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 |   A little bit of everything, colored my own way. |
 BLOG CHALLENGE WINNER FOR SEPTEMBER 2011 AND APRIL 2012!! ** Image ID #1901871 Unavailable **  After almost a year away, I've decided to revisit Blogville. I'm refreshed and ready...this time around it'll be a little different. I'll talk about a little bit of everything...music, sports, retail life, and more. It's not for everyone...you might not like it, but someone you know (and possibly detest) probably will! WHO THE HELL DO I THINK I AM??  We're gonna find out one way or another!  Relax, enjoy, leave a comment, tell your friends... A special thanks to Julie D - PUBLISHED!  for the 2011 Quill Awards image!"There is only one way...it is THE WAY." -Photo Jesus  "Can't you count to one??"  Thanks for stopping by and showing your support!  |
| THE PROMPT: