officially, putting girls like this on the payroll? Will there ever be a more successful lip synced video in the history of YouTube? Or is the video like the Little Richard / Chuck Berry of lip synced videos and there is an Elvis and Beatles around the corner? Will I ever be a part of a poorly executed knock off of this, here in the apartment?

That's about all I got for now.

2006-05-25T16:26:00.000-04:00

I haven't updated this in quite a long time. I'd like to update it more often. Part of me thinks "Who the hell cares about the trivial and juvenile activities of my life?" and very foolishly, part me thinks "Man, it's been a long time, I better have something funny, interesting or noteworthy to say." It's not like I have a long time loyal readership to worry about. My name is not JD Salinger.

Also, I'm conflicted over the subject matter. Do I only want to tell stories of what happened when I got wasted? Is that all I really want to write about or have (very few) people read about? Should I care about this? When it comes down to it, I like having fun and I usually have a lot of fun when I hang out with friends. And right now, I usually drink when I hang out with friends. But lately I've come to the realization that I CAN have fun without getting drinking a lot. I went to a pub crawl and had fun without drinking a lot. I mean I was the designated driver on this night as well. It looks like I'm having fun right? Right???

Of course this could all be completely bullshit. My quote and picture in Facebook is from what I did and said right before passing out drunk. So it could be meaningless by this evening. Or definitely next weekend. I'm going out for a birthday party for two friends in a big ass limo. There are a few out there who remembered what happened after Park Ave Fest last summer the last time I was in a limo. I haven't seen any of those pictures and that's probably better off. (Just remembered I paid eight dollars to chip in for a cab which was a limo in Vegas = proving my point)

This is kind of like the first awkward jumpshot after not playing basketball in a long time. It feels good to be back out there, hopefully it'll come easier sooner rather than later.

So before I end this entry:

Favorite 'new' band - Cold War Kids. They need to release a proper full-length CD soon as I need to hear more than just the MP3's on that page. Hopefully they'll swing thru here again soon.

Things I'm looking forward to regarding HBO programming:
The Wire - Season Three. Comes out on DVD soon, plowed through seasons one and two via Netflix. I'd like to finish before season four starts. To sum up The Wire very simply and probably not giving any party enough credit, Early Sopranos + Ghostface's Fishscale divided by gully streets of Baltimore = The Wire.

Entourage - Season Three. It will once again become required viewing when it starts again. Season Two will be purchased when it is released.

Things I won't miss about living in the Castillian:
-The ants.
-The kitchen sink. I think the phrase "Everything but the kitchen sink" is not really applicable in our case as everything that goes down the faulty garbage disposal ends up in the sink. The one side of the sink looks like a decent start to a compost heap.
-The violent metal on metal clanging in our bathtub when the people below take marathon showers

Things I'm not sure about:
-Diesel shoes for guys, still cool? Not Cool? Ever cool? I just bought a pair for $40 at famous footwear which leads me to lean towards the not cool side.

-Why the valet parker had to roll my drivers side window all the way down when driving it at most 20 feet?. After leaving the restaurant I see my window all the way down. I'm thinking: What the fuck in going on? Did someone try to jack a mid 90's Buick in Malibu, they just broke the glass right here in the parking lot? SOMEONE CALL THE COPS!! Wait, did the valet roll down the window to just while parking the car? Fuckin' A, that wasn't necessary. You are driving for two minutes tops. I'm sure he didn't know that it wouldn't roll back up and I didn't tell him to 'watch out for the window' but damn, how does rolling the window down figure into you parking the car? Boy, was that a windy drive home. Eventually it came back up, slowly and surely, bit by little bit.

-Will I ever read a book again?

-Will I ever find a decent way to end one of these posts?

2005-11-29T21:29:00.000-05:00

This past week has included some of the more interesting moments of the year.

Wednesday night was kind of a bust. Everyone knew it was going to be crowded at the bars but we didn't get in early. Everyone knew not to try to go to more than one place but we tried anyway. Somehow Burnie Pie and I made it into Soho East (my first time, a recurring theme). It was good, that was the spot where we wanted to be. Found Nikki and her friends and we were all having a good time.

Then I made arguably the worst bar / drinking decision of the year. Burnie Pie and I decided to follow a friend of ours downstairs. He knew it wasn't a good idea, so did I. So why did we go? Hell if I know. I don't blame anyone but myself. Kinda like when you were younger and you did something stupid and your Mom goes, "I'm not mad, you just disappointed me." Well, that's how I felt about myself.

Thursday morning came without a hangover, a surprise for sure. But that wasn't even close to the biggest surprise of the morning.

As I mentioned before, this Turkey day game had a more competitive dynamic than years before. Us vs. Them. Their friends vs. My friends. This was what I expected. I was sure I wouldn't know everyone on their team but I wasn't really sweating it.

I get out of the car, breathe in the frosty air, bullshit around with teammates, bitch about last night. I'm sizing up the competition. Same routine. Then I hear a door slam. It's a white van, one of those long ones with no windows that I don't recognize and someone gets out of the passenger door. Looking back on it this in itself was somewhat unique. Who gets dropped off at a game when you know almost everyone there? You don't know someone else on the team, a friend couldn't pick you up?

I see the guy get out of the van. I am squinting, shaking my head. Naw, that's not...how the hell?...Really, honestly, that can't be??

I'll let Bob Matthews introduce him, from the Thanksgiving edition of the D&C.

Penn State cornerback Alan Zemaitis (Penn State via Spencerport) is being touted by scouting information services as a first- or second-round pick in the 2006 NFL college draft. One service, nflscouting@aol.com, says Zemaitis is the best defensive back in college football today. The last Section V product selected in the first round of the NFL draft was Don Bosseler of Batavia. He was the No. 9 overall pick by the Washington Redskins out of Miami in 1957. It was the year Cleveland picked Syracuse's Jim Brown No. 6 overall (behind Paul Hornung, Jon Arnett, John Brodie, Ron Kramer and Len Dawson).

So arguably the best defensive back in college football, Alan Zemaitis, was on the other team in our fucking Turkey Bowl game.

He started introducing himself to our team as "AZ." No, fucking wait a minute. What in god's green earth is a guy who just had three interceptions in a BIG TEN FOOTBALL GAME doing in the parking lot of Holy Ghost church, getting ready to play a pickup game of tackle football on a field where a cemetery is on one sideline and some tree branches are in play on the other? Other than that, exactly like the Horseshoe.

Does Gisele show up for the Appleton, WI Beauty Pageant, just for the hell of it? You know, just take a couple strolls down the runway, maybe put on a bathing suit, the usual. No, she fucking doesn't.

It really was absurd. That's all it was, plain absurd.

The game was actually close for a little while. We scored first. Then um, the future NFL draft pick made some plays, picked off three or so passes. Looked pretty comfortable doing it.

(And yes, most everyone thought, "If I was going to get drafted I wouldn't risk injury.")

Their other good player, a SUNY Brockport varsity player got kinda mad after a play in which I was involved in the tackle. He thought I elbowed him in the face on purpose. In the game recap in the paper the next day I was quoted as saying "I was just playing the game, trying to make a tackle, praise Jesus." But you can't believe everything you read in the paper (that doesn't exist).

We lost, but I don't think anyone was really down on themselves afterwards.

Even before the game was over I was thinking, well, this'll be a story to tell. And since I just wrote it down, it's true.

I remember watching some football later on and the DMB special from Red Rocks on PBS. It was pretty good, Robert Randolph stole the show again. I started thinking about the people I know in Denver and things that I did while I was there(including a Roots show at Red Rocks).

Friday was the day after Thanksgiving at Barnes and Noble. It was busy and not really that fun. This girl I worked with looked real hot though, I do remember that.

Then Hell absolutely broke loose at Oxfords later that night. I'm not going to get into too many details but it was as close to a Cancun Spring break you will ever see in November in Rochester. I danced to "Don't Stop till you get enough" by MJ. For the whole bloody song and that wasn't even close to the most nuts thing that went down. A boat race it was. Repercussions and memories from that night will be felt for weeks, hell, months to come.

Saturday was mainly used to recap what happened on Friday, which was completely reasonable. Didn't want to stay out too late but still managed to come home from Palmero's house at 2:30.

Sunday morning was rise and shine for my first Buffalo Bills game. 7:45 departure time from the Friendly's parking lot. I drove down with two people that were friends of a friend. We made it to about North Chili on 490W when the driver (!) offers up the question, "Would anyone like to start the morning with a beer?"

So at about 8:15, first Labatt's Blue can is cracked. New earliest time for the liver to be pissed at.

We kinda got lost but still got there at a earlier time than we expected. A passenger from the other car sees our empties bag after we get there and is quite surprised. I try telling him "It's not that bad." I'm not sure if I even believe that.

The deep-fried Turkey was better than I thought it was going to be. At one point I had an entire Turkey leg in one hand and a can of beer in the other. Then I started thinking, actually, no, I wasn't thinking. I wasn't thinking about anything. I was a caveman in a frozen parking lot.

Unfortunately my digestion of the turkey was short lived. Seems that taking one too many generous slugs of Southern Comfort (Thanks Keith!) was not the good idea I had thought at the time. It was one of those chemical reaction, Pepsi bubbling over the side of the glass, life-will-go-on shortly pukes as opposed to one of those stomach beatdown, prolonged, director's cut, this is what you fuckin get a-hole, incapacitating, don't make any goddamn plans pukes.

(if you don't know the difference, it's okay, i do, you know i do, i know you know that I know, it happens)

So on to the game!!

Find our seats with about half the first quarter to go. Find really is the best word. How the seven of us followed any sort of direction at that point was truly inspirational. I make the comment loudly "it's the second quarter already??" The guy behind me curtly says, "Yeah it is." I get the impression that our act as drunk guys is not sitting so well with him. I don't really blame him.

I only have one beer during the game. It goes by very fast (the game and beer), the complete opposite of what I've heard attending a live game would be like. The action on the field wasn't very exciting but still fun to watch.

I made it out of the game with my teeth and back to the car. But as you would assume, the journey is not over with yet. Making it back to Rochester isn't a given at this point.

Apparently we got lost and Eric, the driver, started going west. I don't remember this at all. I fell asleep right after leaving the parking lot. I woke up to a traffic jam on the Thruway. Eventually we got back to Rochester in one piece.

I gotta find a better way to end these things.

2005-11-23T10:18:00.000-05:00

Biggest bar night in the ROC, Thanksgiving and popping my Buffalo Bills cherry.

The day is here, the streets of East and Alexander will be filled with people that don't go out a lot and people that don't live here anymore.

Some highlights from last year:
- lots of pictures being taken by me (a high % were self-portraits)
- Getting bright orange and red paint on my cream color shirt, not knowing how it happened
- walking from the corner of Park and Oxford to past Cobbs Hill (if you are from the ROC you will understand, if not, know it's a long walk at night while intoxicated)
- seeing Meghan Hagreen in a cowboy hat
- buying a bunch of jager bombs and then realizing that I handed one too many out and the thing I just chugged was the rest of my amber-colored beer. Luckily, my friend, Burnie Pie, returned the favor

After recovering from the night before, it's the Turkey Bowl on Thanksgiving day morning.

This year we'll have flags and the stakes are high. It's a bunch of guys my age vs. guys a year younger. We'll have speed, they got beef. I will lock people down regardless. Just throw it high, I'll come down with it.

The usual Thanksgiving day festivities will follow. Realizing that you are just now becoming hungover, fading in and out of consciousness the rest of the day, pecan pie, Madden and the turducken.

On Sunday I am going to my first ever Buffalo Bills game. I don't even know what to expect. The stories I've heard, christ, they can't all be true can they?? The people I'm going with are alledegly deep frying a turkey. And I'd wager a lot that it's not the only one going down like that. If I get outta Orchard Park without a public urination rap, public intoxication beef and all my teeth, I'll consider it a good trip.

2005-09-27T13:42:00.000-04:00

I keep thinking about trying to recap the important things, ideas, themes that went down this summer. I was even going to have the headline "Dear Summer" to quote Hov.

Maybe all that will come, maybe not. But one thing I wanted to put down before I forgot is the question that would not go away. It came up once out of every five times a large gathering got together. People would make their claim with such fervor and passion that you would think you were discussing political ideologies. Someone, new into the fold would hear the question for the first time immediately be in the thick of it, then it would get fired up all over again, people hammering home their points again. This was the cycle that repeated itself over and over this summer.

The question

Who would get it...

Blanche from The Golden Girls

Vs.

Mona from Who's the Boss?

It is in the opinion of this author that the clear and only rational choice is Blanche.

Why? Blanche, I guarantee is down for whatever. She will do that shit. Plus, she has a vaguely Southern accent, I'm with it.

You are out there wondering, "where is option C or none of the above?" Stop. You are being lame.

Blanche wouldn't care if you came home stinking like bourbon, she's above the petty shit. "Blanche, I'm watching football all day with the fellas." She's okay with that too. She just wants the D.

On the other hand, Mona is so goddamned annoying. Always running her yapper, busting balls all the time. Silencio, por favor!! And I would be willing to bet that she just lays there like a log, and best believe that she is not even remotely hot enough to just lay there.

I know I've heard the reasons why Blanche is no good, like I said, we've had this discussion a lot. I've heard them but I'm not hearing them, if you catch my drift. One argument for Mona is that you get in good with her and then sooner or later you are getting in good with Samantha. That's just plain absurd. Like a pre-teen girl is going to want it with you after you did the deed the old lady who lives in the house, almost a grandma to her. No way in hell man.

2005-09-18T18:09:00.000-04:00

So it's been over two months since the last entry. I just re-read the last couple of entries and enjoyed reading what I wrote about the camera phone commercial. I laughed.

I do wish that I maintained this more than a half dozen or so times this summer. It's not just a clear case of just being lazy. As I have documented in the past, the computer in my room is glacically slow and probably had/has viruses. Right now the monitor is in a different room than the rest of the computer. Secondly, the only computer with Road Runner is in my sister's room. She knows my screename is bigmelhead so if she sees this address in the history of IE, it's just something I really don't want to explain. I don't think there is anything too self-incriminating on here and while I'm at it, fuck it, I'm 23. But still, fam is fam.

Oh, also, when I ask her "Amanda, can I use your computer to check my email?" She doesn't hear that, instead I think she hears something along the lines of "Amanda, I need your fucking kidneys" because that's the type of question that would warrant the type of reaction I get from her. In her defense, I do usually end up checking my fantasy teams, okayplayer, espn, etc.

So if I had updated this more often I probably would have had a better grasp on the smaller but still important things that happened this summer. There are a bunch of things that I have surely forgotten this summer. Two reasons: I have done a lot of memorable things and some minor stuff just gets squeezed out, kinda like those weak brain cells that get killed by binge drinking. Second reason: I simply don't remember a lot of it. Most of the memorable things that I have done under the supervision of alcohol. That's just the way it's been.

I am looking forward to autumn. Playoff races in baseball, football fully underway, being able to wear my deer skin jacket, all three are nice. Hopefully some good stuff will happen in terms of getting a proper job. And I won't be able to say, it just a summer job, I just wanted to have fun in the ROC this summer, which is probably a good thing.

Alright, I'm good for now.

2005-07-10T12:04:00.000-04:00

I couldn’t figure out what to do tonight. I didn’t really want to watch any movie that I had in the house. I didn’t want to watch any TV show I have on DVD either (which seems to be the go-to option more and more lately). And Network TV on a Saturday night is about as appealing as a kick to the sack. I thought about going to the store to get some beer and cream cheese. Beer for right now, Cream Cheese for the morning. The pairing has nothing to do with one another. I didn’t really want to read the book I just started today. I think it will be one of those that I can only take in small doses. So I decided to write in this thing I got going here.

Anyway, with the newest CD in the collection, the self-titled debut by the 22-20’s rocking out and a Crown and Pepsi clouding or perhaps clearing my thoughts, I decided to write about some things that I’ve been thinking about lately. Which, by the way, when reading that last sentence makes me think, “Who the fuck do you think you are?” Does anyone give a good goddamn about what you choose to put in your precious little blog? I suppose the answer (hopefully) is no. Which leads me to the next logical conclusion, that I am doing this for some personal reasons. I guess part of it is to write, just to fuckin write c.) Lester Bangs. Is it necessary for me to document why I hate a commercial with such energy (and probably un-needed), which is usually reserved for Enron executives? To answer my own question, no, it’s not really necessary but on this particular evening, I feel like documenting said thoughts.

We might as well begin with the aforementioned commercial. Its frequency of airplay has decreased lately (I guess, I have no sort of stats to back this up). It is for Verizon Camera Phones. I’d say the frequency of this commercial peaked around Father’s Day. You probably recall it somewhat. It goes something like this.

Some dickwad (to be referred to as Dickwad from here on out) with a corner office gets a Camera phone for Father’s Day. Some dunce (to be referred to as Dunce from here on out) with halfa cubicle down the hall comes in to shoot the shit. He’s wearing a purple #1 Dad necktie. Dunce asks Dickwad what he got for Father’s Day. Dickwad proceeds to tell Dunce that he got a Verizon Camera phone and because he’s so fucking brilliant, he acted at the right time and got a second one for free for Wifey. Dickwad continues his smug ass act and asks, “So what you get?” Dunce feels like a fucking social reject and walks away.

Dickwad feels like he just got over on the Dunce from the cubicle and guess what?? He needs to let Wifey know. So he sends his whore of a wife the snapshot of the Dunce with the #1 tie. And you’ll never guess, but that strumpet gets her rocks off to by laughing at the Dunce from the cubicle. And this should come as no surprise but Wifey has a cool job. It looks like that she’s set up in front of a drafting board or a copy editing bay or something an Ad agency would need. Basically, she works at a cooler place and has a cooler job than you do. She fucking knows it too. Her and her Dickwad husband are better than you. They have better jobs, they like better movies than you, they sure as shit make more money than you, they drink responsibly and only the top shelf stuff, they act almost strictly ironic because they “get” things unlike your dumb cubicle, copy making ass.

It doesn’t end there. Some other Dunce comes in later; (aka Dunce #2). Apparently he got a crummy gift too. And Dickwad needs to put him in his place because he feels that it is moral responsibility. He thinks “Let me get this straight, this guy, this fucking guy in the cubicle is gonna show up to work in MY fuckin office wearing some hat that his borderline retarded son copped at the bargain bin at Sears?!?” Dickwad keeps it real so of course he needs to snap a shot of him at the entrance of his office, Dunce #2 can’t actually step into the office. That shit would be violating. “You wanted to see me?” Dunce #2 says. Dickwad just snaps of picture of him and laughs RIGHT TO HIS FUCKING FACE. I think that was the end of the commercial.

I sure there was a voiceover giving particulars of the two-for-one deal that apparently only the social elite are hip to. I’m sure Dickwad and Wifey knew about it because Verizon emailed them about it. Definitely emailed to Dickwad’s secondary account. Dickwad is careful about giving out his personal email account because Dickwad know the hassle of dealing with Spam and such. The email probably went something like this.

Dear Dickwad,

Just wanted to let you know about the Two for One Camera deal we just cooked up. We feel odd telling you about it. I’m sure you knew about it already because, well, you are better than us here at the Publications Dept. at Verizon. But just in case you were in Turks and Caicos and didn’t hear about it from your updates on your Two-Way, we figured we would email you about it.

Sincerely,

Verizon.

Some other things that are implied by the commercial that inspire hatred within me is: Ok, if Dickwad and Wifey are giving each other Pop’s Day gifts and they clearly both have jobs that the general populace wishes they had, who is at home with the predominantly gifted offspring? (Let’s call him Born on Third Base, thinks he hit a Triple) If you think Born on Third Base, thinks he hit a Triple is not playing the violin or using a vocab at least five grades ahead of his current level, you are sadly, sadly mistaken.

You know Wifey didn’t stay at home for more than six months after getting that preplanned C-Section doped up on pills. She has a career to worry about. Dickwad runs shit. And he is a little too uncomfortable with being a stay at home Dad. That would give Dunce and Dunce #2 ammo to make fun of him when they are drinking Coors on special during Happy Hour at Outback Steakhouse down the road on Friday. Dickwad can’t roll this way.

So you know what Wifey and Dickwad do?? I’ll tell you what they do. They put Born on Third Base, thinks he hit a Triple in the absolute finest daycare, pre-school, private elementary school. Pretty much all the way up the line, Born on Third Base, thinks he hit a Triple will be ensconced in Giftedness. But really, would it be any other way? I think not.

So I’ll put a new CD in and move on to something else.

I like using the word “aforementioned” more than the average person I think. If I were Travis Rodgers (producer for the Jim Rome radio show for those not in the know) and I had a list of things, phrases, topics that would guarantee a fax or email got read on the air, using the word “aforementioned” would be one of the things on the list.

Others:

Bourbon (extra points for Maker’s Mark Bourbon), Boise, ID, Famous Amos cookies (extra points for giving props to the original story on the back of the packages), mentioning driving across the country and the positive aspects of it, snacking, Deerskin Jackets and Brooke Burke.

And every time Romey resets this point, some clever clone get off an email that mentions everything that T-Rodge has on the list in a sentence (side note- some of the things on his list (I think) include: the word ‘unsavory,’ midgets riding mopeds, World War II history buffs. The rest is hazy. You, or I, could probably find it online somewhere. Perhaps before the end of this attempt, I will find out the rest.)

Anyway, a sentence that would include all the things on my list could be something like this:

I saw Brooke Burke wearing a Deerskin jacket drinking Maker’s Mark at a bar in Boise. She said how much she loves driving across the country. Especially when snacking on some Famous Amos Cookies on the aforementioned trip.

I went to Alexander Street Pub on Friday night and it was similar to all the other times I’ve been there but I guess I noticed some things a little clearer. First off, the smell. It smells like the cheapest sugary liquor you can imagine. Now imagine that liquor soaked into carpets and spilled onto sticky hardwood floors. Next, add the scent of a lot of people sweating out alcohol soaked sweat. That’s what it smells like.

What it sounds like isn’t much more pleasant. The soundtrack to Alexander Street Pub is the musical group Taint. I use the term ‘musical group’ somewhat loosely. Taint is a cover band, fronted by a guy that makes George Costanza look like George Clooney. This should not be my concern. But it fuckin is because he is always preening around stage and taking off his shirt. This is douchebag taking up my air and being an overall jackass without a shirt on is most defintely my concern. He's always jumping around, hitting himself in the head and standing on the speakers or some shit.

This isn’t about cover bands being well, cover bands. Like Snoop said about ‘studio gangsters’ “It’s not something I would do, but I can’t tell somehow how to get their paper.” Basically how I feel about cover bands in general. Plus, chances are, their original songs would suck ass anyway. But Taint just pisses me off something fierce. I actually consider making my way through the crowd and breaking a glass beer bottle over the lead singer’s head. Or at least throwing on stage. Questions that usually pop up in my melon and prevent this assault are “Would the bass player start pummeling me? Would the bouncers start pummeling me? Would someone from their inexplicable fan base shiv me? So I start thinking about pouring a beer on their control board. Just to royally fuck up their sound system (or the bar’s system). Basically, so I wouldn’t have to hear them anymore.

In a sentence, I hate the execution and visual and audio aspects of Taint rather than the idea of Taint. And I truly hope that is the last I devote that much time to things that rile me up.

Another development of the summer is the destination that Sunday night has become rather than something that just ends the weekend. Entourage, Family Guy and starting tonight Hogan Knows Best, which I think will fill in at 9:30 nicely. Like fellow author Dan Hoock and resident of where we watch such programming, said "Like we're not gonna watch it (Hogan Knows Best), I mean, especially on at 9:30." Basically.

I could defintely write a lot about how awesome Entourage has been this year. Small note on it's awesomeness: Last week's couldn't touch the week's before where Jeremy Piven officially wrapped up an Emmy. If whoever is in charge of giving clips to Emmy voters doesn't pick that five to seven minute segment when he goes from the Marriage Therapist to firing the mail room guy, the game is fixed.

Smaller note on it's awesomeness: Last week's episode when Turtle just goes "Yo, fuck Aquaman Vince!" I laughed my ass off. Dude was just saying take Aquaman like his life depended on it (which I guess it kinda did, the life he wants anyway.) and Completely changes his tune.

2005-06-22T22:58:00.000-04:00

It's been almost a month since the last entry.

"Well, Whip-de-damn-do" as D.C would say.

I work at Barnes and Noble in Webster now, my sister got engaged, had fun at Alumni Weekend in Ithaca, my dad's friends have been staying here the past couple of weeks -one night we had 10 people total in the house which didn't go smoothly at all, finished last in the bike race due to a.) poor training b.) poor route planned c.) my whole left pedal fell off during the race, had fun at the party after the race at Lions park and did some other stuff too.

Top Three Concerts I've ever been to:

1. The Roots in Geneva 2002
2. Weezer at the Blue Cross Arena 2002
3. Blackalicious and Jurassic 5 at RIT 2002

I could easily write more but I don't feel like doing it right now.

I'd probably update this more often but the computer in my room is on dial up and gets disconnected more than it ought to. At least ten times in the past hour and a half. It's a shitty computer, not a well researched buy by mom and dad. I feel like breaking it when it resets and freezes up so i generally don't go on it.

"Hey it's George, I've got nothing to say"

2005-05-30T12:18:00.000-04:00

From www.gimmeyourbestshot.blogspot.com...

"I dig Music. I'm on Drugs"

Hopefully anyone who reads the title of this post knows where the quote came from.

Mel and I once talked about finding the perfect girl and what qualities she would need to have. One of our questions went something like this: What movie would my future wife have to like in order for us to get married? In other words, is there a movie out there that I think is so great that I would be forced to end a relationship if she didn't like it? Also, this question will be easy to write, but very hard for me to answer.

Best Concert I've ever seen? (I may have to do a top 10 list)

Those are the questions and here are my answers.

I've thought about this first question alot. To use a quote from High Fidelity (big ups pete raps) "What really matters is WHAT you like, not what you ARE like. Books, records, films – these things matter! Call me shallow, but it’s the fucking truth.” I used to think that this was kind of true. Then I when I was in Florida, I really thought this was the god's honest, gospel truth. The sort of things that passed as quality entertainment in Florida and the reaction that I got for liking some of the things that I liked (Sin City, Suicide Kings, music - my uncle called every other music that wasn't on the hip hop radio channel 'gay'. Not even like artists like Cher. He called everything gay. Ran the gamut from Led Zeppelin to John Legend to Maroon 5, all gay. ZEPPELIN, GAY!?!?! What the fuck?!?! I think my face started twitching from the incomprehendable statement, ZEPPELIN. GAY) ,this type of shit was one of the main reasons I hated being down there, so yeah, I guess I truly believed in Rob Gordon's quote from above.

Now I don't think it's quite a 100% true. Some people just don't hear, see, have access to as much movies, music, books as some people. Yes, some people are just close minded and will not branch out at all. This sucks but it's not the end of the world when it comes to movies and music I've decided. I think you can only do so much prodding with the"hey, didja ever hear of...It rocks!! or "yeah, it's an independent release, it wasn't playing at Tinlsetown, har har har." before you sound like a jack-ass know-it-all. Don't be like that, it's not cool.

Of course, I would rather talk about movies with someone who sees more than just Jerry Bruckheimer productions. Same with music. If MTV is the beginning and the end of what you know about music, there probably isn't much depth there. But that doesn't mean that these two can't be entertaining. I enjoyed The Rock and Jay-Z was all over MTV.

With that said, there are two movies that immediately come to mind. If you don't like them I can not be truly friends with you. The aforementioned Almost Famous, and Field of Dreams.

Field of Dreams is a stone cold lock pick for this. If I were dating someone and this movie got mentioned and she said she HATED IT. I honestly don't think I could maintain that relationship. I couldn't look at myself in the mirror. She hates Field of Dreams, get yourself out of there man for God Sakes! I could plausibly tolerate a lukewarm response "Ehh, it's alright" provided that some solid arguments were made. (what these arguments would be, well, my point exactly) That would piss me off, but not a breakupable offense. However, if she said "I didn't get the dead players, that can't really happen" Peace, nice knowing you.

Of course, learning all of this early on in the relationship would be much, much better off. I'm guessing at the rehersal dinner someone bringing up James Earl Jones as the voice of Verizon and then my soon to be wifey saying, "Wasn't he in Field of Dreams? I walked out of that while it was in the theater" would be hard to get out of. It would put quite the damper on the Honeymoon however.

Almost Famous is not the mortal lock that Field of Dreams is. I think it used to be but for some reason it's slipped a little bit lately. I used to always feel like that movie would restore my faith in humanity after watching it. I would always be in a good mood after watching it and poorly sing "Tangerine." But the last time I watched it I felt kinda bummed out. Maybe it was just a one time deal, I don't know.

I think there are more things that a person could make a legitimate gripe about Almost Famous. Obviously, you won't hear any from me but I'm sure someone could come up with some that I would rationally listen to. If my girlfriend called it sexist and ran down the ideas much like the fact checker did for Rolling Stone as the reason for hating the movie, I suppose I'd listen to that. I wouldn't necessarily agree. I mean, the movie doesn't have to be moral to be entertaining. I would still be distraught if I found out a close friend didn't like the movie.

To sum it up, Field of Dreams -mortal lock, would break up with girlfriend if she hated it. Almost Famous - near mortal lock, only one semi-legit reason that the girlfriend could give that would not neccessitate a break up.

I'm going to have to think more about the concert question.

2005-05-27T21:20:00.000-04:00

THE RACE

This entry may be more convoluted than usual. I'm on my sister's computer with the DSL which means high speed music. So Revision is loud and nasty per always as i try to type. Ya'll been warned -Wu Tang

Like any major sporting event or large concert, the ancillary aspects prior to the actual event are usually the most troublesome. Parking, long lines, heavy traffic, confusion, these things are rather common. And always seem alot worse when they are happening compared to when it's all over with.

So the Preakness was no different. What was different about the Preakness compared to your average event is that you can bring in mass quantities of non-glass beverages. All the cans of beer you can carry. Which for the seven of us was six 30 racks. Shock and disbelief is the proper reaction dearest reader.

Ok, right to the nitty gritty

It was the absolute biggest party I've ever been a part of. Picture the early drinking of Cortaca with the sea of humanity of Prospect day but only on the scale of Fucking Woodstock. 90,000 people were on the infield.

Highlights / memorable moments:
-pouring beer on each other's heads seemed to be the thing that happened in our group so eventually i got some on my head. I spiked up my hair. It was pretty shaggy at the time so it stood up high. The sun baked it and it stayed straight up the rest of the day, through dinner back at the hotel. It wasn't even like gel hard either, you could run your hands through it if you wanted to. I wanted to.

-The flashing aspect of Mardi Gras was in effect. It wasn't the dominant theme of the afternoon, like it would be at Mardi Gras but you noticed. I'm not mad. The rest of the crowd also seemed to enjoy it. (ed's note: I have never been to Mardi Gras)

-My first viewing experience of, as the Red Dragon from "Made" called it, Charlie. I've never seen that before and there it was right out in the infield. I wouldn't call it a highlight but I'd be lying if it wasn't memorable.

-Our styrofoam coolers that we brought in to keep the beers cold lasted roughly four hours. I don't think this is a lot shorter or a lot longer than I expected. The destruction of the coolers was bound to happen and it did. Although when some wayward drunk dragging his fancy dancy plastic cooler along fell over into ours, smashing it all to hell, I acted out. I bounded out of the foldout chair (that was not mine) and gave my best kick right to the side of his plastic cooler. I wasn't really pissed, I just thought it would be funny. It was. Then about 45 secs. later, after sitting down I really thought I broke my big toe. I expected to find some blood covered socks when I got back to the hotel.

-We made it to the fence to see the start of the final race. I'm six three so I could see pretty good. Some 40 plus year old, drunk, overweight lady also wanted to see good. So, since her boyfriend was old and had a creaky back and couldn't support her, they both thought it would be a good idea if she got on my shoulders. Initally I agreed, simply because I was stunned. How often do complete strangers ask you get on your shoulders? Not often in my case. It took about 15 seconds to realize that this was not a good idea and it was not going to happen. She ended up going on the boyfriends shoulders, pissing him and a lot of others behind them off. Thinking about it now, I would have immediately developed curvature of the spine had that whale dry docked on my broad but ultimately non weight baring shoulders.

-I gambled some on the race. I had never bet on horses before so the whole experience of placing a bet, the lingo, etc. was new to me. I knew I wanted to bet on Afleet Alex. So I put $15 on him. Won $64.50 on that one. I also wanted to do a trifecta and box it which I put $30 on. Not as much as I intended, I got confused at the booth. Which if you were like me until a week ago you wouldn't have know that when you "box" it, it means that the horses can come in any order, 1-2-3. As long as they finish in the top three you win. I had Afleet Alex, Smarty T and Noble Causeway, 3-5-12. I got two outta three, if I picked horse 13 instead of 3 I would have gotten paid lovely.

-After picking the absolute slowest line to cash out in, everyone else had made their way to the car. When we got there our car was the last one in the fenced-in lot so we blocked at least four cars in. When we got there, the people we blocked in were calm and civil. Leaving was a different story. Seems that I was not the last to reach the car. Matt, the one with the keys, was still not present. Now, I can understand being annoyed if you get blocked in. But it was a little ridiculous how upset the a-holes were getting. You were just outside drinking all day long on a Saturday, what do you have to rush home for? A lot of Fortune 500 meetings taking place on a Saturday in the Baltimore area that I'm not aware of? I was not taking their not taking being blocked in well very well at all. So with the mob mentality swirling around we were pressured into attempting to move the car. Not easy. So with the six of us plus the roid raging assbags on a tight deadline, we tried. The back went up easy. The front, the part with the fucking engine, did not go up so easy. We got it moved a little bit but soon the owners of the lot saw us in action. As you might expect, seeing a bunch of drunk people try to move something that doesn't belong to them in the first place did not go over so well. The cops got involved. I thought Eddie was going to get arrested. Matt finally shows up and it was around this time that we discover his side-view mirror had come off the car. Still attached but only by the wire. The cops, Matt and the rest us did not enjoy seeing this. Somehow we got blamed and scolded as the real culprits peeled out and got to wherever was so fucking important.

Some other stuff happened too. I can't recall all of it nor does it all need to be recalled.

We left the next morning and were somewhere in PA in a Arby's / Roller Skating rink parking lot, trying to decide on a contest for the second to last seat selection. It was bush jumping. (i'm showing restraint, all the mentions of "box" and now bush jumping, the double entrendres are all out there). It started off on the lowest height and was getting progressively higher when we heard some lady tell us that there is a playground nearby. "You might want to go there, it might be more useful" yadda yadda yadda. In a pause I was thinking, "no, we're good, we're almost done, why is she talking to us, why would we need to go to a playground?" Then she started in with some non-sense about us "disrespecting the bushes, do you know how much landscaping costs? I'll call the cops if you don't leave." She was doing stuff like this. Simply put, she said we were disrespecting bushes and was willing to call the cops if we didn't stop. I don't know about you but I never thought I'd write that sentence or read it in my entire life. Just a truly absurd situation.

Some other stuff happened and I made it home later on.

2005-05-26T10:17:00.000-04:00

Baltimore Recap:

Six days ago I left Rochester for the Baltimore area to go an O's game and the mane (ha!) event, the Preakness. I had heard stories from the people that went last year. Sounded like a party of epic porportions. So the days before leaving, I had a weird mix of apphrension and being skeptical. It can't be as crazy as they made it out to be? What if it was that crazy? Could I handle it? Do you really hire people to carry your beer in from the parking lot to the front gates? All of this, among many other questions were swirling around my head as I tried to sleep Thursday night.

After picking up some Majik rolls at Jim and Ralph's we were on the road, the trip got off to a bit of an antagontistic start as I yelled out to the crowd of charity bike riders "June 18th Bitches!!" from the back seat of the car. For those who don't know, June 18th is the Survival of the Fittest. Just check out that site, it's got maps of the race for pete's sake!! Last year was the first year, sadly I was not a part of it. I'm pretty sure I was somewhere west of the Mississippi.

Getting back to the trip, I think the first major highlight that I don't think I'll forget is when we made our first stop to change seats in Williamsport, PA. Home of the Little League World Series. Others might have been democratic and just rotated seats. Not us, we had contests and games to see who got first pick of seats, that's how we roll. Some ideas were thrown back and forth until genius struck fellow author Dan H. A beer chugging contest. In the Little League World Series Parking lot, overlooking the field. At about 1 p.m. Knowing what you know about my stomach and how well I chug beer, the first coupling of Zach Fields and Vomit could have made a very early appearance. But I didn't think about it too much and down the hatch warm Budweiser went. I finished a disputed third, which even finishing was an achievement. Not vomming, even bigger achievement.

After getting back in the car, I just thought about the symbolism of a group of 22-23 year olds chugging a beer overlooking the site where the youth of the baseball world are celebrated, ridiculed and put under immense pressure. I'm not sure what the symbolism exactly meant but it meant something.

Eventually we got to the Baltimore area. What a dump. I guess the Inner Harbor area is cool and trendy and what not. The rest is not. I've never seen The Wire ever but it's accurate, trust me.

From here on out to honor the gully nature of B-More, bullet points:
-The O's game was on Friday night. Weather was overcast, rainy. Wanted Boog's BBQ but the line was bonkers and our seats were in deep left field
-Sammy Sosa was still on the DL, I say he was ducking us.
-Pat Burrell is not a quick left fielder
-Brian Roberts and Tejada, who's hotter right now up the middle?
-A button-down shirt was far from adequate, I was damn cold.
-The Syracuse contingent that we met down there stayed until about the third inning, probably better off, someone would have gotten asked to leave I'm sure.
-The Phillies ended up winning, 9-3.
-Bought a 30 pack of the High Life from a convient store on the walk back to the car. I don't want to overstate the grimey city life but it was defintely one of those stores where you put the money in and they whirl it around, all the while standing behing bullet-proof (maybe) plastic, then whirl your change back to you.

Saturday festivites coming later today, Bike Race shopping.

2005-05-11T18:12:00.000-04:00

You may have clicked on this link earlier today while on Page 2 at espn.com. I rarely read stories on Page 2 that aren't Bill Simmons related. Once in a while I will but mainly because of stories like this I hardly ever do.

What we have here is a legitimate news story, granted it's not going to make headlines all over the globe but stories of clashes between league bigwigs and players and coaches regarding dress code have a surprisingly high interest/news value. (MJ's original sneakers, Jim McMahon, all the fines regarding uni's in the NoFunLeague, etc) And baggy shorts, if you listen to some people, are the cause of the decline of Western Civilization.

So what does ESPN do to cover it? They slap a 'staff report' (read- interns) together, briefly mention the actual newsworthiness behind the story and then it's fucking amateur hour with Photoshop and unfunny punch lines.

I do think that there is a story here. Like I said, it's not Watergate but it's a story. Coach Nolan wants to honor his father and class it up but the league doesn't want him to because it's basically an ad for all of the gear that you can get on nfl.com or where ever NFL merchandise is sold.

I get why the league does this, so I'm not really hating on them, they aren't in business to make Nolan get on the cover of GQ; they are trying to get paid. Understandable.

It's also understandable why espn would cover this story the way they did. They don't want the NFL to get pissy at them. The fall out and reaction from "Playmakers" was the clearest example I can think of. They cover the NFL so they aren't going to criticize their own. I know that ESPN is a business too. They actually did mention in the article that the decision was based all about money so they didn't miss the entire point. But in the end, they need to cover their own ass as well. I understand all of this. I don't need you telling me, "Zach, that's the way sports work, it's a business." I get it. The word 'Sport' was in the name of my major at college, so yes, I understand.

But, the bigger story, I think, is ESPN just rolling over and making lame jokes out of it. Shouldn't a coach's preference to what he would like to wear and it being denied because of marketing obligations be somewhat of a big deal? If you want to cling to the belief that sports was oh so much more pure back in the day, wouldn't Nolan wanting to honor the past and getting flat out denied, strictly so the NFL can push some gear, wouldn't that peeve at least some readers of espn.com?

I guess my main beef is that when people just accept everything that ESPN throws at you under the guise of a news organization instead of Disney's most profitable commodity. If you don't realize the difference, then you as a consumer of news, are being misled. Yes, it's partially your fault. You can stop watching and reading. But you won't and neither will I. It's a necessary evil to take in whatever ESPN is selling. You have to sit through the Silver Bullet Six Pack of questions or the Budweiser Hot Seat and the controversey of the day to see some box scores or some highlights.

You can recognize that when they call themselves the worldwide leader it's probably true. As the leader in covering sports, I'm not so sure, marketing and packaging products for the consumer, on the other hand, is probably more likely.

(note to any HR workers at espn, this was posted by someone else, I, Zach Fields would not mind at all working at espn. Thank you)

2005-05-09T09:11:00.000-04:00

I was reading earlier that a lot of blogs link to stories so I figured I'd jump on the bandwagon quite late. Just some interesting things to back up my own personal beliefs, kinda like political talk shows. James Carville explains "Most people watch political talk shows for the same reason a drunk uses a street lamp, for support, not illumination." I liked that.

Mitch Albom is a hack

Not breaking news by any means and I don't know if ESPN, as Jim Rome would say, "smacked one of their own" and reported this but basically Albom filed a story about the MSU Final Four game on Friday, the game was on Saturday, story came out on Sunday. Wrote about Cleeves and Richardson being at the game, they weren't. I know all of that mamby pamby "Five people in Heaven" bull shit has nothing to do with this but I never liked him anyway. Weird haircut too, the way his hair covered his ears, Spock looking like bastid.

Actually, this is the only link for now. I have an eye doctor appointment. I always feel dumb calling it an "eye doctor." I know the real word has opto- somewhere in it but I'm never sure what it is. It's like calling the dentist, my teeth doctor.

2005-05-08T21:57:00.000-04:00

CLUTCH ATHLETES

This answer will be much shorter than the music question. Let's get down to it:

Baseball - Derek Jeter. Four rings in his eight full years. Over .300 batting average. There are more stats out there to support this. There are probably guys out there with better stats but I don't really care. The play against the A's, home runs against the Diamondbacks, etc. The Yankees put a 'C' on him for what he did in the playoffs.

Football - Tom Brady. He is 9-0 in the playoffs. I was thinking about saying Joe Montana. They do get compared quite often. But I think to do what the Patriots are doing in these parity heavy times is more impressive. I don't want to hear about "the system, the system" Last time I checked, Bill Walsh had quite the system down pat too. I know as a Raidas fan I know you don't approve because of the Snow Game. I'm sorry.

Hockey - Paul Kariya. He's only been in the playoffs four times in his career. The only extended run was two years ago against the Red Wings. Twelve points. ( I looked it up because I don't know much about hockey and needed something to go on). No, I picked Paul because of one thing. When he got railed unconscious by Scott Stevens he just laid motionless on the ice. You could tell when he woke up because his mask suddenly filled with condensation. Made his way to the bench then was back out on the ice soon after. His slap shot from the left side that beat the goalie and the MGM lion-like roar and fist pump that followed was one of the best sporting moments of my life. So that's why I picked him.

Before I get to basketball, I say this one was a little difficult. There were a couple of people I thought of right away. Some that had their moments, some I thought that would be too obvious, some that have been written about to death. But at the end, it comes down to someone that satisfies all of the above criteria...Reggie Miller. Of all the ideas I've thought seriously about writing in this space, a Reggie Miller reflection piece was on the top of the list. Really, I got some rough ideas down already. So I'm not going to go for the gusto here but he was my favorite player of all time, I patterned my game after his, I've read his book - "I love being the enemy," and was hated by an entire city more viciously than any other athlete I can remember strictly because of his playoff performances.

No way, I'm not out, I'm safe - Rex Hudler

2005-05-06T15:44:00.000-04:00

Ah yes, the desert island disc question. I've contemplated this question many times but usually just bailed out before answering it. This time I’m going to give it some effort. It is going to be hard though. It takes me a half hour to pick out three CD’s to take a trip to Wegmans let alone to a radio free island.

The fact that you can take three helps. I don’t want to take this to seriously though. I mean, the ghost of Jimi Hendrix is not gonna get pissed if I don’t include Are you Experienced? And I don’t want to give too much thought on what CD’s I have that are already on the famous Top 50, 100, etc. lists. Rolling Stone is not going to email me in disgust that I don’t have a Bob Dylan CD on the list. So these are the three CD’s:

Not so fast (some stipulations and declarations):

I’m not going to pick any double disc CD’s. I feel this is cheating. No live CD’s either. These are epic performances but they also tend to double as greatest hits CD’s, so they can’t be on the list. Which brings me to my next point, no greatest hits CD’s. Not that I would but I wouldn’t think it would be fair to take The Beatles #1 over Rubber Soul. Has to be a proper studio album. No soundtracks or other compilations.

Lastly, the fact that it’s not a deserted island and there are going to women there and beers to drink, it sounds to me kinda like a party. Now I know that this might sound like an answer Kid Rock would give but I don’t think bringing depressing music that is going to bum some people out would be a good idea. Or music that is brilliant but the subject matter is something that people wouldn’t want to hear over and over again. Granted, there are a lot of CD’s that would be good to listen to in the headphones while you are all alone while everyone else is cooking pulled pork and you wonder, “How the fuck did that canoe trip end up so far off course? I mean, we’re in the ocean for Christ sakes!!” But for the good of the island, I don’t think I’ll be taking any thing of this sort. Sorry Pet Sounds, Illmatic, RATM’s Catalog, Reasonable Doubt, Everyone Knows this is Nowhere, Innervisions, What’s Going on? to name a few.

Without further ado, here we go:

A Tribe Called Quest
MIDNIGHT MARAUDERS

I thought it was necessary to put a rap CD on the list. All music by white guys and guitars would have gotten too repetitive. And for some of the reasons I mentioned above, I chose this CD over other rap classics that I own. Basically, I just asked myself, would I rather listen to Midnight Marauders over and over or Title **? Midnight Marauders kept advancing like it was March Madness. That’s the approach I took to whittle it down to the finalists.

I like the Midnight Marauders Tour Guide intro and the idea overall. Nothing spectacular. It’s funny throughout the CD. Good enough for me. The first song is Steve Biko (Stir It Up). It’s a head nodder for sure. Phife and Q-Tip go together like peanut butter and jelly. This song, like the rest of them can move a party but not on some Lil’ Jon level. Where you need to be all crunked up and put your brain away. It has meaningful lyrics, but at the same time some that are funny and ribald. Q-tip rhymes about sex most of the time but you don’t really notice it. Sure, you probably would if you had to if this was 33% of the music you had but I don’t think this is necessarily bad.

We on Award Tour, example #2 of almost perfect production on a rap CD that filled with perfection. The more you hear the lyrics you will pick up funny references that you didn’t get the first time. This is probably important. “I never let a statue tell me how nice I am.” Let em’ know Phife. I could listen to this song 15 times a day. And it’s probably not even in my top five songs on the CD. An important quality. The CD tour guide sums up why I actually don’t listen to this CD as much as I should. I do feel that I need to be chillin’ out at night listening to this CD. It is a CD that does sound better at night. I put this on during the day and I just want to ill out and think about what’s up for later tonight.

8 Million Stories is Phife’s solo cut. If you had to, I mean absolutely had to, skip a song, it’d be this one. Still very good. “To top it off, Starks got ejected,” a mid 90’s time capsule sports reference. Starks will not be remembered very much by anyone 10+ years either side of me. But for ball fans my age, you bring up John Starks, you’ll get a reaction. Plus this CD eventually gets people asking “Who is Bob Power?” and the legend and stories will grow.

Sucka Nigga- Looking at the title, this has to potential to alienate some island dwellers. Give it some time, let it soak in. Just listen. Listen to what is being said.

“The night is on my mind, but the sun still shines.” My point exactly. It’s actually not my point, but I agree. Midnight has great lines like “On a midnight run like DeNiro.” I always liked that line. Writing about this CD seems harder than the one that didn’t make the cut. I don’t know how to sum this CD up as well. I almost think this is better. If it were really easy to write about it, then I don’t think you can call it a classic. Or I just can’t write.

If you need much more from a song, you are quite the beggar I’d say. Not much better than We can get down. I don’t really have much to say. Top-notch production, Phife and Q-Tip come through nicely. Sun rises and sets. Big surprise.

This is a perfect song. Perfect. Electric Relaxation. “Relax your self girl, please set-tle down.” Maybe the most argued about chorus. Lots of misunderstandings about it. Q-Tip -“Or we can do like uncle L, swing and ep in my jeep.” Actually thought it was 'eff in my jeep' I will still believe that it is. The song is sexually explicit, not like 2 Live Crew though, kind of on the sly. Well, except for “Bust off on your couch, now you got semen’s furniture.” Not too sly with that one Phife.

“If I ever solo, my favorite MC would be me.”–Phife. Clap your hands is tight just for that line. This one will grow on you as well. Overlooked at first but people will start to feel it in due time.

In Oh My God, Q-Tip says “Drafting of the poets, I’m the number seven pick.” I think this is a great line. Doesn’t really get all into that “I’m the best” mantra, it’s sort of self-depreciating. And for this one too “It’s not like honey dip would want to get with me, but just in case, I got more condoms than TLC.” Well-done Phife. The Busta vocal sample works well.

A lull before the back to back to back classics to end it. So Keep it Rollin’ might get skipped unfairly.

The first of the three back-to-back-to back classics is The Chase, Part III. Yowsers is this fuckin good. Top five track. Inside jokes a plenty. “Styles are incomplete same as Vinny Testaverde.” –Phife. Accurate. The Biz Marke vocal sample, Don’t you know Nobody Beats the Biz?? I love the last part - “And we out like shout, nine tre. Oh, oh, I don’t want to say nine tre, my man extra p said don’t say the year, so this is for eternity.” Probably my highlight of the song. “Rock rock on”

The title says it all. Lyrics to Go. To write about the lyrics of this song would be redundant after looking at the title. They say it right there in print. Lyrics to go. So I will cease giving examples about the lyrical genius of this song. Well, except for “Like Jordan with the mic, wanna gamble?” Basically.

The last cut, God Lives Through, holds it’s own in the lyrical shadow of the previous song. But saying it just “holds it’s own” isn’t really giving the song it’s just due. Far from it dude. Phife just absolutely rips it, “Walk past mc’s like that girl did the pharcyde”. So many lines from the pair that you would rewind it for. I’m sure you’ve heard many times, rappers shout out their friends or rappers from the same city, stuff like that. In this song, the way Phife does it is just classic. The best mentioning of mc’s from Queens ever. “See, I like to get down Jack”

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
BORN TO RUN

This CD doesn’t make this list four months ago. Not until I started listening to it almost every night before I went to bed while I was in Naples. No TV, shitty Dvd’s that I’d already seen, no social life, not wanting to listen to my Uncle talk about his girlfriend troubles or how much money he makes off of real estate, dead tired from working, all these things contributed to why I listened to music to go to sleep by. But something about this CD separated it from the others. Listening to stories about people that don’t have it all figured out either. Stories about finding your place in life. Maybe things aren’t going to work out like you had planned or dreamed they would. That’s life I guess. They can always get better though. Or fuck, maybe they won’t, who knows. And on a side note, if you ever left for a road trip in the middle of the night and didn’t play this CD, your experience was not as grand as it could have been.

Everybody knows how this CD starts off: Thunder Road. Just looking at that title, Thunder Road inspires awe. Rock song-writing perfection. Just poetry. Yeah, the whole blue-collar pick yourself up thing may get old for some people. But I don’t care. As I tried to write what I thought about the song while I listened to it, I made more mistakes writing than any other during this song just because I’m so focused on the song. I hang on every word; it’s phrased so wonderfully. What makes Bruce Springsteen Bruce Springsteen is that he can write about common problems and make you think that it’ll be okay; you’ll get through it, maybe. Hopefully. I know that this is not a new revelation. And “Waste your summer praying in vain for a savior to rise from these streets” may hit a little too close to home for me right about now.

An almost complete shift in tone, 10th Avenue Freeze Out is next. If this doesn’t make you move around island dweller, you may have scurvy my unlucky friend. The Big Man, Clarence makes the song. “The night is dark but the sidewalk's bright and lined with the light of the living.” I like that a lot. Especially how fast he says it. No Twista but still fast. I’m not sure what the 10th Avenue Freeze Out is exactly but I don’t care. I’ll have plenty of time to try and figure it out on the island. “Tenth av-en-ue freeze out.” Preach it Bruce.

“And the world is busting at the seams / and your just a prisoner of your dreams / Holding on for your life 'cause you work all day / To blow 'em away in the night” Bruce sings in Night. Maybe the “Work sucks but we’ll be miserable together once we let the night take us away” sentiment is not the best for the island. Since it’s an island there aren’t many that would have a 9-5 job in some cubicle that they need to escape from. But maybe they did before they got to the island and are glad to get rid of that bullshit. Bruce singing about it makes it even better. I could see that.

Backstreets starts off with some lovely piano. Bruce is just so lyrical, you really can’t just put it on and drift away to it. I can’t listen to him half-assed. And this isn’t even the stark Nebraska where you don’t really have a choice. For example, I’m trying to write about all the feelings that I have as I listen to the song, but I end up just listening to the song, staring at the computer. This is a good thing. Not for the blog but for evidence that it should be on the list. “Trying to learn to walk like the heroes / We thought we had to be / Well after all this time /To find we're just like all the rest.” *gulp* Well, might as well find out at 23 and deal with it before I get too far. A tough lesson but a necessary one. “Hiding on the backstreets, hiding on the backstreets.”

To wait and put the title song fifth takes a pair of brass ones, and I’ll be damned if the payoff isn’t more than worth it. I don’t normally consider the production of a rock song too often. It either rocks or it doesn’t. But Born to Run is definitely different. I am amazed on how they made this song. No, I don’t know how they did but I like it a lot. I know it’s the Spector Wall of Sound style, I don’t really know what that means. Many others know more about it than I. The Big Man rips it. Again, pure poetry. “But til’ then, tramps like us, baby we were born to run.”

I can sum up She’s the One
Male Island Dweller – You know what my favorite Bruce song is?
Female Island Dweller – No, Born in the U.S.A?
Male Island Dweller – Nope, it’s probably She’s the One, it reminds me of you

Male Island Dweller has sexual relations with Female Island dweller.

After She’s the One, it’s Meeting across the river. It’s easily the saddest song on the CD. When people are forced to do things to make ends meet that they don’t want to do, unfortunate things happen. No such thing as easy money. I’m glad the song ends when it does, nothing good probably came of it but at least you can postpone thinking about it.

Jungleland. The song is poetic as a bastard. Just like that last sentence was. “Barefoot girl sitting on the hood of a Dodge / Drinking warm beer in the soft summer rain.” Vivid imagery. Trademark Bruce characters, Magic Rat, local cops. The basic foundation of rock and roll music is in this song. Granted, this song probably doesn’t do anything you haven’t heard before musically speaking. But I’m not picking songs for innovation; I’m picking them for how good they are. That’s why I chose this CD. You think it’s going to end in somewhat of a whimper then Bruce decides that it’s not over. “And the poets down here / Don't write nothing at all /They just stand back and let it all be / And in the quick of the night / They reach for their moment /And try to make an honest stand / But they wind up wounded / Not even dead /Tonight in Jungleland”

Built to Spill
KEEP IT LIKE A SECRET

I picked this CD because it does not have one bad song on it. 1-10 rock out like their life depended on it. And after reading about Bruce’s lyrical opus, Born to Run, this album doesn’t hang with it on that level. But that’s ok, not much can. It is just great rock music. And it did come down to this or The Blue Album by Weezer. Everybody knows that CD is the balls so writing about it would be more easily accessible. Writing that “Say it ain’t so” rocks hard, people would be like, “Hell yeah it does.” Which is fine and good. I guess I’m admitting that I’m picking this CD over that because I want people to hear this. If I had to rank the CD comparatively, The Blue Album gets a 9.999998 and Keep it Like a Secret gets a 9.999999. People would probably not agree, The Blue Album is a certified classic, gets love from everybody. But I think this is better. Just because not as many people have heard it repeatedly over the years like they did The Blue Album doesn’t make it any less classic. So that’s why it’s on the list. And I just wanted to shake it up a little bit, you know, let's get crazy, we'll get some coke, some hookers and we'll fu-- Sorry Pat O'brien took over my computer there for a minute.

Starts off with The Plan- What’s wrong with this song? Does it not shred enough for you? Is the guitar work not epic enough for you? Ok, I’m not quite sure what all of the lyrics are about. As it happens with a lot of the songs on this CD, the guitar power chords just drop the mother load down on your ears. I know I don’t really know how to describe it. Doug Martsch will get loose on the guitar, but without really going into the deep jam band end. He dips his calf into the jam band waters but pulls it out just in time.

Next up is Center of the Universe. Brilliantly worded phrases in this one. “I don’t like this air, but that doesn’t mean I’ll stop breathing it, who doesn’t think they’re the center of the universe.” If you are on the island and can’t rock out to this song, sorry pal, you need to get next to my scurvy addled friend and we will soon be ravaging your belongings. This shit rocks. Pretty much after every song I’ll say so. “Don't look now / Just keep watching your TV / Hating what's to see / Waiting for someone to say something that's RIGHT!” Fuckin’ A right Doug.

People really need to hear this CD, Doug Martsch is not to be trifled with holding the gee-tar. Carry the Zero is in the three hole. That story about the dude that pushes the rock up the hill only to have it fall back down before it gets to the top, Sisyphus , well this song reminds me of that. You think Doug is gonna just get loose, just freak out and you’ll be rocking your head too hard, you’ll be pushing that boulder down the uncharted territory on the other side, you'll rock out too hard and have a headache. But he just pushes it right to the top before he looses control. The rock is tumbling at a rapid clip back down the hill. Easy darling, it’s alright. The fall back down the hill is just as fun. Hang on but don’t worry it’ll be a fun ride. I think you need to hear this song to catch my drift. Guitar Hero Doug Martsch.

You could dance to this music, this whole CD. It wouldn’t be hard. Sidewalk, song #4. Fast paced rock without the long hair and ripped jeans. I would bounce around like a mofo at a concert. It’s like they can just flip a switch from casually keeping the pace and the beat to just getting ready to fly off the handle rock. Not too similar to anything I’ve heard.

The fifth song, Bad Light, starts off a little slower than the rest, you can try to catch your breath. But Doug won’t let you for too long. Solid track, not gonna set the world on fire.

Time Trap is epic. I like how the lyrics start on this one, almost on the drop of a hat. I really like his voice too, distinctive, almost whiny but not complaining type of whining. The music just keeps building, building on this song. You know it’s going to get hectic in here real quick. It’s like watching a tidal wave almost take out someone’s porch while you are watching from a safe distance. “Is it gonna hit the house? Give it time, give it time. Oh shit! There it goes, bye bye plastic furniture.”

They follow Time Trap with Else. It’s a hypnotic track, you’ll get sucked in listening to this one. If you were chemically altered and accidentally (or on purpose) had this song on repeat, don’t make any fuckin plans

After Else comes the masterpiece of the album. You were right is a song writing homage to all the greats of rock and roll at its absolute pinnacle. There is nothing out there like this song. Such a bad-ass idea. In lesser hands, the idea and execution of this song could have been really fucked up. Read the lyrics, see if you notice some familiar phrases from rock’s past. Manages to chronicle the history of rock and roll, the optimism and the hope. Now looking at it today, Doug says rock let us down. “Life goes on long after the thrill of living is gone” The 60’s didn’t work man, bummer. “Do you ever think about it?” Martsch repeats as the song ends. Talking about rock and roll and the lost innocence. I’m guessing people do think about it but with rose colored glasses that most people like to wear, I don’t know for sure.

Singing about not seeing everything for whatever reason, whether you choose not too. People blinded by other things in there life. But it’s ok “isn’t everyone” Doug says in Temporarily Blind. Probably right. And they end the song with these lyrics “Yeah, they might let you say it / But it'd take all day to explain it.” Then follow it up with unintelligible mumbling. No really, that’s what it says on the lyrics page. Unintelligible mumbling. I like this.

The closer is Broken Chairs. It starts off with angry guitar playing. I like the line “Who themselves are mirrors of apprehension” Nice. Whistle while you slay fellas, good work. The way he says “Alright” over and over again is defiant for sure. Pissed about something.

So there it is, I've written more about music than ever before. That's it, that's the list -PTI. My eyes are malfunctioning and I don't know about clutch athletes right now. Tomorrow that will go up. Look forward to your list Domingo. If anyone else wants to weigh in, feel free. For your sake I hope it's not this long, there are better things to do I'm sure.

2005-05-02T21:32:00.000-04:00

NEW FEATURE

This is the completion of an idea that started about five years ago. Dan Hoock, a Gates Chili alum, stellar first basemen - the relay on a 9-3-2 assist from various baseball teams of our youth- and an Orangemen, had the idea that we should email each other back and forth, holding court on various topics of the day. While I was a freshman, toiling away in the cramped confines of Boothroyd, two gentlemen from the ROC attending college in seperate Central New York cities started the adventure. Everything went well, I even ended a couple of emails with a "Whatever happened to...?" which SI and USA Today up and ran with. One of the people who I wondered about was John Kruk. Any coincidence that The Best Damn Sports Show picked him up and later ESPN? Fuck no.

Maybe the star-making responsibilities were too much for me and navigating Marshall Street too much for Mr. Hoock. The emails stopped but something better, more epic, grandiose has taken it's place: The Blogspot revolution will be seen at this site and:

http://gimmeyourbestshot.blogspot.com/

The intial offering from Dan is as follows:

So here's two questions to get us started. 1) Let's say somehow you are stranded on a desert island. Let's also say you have pretty much every luxury available to you, within reason of course , but use your imagination (Beers, BBQ, sporting equipment, preferably good-looking females, aged 18-25), BUT........there is obviously no radio signal on an island in the middle of nowhere and you were only able to take 3 CDs onto the island with you. What would they be?

2) In each of the four major sports, who has been the best clutch/go-to athlete of our television watching generation (90's-'05)?

I'm going to let this epic leadoff offering marinate while I go to the Distillery and watch the Spurs and Nuggets.

2005-04-25T22:50:00.000-04:00

First off, let the record reflect that yesterday, the one year anniversary of Zach Fields day, came and went with little to no fanfare.

Secondly, this is the last night for me in Naples. I'm looking forward to returning to the ROC. There is so much I could write about to bash, complain, make fun of, whine and hate on Naples. And that is probably coming soon. It'll come when I need to sharpen my self-pity and loathing writing skills.

The third thing, I lost my black baseball mitt last Thursday. I left it on the back of my uncle's car while I drank beers with the guys on my softball team after the game. I looked at it sitting there and knew it wasn't a good idea. I still had hope that someone picked it up after I left. There was no such luck.

I had that glove since 6th grade. I feel like I lost an Aunt that I was somewhat close to. The glove had seen better days, it was all stitched up with tan cowhide straps. It was really a big part of my sporting life growing up. Since hitting was never my strong suit, that glove carried me. Hell, on my JV team I was a designated fielder for most of the games. Really. Played the whole game, didn't get to hit.

After I got into the garage, I was feeling a little buzzed mainly because I hadn't eaten anything all day besides some cereal, a bagel and two fruit popsicles. When I looked in the back seat and didn't see it I kinda lied to myself. I knew right away how I fucked up. I thought "Oh hell, that's a helluva way for the glove to go out, driving home after having some beers with the fellas, skidding off the trunk somewhere on the backstreets of Naples. At least it went out in a blaze of glory." I tried to tell myself this as I tossed and turned in my bed. It was all bullshit though. I couldn't sleep, it wasn't only because of the glove. I was thinking of a story to tell my uncle about why I got home so late. But the fact that I lost one of the things I've had longer in my life than most things was the main reason I got about four hours of sleep that night.

I wanted to keep that glove until I was 50. Keep stringing the laces together, tie together some cow hide, that would keep it useful.

I'm still bummed out but I'll get over it. I have a good back up at home. I always needed to have one just in case the webbing broke. It now moves into the starting role, it just won't be the same.

ROC tomorrow.

2005-03-26T09:15:00.000-05:00

Howdy, still coming live and almost monthly from Naples, Florida.

Last week I thought, who doesn't like to make lists? Who doesn't like to read lists? So I made a list of lists.

Just some things that I apparently thought should be organized in some fashion.

Best Three Lines from "New York"

1. "I was just about to find God but now that Mase is back I think I'd much rather find a menage" -Fat Joe
2. "When i let em' know the dope is out it's like America Online" -Jadakiss
3. "I'm not cocky, I'm confident so when you tell me I'm the best it's a compliment" -Jadakiss

I've heard this song way too much since I've been down here, it's a pretty good song. Notice no Ja Rule lines. I"m from New York but I don't have a 100 guns or even a couple of clips.

My Favorite Songs on the Radio Right Now
1. "Sugar" -Trick Daddy and Ludacris
2. "Hate it or Love it" -The Game and 50 Cent
3. "Bring em' Out" -T.I

"You don't know" by T.I almost made the cut but I didn't want all the songs to be Southern. 'Sugar' is the shit. "Can I call you caaa-ramelll?, I'm about to go cuckoo to taste your Cocoa Puffs." Let em know Trick Daddy. Say what up to John Mayer for me.

Why I hate Pitbull
1. His damn annoying voice
2. The amount he is on the radio (especially in Southern Florida)
3. His lame lyrics. In one verse, he favorably compares himself to R. Kelly and O.J Simpson *Bonus* Poor taste regarding a Len Bias heart stopping reference.

I fucking hate Pitbull. I wish he never ever ever met Lil' Jon. He gets played so damn much down here. I don't dig his Spanglish. Saying 'Baby I'm freaky' over and over does consitute talent or a chorus or any other damn thing.

Top Cities I'd like to visit
1. San Franciso
2. Austin
3. Memphis
4. Seattle
5. Portland

I guess my criteria would be if someone offered me a plane ticket to any city in the lower 48 that I haven't been to and I could spend a week or so, these would be the cities.

Worst Cities
1. Erie, Pa
2. Dubuque, Iowa
3. Danbury, Cn

Ballparks I'd like to watch a game in
1. Fenway Park
2. Wrigley Field
3. Pac Bell Park

People I'd like to watch an NBA game with
1. Charles Barkley
2. Kenny Smith
3. Lang Whitaker
4. James Worthy
5. Bill Simmons

If I had to pick a current NBA player, after reading this it would have to be Paul Shirley. Holy fucking shit is he funny.

People I would not want to watch an NBA game with
1. Stephen A Smith
2. Greg Anthony
3. Stu Scott

Teams that I think I would have watch as much as possible if I had the NBA Direct Ticket
1. Suns
2. Sonics
3. Bulls
*Bonus* Cavs

About the only NBA action I've seen since the Cavs - Knicks game where the Cavs blew em' out by about 40 on the same day as the NFL Playoffs is a 2 minute segement on SportsCenter which showed the highlights of a Spurs-Suns game. After about 20 seconds I started saying 'Damn', 'Oh Shit' and 'Fuck'. 'Damn' because I was impressed with Nash and Stoudimire. 'Oh Shit' for when I was really impressed. And 'Fuck' when Q got banged up. He's a member of the Massey Pre-nup, my fantasy basketball squad. But mainly I said 'Fuck" because I was pissed I had been missing it all season. They play like they are at the Y. It's just nice to see. I'm guessing the Sonics are similar. They bang a ton of threes, get kinda nasty down low. And I'd like to watch the Bulls to see Ben Gordon come in and just get hot. Henrich run shit. Chandler and Curry play like they are capable of. And Scott Skiles mulling it all over. Cavs = Lebron.

Groups that I have not seen live and would like to
1. Bruce Spingsteen and the E Street Band
2. U2
3. Beastie Boys

After hearing Live in New York City by Bruce I was hooked on seeing them live. It felt like I was listening to a preacher tell everyone that it's been tough but it'll be alright. Then I saw the HBO special of the same concert. Holy shit. Multiple goose bumps. Bruce puts more energy and showmanship into a concert then anyone I can think of. U2 because of their catalog. I was immediately hooked after hearing "beautiful day" during halftime of the Finals in 01, I believe. Beastie Boys because they have been a favorite for along time. Got me into lots of music that I probably wouldn't have found without them. Would have rather seen them when they were gonna be on tour with RATM. I had a ticket for the Buffalo show. Then Mike D had to go and fuck up and fall off his bike and hurt his shoulder. Then Tim C. climbed the structure at the VMA's. Then RATM broke up. So no concert. Still peeved about that one.

*Honorable Mention* Built to Spill, Radiohead, Coldplay, A tribe called quest, etc. If I thought longer, I'm sure I could think of more.

Groups of that I would have like to seen at their peak and with most of the original members

1. Led Zeppelin
2. The Jimi Hendrix Experience
3. Beach Boys

I really can't fathom what it would have been like to catch Zep at around 1974 or so. I'd probably have hearing problems. I've seen Jimi at Woodstock and Monterray on TV. Looks and sounds mind blowing. Beach Boys is a bit of a shot in the dark. I don't know if their act would hold up well live. Brian Wilson would have to be there and not scared, paralyzed with paranoia or hiding back stage eating massive amounts of food. I think it'd be amazing though. No Beatles because the crowds were so fucking amped to see them you couldn't hear any of the music because of the sreaming and yelling. Shrieking teenage girls filled the concert. So that's why I didn't say them.
*honorable mention* Otis Redding. You know that sentiment you feel when you watch a wretched movie or you are stuck in traffic, "Well, there's two hours of my life I'll never get back." I felt 100% the opposite after watching Otis at the Monterray Pop Festival. It was one of the most epic live performances I've ever seen. He was really the only R&B act on the bill and he was going last. Granted, if you are going last, you have game but in this case it wasn't a sure thing. When he started it was like the crowd was a bathtub and Otis just threw a toaster in. People just had a reaction. Like they couldn't help it. He just rocked. He did Sam Cooke's 'Shake', got everyone in a goddamn frenzy. Then he would slow it down. Then he would get the crowd back up again. Not usually how you would do it. He was only on for about 20 minutes but it was just epic.

People that were probably a little too excited over the release of Miami Vice on DVD

1. Pusha T
2. Malice
3. Brendan Goodhouse

Pusha T and Malice from Clipse (who i really would like to release a new CD) probably had Star Trak send them an advance copy of Crocket and Tubbs. Half of a song on "Lord Willin" is about how that show got them into the dope game for pete's sake. So i think they might be geeked. Goodhouse dressed like Don Johnson for Halloween. I think he was excited. People that were so excited it doesn't warrant mentioning: Phillip Michael Hall aka Tubbs, probably glad to see himself matter again and Bill Simmons.

Groups/artists that need to release a new CD soon

1. Common
2. Clipse
3. Built to Spill

Common, I'd really like to hear. I think this one will blow up if it's got a bunch produced by Kayne. Chi-town what's goin on. And his guest spots recently have been tight. If you are gonna rap about guns, drug dealing, etc. it helps to have bangin production, funny and unique ways of saying it. That's what the Clipse had on the last one. I'd like to hear more. Built to Spill goes as Doug Martsch goes. So it's up to him as the guitar god, lead singer and resident genius to make some progess. I think they are capable of getting shine like Modest Mouse last year. Probably about how Modest Mouse was in 01, 02. Built to Spill has already had some classic albums. 'Perfect from Now On' was one of Spin's Top 90 or the 90's. 'Keep it like a Secret' is just fucking awesome, not a bad song on it. I never go too long without giving it a spin. Plus the are from Boise.

Famous, Well-Respected Groups that I never got into

1. Pink Floyd
2. Elvis Costello
3.

It's not that I dislike any of these groups. Some of the Pink Floyd jams on the radio I like somewhat, just never blew my skirt up that much. There are plenty of people around my age who love Pink Floyd. Most of them are probably sky high when listening to it. This may have something to do with it. I know there are people out there that adore Elvis Costello, I think I can only name one or two songs. "Radio, Radio" which he broke into after a couple bars of 'Alison' on SNL is more classic to me because of the actual incident then the song. Still a good song, just the circumstance was more important.

Drinks / Alchol that I can no longer enjoy due to unfortunate circumstances.

1. Raspberry Vodka and Sprite
2. Molson XXX
3. Segrams and 7-Up

Just thinking about those and writing them down challenged my gag reflex. Halloween 02, I went with Chad and got drunk with Dovi for the first time over at his place. Puking on the side of his roomie's car on the ride back up to campus was minor compared to the epic hangover I had. I had 4 classes on that Friday. Made it to only my noon, Writing for P.R class. Had to leave in the middle of it to vomm in the Park bathroom. Still felt sick at 11:30 that night. Had to go to the Health Center over 24 hours from the time of the first drink I had of the vial concoction.

I've said it before, I'll say it again. Molson XXX tastes like alcohol posioning. 315 Hillview got the bright idea to get drunk on a random Tuesday night. I had about five too many XXX's, drinking them like it was the High Life. Granted the Vodka Gimlet's at Mahog didn't help. I didn't go to any classes on Wed. Watched about 13 hours of assorted VH-1 list type programming. Of the two or three sentences i said besides "I'm a dumbass, that was stupid" was to Chris. "Ehhh, can you get me a gatorade or two, I don't have any money, I'll get you later." Except I mumbled it.

And Segrams and 7-Up happened I think senior year. Although it was senior year of High school. I got into Buffalo Wild Wings, a sports bar near RIT. I think I had three 24 oz. beers and then my buddy Marco said, try this. He slid me the 7&7. Had a sip, enjoyed it. Had a gulp, really liked it. Pounded it and ordered another. I had another two or three that I bought. Then I downed Marco's without him knowing. By that time i was dancing back and forth when I went to pull the darts off the board. Made it to Tahou's parking lot before I got sick. Next day was Father's Day, didn't get out of bed until noon. I Could hear my parents coming down the hallway. I was at my desk making a card. "Oh no, I'm fine, I was just making a card, that's why I haven't left my room yet." At the time I thought I was being slick. Looking back, my room probably reeked of whisky, beer and vomit. I think they knew the deal. I also remember that we had steak for dinner. My stomach was still queasy as a bastard. "Oh, I'm not not hungry. Oh yeah, I feel fine, just don't feel like eating right now." Thinking, 'sweet they bought it'. I guarantee they didn't. It was at the stage where they knew but didn't want to know. It was out in the open later on.

As the fellas on PTI would say, "that's it, that's the list"

Hopefully more updates and dispatches soon.

2005-02-25T07:28:00.000-05:00

Movies I've actually seen in a movie theater and paid full price for since I've been in Naples.

-Racing Stripes
-Assault on Precinct 13
-Hitch

I can't believe it either. Something has went drastically wrong.

I saw Racing Stripes with my Uncle Larry and Aunt Anita and 13 year old cousin Mitchell. That's what he wanted to see, I gave him some benefit because he was 13. But I'm pretty sure I was not digging Racing Stripes shit when I was 13. Plus he wears G-Unit sneakers so I thought he'd be more down than he turned out to be.

But it did yeild one of the most comical moments since I've been down here. Anita and Larry both have horses and groom them and all that stuff. So they know what horses are like. After the movie is over Anita goes "Yeah it was alright but that wasn't a zebra, they just painted a horse. They used different horses too, I could tell."

Well, if the fact that horses were used instead of zebras in a movie THAT HAD TALKING ANIMALS is your biggest beef, I don't know what to tell you.

I also went because my Uncle Mark said, "It's dinner and a movie, it's a great deal." This theater actually had a menu, you could order actual meals. It was a really odd experience because, depending on your point of view, it could add or detract to the whole deal.

Let's say the movie sucked (which it did. hard. Snoop gets his cool card pulled for a couple of months for doing anything related to this wreck) and you have to wait for your food. Then what if that's no good? Then you are fucked. Paid $8.50 for a shitty movie and $15 bucks for some shitty food. You feel like going back ever again? I sure as shit don't.

But what if the movie is good, you are engrossed and Flo the waitress comes back. Can't remember who ordered the Grouper, who had the chicken wrap. Then you get the bill, the sticker shock disturbs your train of thought. "12.99 for a goddamn Turkey Sandwhich, what the fuck?!? Next thing you know, Howard Hughes is out of money again and you don't know how it happend. You are pissed and it basically fucks up your viewing experience, that would suck too.

Although, what if the movie is just decent, a solid C, but you get your food and it's great. Just what you wanted and you feel all fat and happy. You are gonna have a positive memory of that movie going experience. Mediocre movies don't deserve this. You will tell your friends that it's alright. They will go and see it and word of mouth will spread. All because your Buffalo Chicken salad was awesome. Congrats Dinner and a movie. You've helped some a-hole get his next movie about a doctor who really wants to be a rapper but is in the Preisthood get made. Wait a minute...I'd see that.

You can read other reviews of Assault. Bill Simmons comes to mind. I'd have like to seen Carpenter's version first. Plus we sat pretty close to the screen and I was disoriented, I could focus on the important things. Like Drea de Matteo's rack.

Hitch was horrid all around. First off, my Uncle and I get to the theater late because he was on the phone trying to convince his girlfriend that he knocked up to not get an abortion. I'm in the car scarfing down Taco Bell, he's on the cell somewhere in the parking lot. I want to stress this, I'm waiting on him. So he comes back and tells me curtly, "C'mon what are you waiting for, we're gonna be late." Then tells me "You know you can pull ahead farther, I think you are far-sighted." This all happens in about 12 seconds. You might say he has issues with displacing his anger. He's speed walking into the Cineplex. The quiet rage is building inside but that's what I do. I take it, I always do, I take it.

I give Mark $10 bucks because he paid a little more for the Taco Bell. He fucks up buying the tickets, only gets one. I don't know how this happened. He gives me the ticket to give to the ticket stub guy. So I'm alright, I have my ticket. Mark doesn't. The ticket stub guys stops him but was ready to let him in. Basically the only thing Ticket Stub takers are not supposed to do. But my uncle fucks up and tells him he only paid for one. He goes back to get the other ticket. Has to wait in line all over again. I'm waiting for him. Then he stops to take a leak. Tells me he'll meet me in there. We are already late so the lights are off and, if you've seen the Box Office reports, the theater is packed. I find two seats. But since it's late and dark, he can't find me so I'm sitting by myself. Normally not a huge deal but it's right after Valentine's Day so everybody is paired up, everybody. I feel shady. So let's make this clear. I'm sitting in a theater by myself watching fucking Hitch.

It starts and Will Smith is too cool. Why can't we all be like Will Smith? Man, the way he talks to the ladies, he's soooo smoooth. I'm grinding my teeth.

It goes on and on. The lady sitting next to me is laughing her ass off. Out right guffaws and knee slapping. I'm thinking, "Is she watching Caddyshack?" Because I only chuckled a few times. Laughed out loud once when no one else did.

Will Smith was meeting with this dude who wanted to get set up with some chick he met in Victoria Secret's. It was going like all the other meetings between Will Smith and these in-love-from-afar characters. Except this guy was an asshole (or what you may know him as, "Every guy out there", if you believe other movies.) So the asshole goes, "Yeah, my head is all cloudy when I think of her." Will Smith nods like he's seen it before. Because he has. Then the asshole guy says "Yeah, I think I'll feel better if I just bang her." I lost it. I'm laughing out loud for about a half minute. No one else is laughing. The got all moralistic and "shocked." Or because all the guys are with their girlfriends and want to get head later.

But Will Smith can't help this guy, the guys he helps actually have to be in Love, with a capital L. Because Will Smith is actually a good guy. Not like all of the other guys out there. They are all assholes. Anyway, this meeting comes back to cause trouble in the movie.

I don't want to write anymore about it because I feel like punching myself in the sack. I'll just say, most of the laughs come as a resulf of Kevin James dancing. Wow, a fat white guy dancing with zero coordination. Hiiiilarious. I've never seen that before. I learned about this in 6th grade, I think it was called the Lowest Common Denominator.

2005-01-31T18:36:00.000-05:00

Making out with the Alabama Sports Festival then not being able to hit it, getting a contact high after walking into my Uncle Jeff's house, blind dates and more from the City of Naples.

I found out today that I won't be working in Alabama. If it were 50 years ago and the relationship between me and the Alabama Sports Festival was a phsyical one, I would have held hands and maybe got a kiss on the cheek, in 2005, me and the ASF made out drunk at the bar a couple of times and maybe I even finger blasted her. But since I'm not working for them, I won't be hitting it. It's kinda a bummer because as I learned more about the job description it sounded like a combination of a bunch of the sport related classes that I took at Ithaca. So it would have been nice to put the education to use. But it would have meant that I would be living in Alabama, that probably wouldn't have been too much fun.

On Saturday, I went with my Uncle Mark to visit his parents and my grandparents outside of Orlando. After dinner we went over my Uncle Jeff's house / trailer area to see how they were doing. My Uncle Jeff is just over the fat threshold into sloppy fat. Anyway, Mark and I walk in and what hits us in the face, none other then the scent of the stickiest of the icky.

He only stayed inside for a couple of minutes, after a little while I kinda liked sitting down on the couch. There were people there that I didn't know, I didn't really think to introduce myself. I think the girl that was probably younger than me that was holding a baby said "Who's this one?" I said that I was Rick's son ( I think) and continued to sit down on the couch, breathing heavily.

After a while I got out to see if my Dad was back, I said to my Uncle "You got any Twinkies?", just joking around. But later when I went to talk with my Dad I felt the effects a little bit. He asked me what I was up to since I got into town. I said "We had uh uhh uhhh, dinner over aah ahhh, there" and pointed to my grandparents house. He said "Mom and Dad's?" I said yep, that's the place. Then I watched Out of Sight and the Cuse forget how to rebound.

My Uncle Larry said he'd hook me up with one of the girl's he works with, a girl named Nikki I believe. He said she's not bad. I know what his wife looks like, and if he thinks this girl is only "not bad" I think it's not going to be a long date.

Luckily, when I was home in the ROC and unemployed with no cable, I watched plenty of "Blind Date" Roger Lodge is stoopid funny. If I'm out to one of the chain restaurants with this Nikki girl and it starts going bad I'm just gonna start thinking about what thought bubbles would be popping up and how I would describe her in the post date wrap up.

One other thing of note: It's nice to be the Fields in the house that doesn't have a drinking problem. My uncle stops and gets beer everyday on the way home from work and goes through about 3 or 4 IN THE CAR RIDE HOME. It's quite impressive. He only drives about half the way home so it's not that big of a deal. But anytime he goes out, he brings some Road Sodas or Travelers, whichever you prefer.

And another thing, if for some reason you thought, where are all these people that are right wing christian conservative people that voted for Bush, they are in Florida. More specifically the church that my grandparents go to. They make Rush look like a commie. The pastor held up a toy helicopter for some reason and it had a little figure as the pilot, it was a black piece of plastic. And someone said OUT LOUD, "I hope it's not a black pilot." That's the type of thing we're dealing with here. No culture, very little education, no open minds. But it's warm.

2005-01-12T15:05:00.000-05:00

Leaving for Florida in six days. I know there are good things about Florida in the winter (weather) but since I'll be working with my uncle and not doing anything resembling a job that a college degree in sports was designed to get, there are bad things too (washing RV's and mobile homes for money).

But I can't complain, well, I guess I could but that doesn't do a damn bit of good. As Sparky Anderson once said about a player "He'll never be that good, he's gotta learn how to be comfortable with being uncomfortable." I don't really know what's gonna happen with my life at this point so I'm trying to be comfortable with being uncomfortable.

(p.s. this stuff is lame to write about)

Sports, Music, Movies and Books next time.

2005-01-12T14:10:00.000-05:00

I wanted to reintroduce the blog with a Top 10 list of CD's with a detailed description and all of that but after I started I remembered I couldn't really write without rambling and making jokes that only I think are funny and confusing the reader. (see fantasy sports posts)

Maybe at some point I'll do that but it's getting into January now so it's not really timely. But, I don't give a damn about that. That's the point of this, I do what I feel. Go screw if you don't like it.

And if you look at the posts that I made prior to this, over two years ago (which doesn't seem possible) I'm not a Jonny (Zero) come lately. Maybe the worst title Fox has had. "We can't have it just be Johnny, it's gotta have an edge."

Anyway, it's back

2003-12-08T10:31:00.000-05:00

Another fun weekend that I want to recap before I forget the small details, because those are the fun ones.

Left Friday afternoon for the Albany area with keith hannon and chad with stories of keith's driving tales from John Cook (not the golfer). Rode in the back as Keith got us to the Red Carpet Inn. What a dump. Our window was all taped up and looked like it played a part in a murder scene. Keith's friend Josh was with us, he showed up drinking a High Life. Then we went to the gateway diner, with CO, Kelli, Josh. Got a tanqueray and tonic with cheeseburger. Chad and josh contemplated stealing a bottle from the bar but decided against because patrons and workers would have stabbed them if they took it.

Went to Price Chopper to get some beer and were called dorks by some ugly, fat, young mothers, it was pretty interesting. Bought a thirty pack of busch. got back to the Red carpet after almost bottoming out the car going the back way in. Cook and Josh made some calls and we had some visitors. that was a fun time.

Then Keith told the best story I've ever heard and was shell-shocked by it the entire night, just awesome.

We left soon after getting told that we were loud for the second time even though they only came to the room once. Walked across the albany campus to some karaoke bar named maggies. it was a fucking cold walk.

Got to maggies which was kind of a strange place. No one from our crew got to sing, much to the chargrin of josh as he tried to pick a fight with one of the bouncers. That was kinda stupid but not as much as the empty cans of beer under the table where we were sitting. Before we left we cleaned the place out of six pint glasses.

The walk back was pretty funny, kids swinging sticks and yelling into dorm rooms. Jesse calling to inform us that he got his sideview mirror kicked in by brian bennett and then to say that novak got his kicked in too. Now the hit on bennett is on, nobody likes him.

2003-11-17T00:06:00.000-05:00

CORTACA WEEKEND PART II

Notes from the Game: Sat near Hannon and company which made cheering fun, my voice was shot today from yelling so much, the soccer kids were rowdy and there were bottles and flasks and beers. Basically everybody was drunk as that's the way things usually work out.

Some of the things that were said by Keith, "You've gotta be Q-Tiping by dick hole with that call." The game was real fun but it was a bummer that we lost. After the game Chris and I went back to Katie's apartment. We almost sobered up and watched Old School and then we went home.

Took a nap and started drinking again. All in all, Chris and I finished a 24 pack and the rest of the Molson, I'm not sure how many I had but it wasn't as much as Chris. Then we went down to Prospect with Cortnee and her friend Liz, that was fun. We had a fun time then went downtown where it got even weirder.

Everyplace was packed, it was good to see. The festivities brought a lot of people here. Chris and I ended up going to Moonshadows with M. McCleary and her crew. It was packed, Jon Bennett threw me around and spilled my beer, kids were falling down in the line for the bathroom. Good times.

Chris and I went to the Chanticleer for the first time for the both of us. Even that place was crowded. I liked it, good music, some interesting people and decent beer selections. Chris stole a sign for the fire code and we left promptly after that. Made it back to our place, dropped off the sign, Chris dropped chicken and pie on the floor, grabbed more beer and went back to Keith's house.

It was the fun as usual. I handed out Dum-Dum's and sang songs and had a good time.

Woke up this morning and felt like shit. Ate greasy Domino's and felt like napping the entire day. That's about all I feel like writing about for now.

2003-11-16T12:39:00.000-05:00

CORTACA WEEKEND RECAP

Friday afternoon: Finished a test at school came home and started drinking and watching Madden. Then went to Happy Hour where it was like a ghost town kinda, but it filled up and we had a good time. Then started to watch Dumb and Dumber. Then went up to bed and passed out until 1 a.m. Woke up and felt like death. My head was pounding and stomach ached. Got about five hours of sleep.

Saturday: Woke up and felt like crap, showered and felt better. Ate food and started playing Madden and drinking beer. Chad, his stepdad and Lauren were around but we didn't see them much. Chris and I kept drinking here and next door. We walked down to Prospect and that was fun. When i got there Gags gave me a pint of skippy which i almost pounded. That wasn't a good idea because I puked in the bathroom. Then we walked up to the game. Which was a hike. People knocking shit over, Chris stopped to get a 22 of High Life. I kept walking and sweat my balls off. Some people hit the sled on the practice field, that was fun.

Made it to the game and sat near the pep band. Our section was into it but it didn't seem like everyone else was.

2003-11-10T00:04:00.000-05:00

Friday, went to Happy Hour. Then to W. State Street to buy some Rogue beer. Played Madden and drank some more and carried on as usual.

Saturday, did a lot of relaxing and watching of Television. Kellen Winslow meltdown was great TV. More drinking.

Sunday, tried to eat an entire Pecan pie, then watched football. Dick Vermeil and Trent Green interview, they are gay for each other. Listened to two hours of A Tribe called Quest and watched one of the strangest pro football games ever (Balt. vs St. Louis).

Showered after quad football on Friday, and won't shower until tomorrow at some point.

2003-11-06T21:21:00.000-05:00

I have a meeting in a hour but I'm leaving now because there are some unexplained fumes or odors that are making me nauseous.

Chad thought it might be Ashley putting on nail polish, I thought it could be from the guy that wanders in and out of our house to use the facuet for the hose to fix something (which we don't really know what he's fixing) but he's not here. Chris isn't sure what it's from and Ashley for all we know could be dead from the fumes in her room.

The time we expect to find out is hopefully before we die our sleep or when we ask Pete, the landlord. I hope he's got some answers.

-responses 1. Jesse - sounds like good times at 315 hillview
2. Mom - good luck with that

Unexplained odors makin' me ill
Our house ain't no place to chill
Lanksta's feelin' sick
He was quick
To get his white ass outta here
We need to drink some beers
It's Thursday night
I think Chad and Ashley will fight
If she's not lyin'
In her bed dyin'
From these fumes

Dees fumes are makin' me nausous
Outside someone's doing somethin'
Is he makin' my coffin
I feel like foldin' up and dyin'
Dees fumes are makin' me nausous

Where the fuck is Mali-Mal?
To let us know what's going down
He's a fuckin' clown
Ruined our checks in the wash
We'll ruin his face in a fight
Bastard prolly bites
His fumes are makin' me nausous

-"Dees FUMES" by Cnizaughty, MD

2003-11-06T16:00:00.000-05:00

This is the more readily readible form of my odds and ends paper I had going. I guess I just want to do everything to remember the rest of this semester and next semester.

It's my last year of college and Lord knows I've had a great time this year but I do get kind of bummed out that in my alcohol fueled debauchary I'll forget about most of the small stuff. The small stuff is some of the great stuff though. There are things everyday that you laugh about, complain about, get pissed off about.

But over time the small stuff just fades away, so this is my attempt to document the last great year of my young adulthood. Or at least that's how I feel right now.

2003-11-06T15:57:00.000-05:00

The initial post, I want to see how this works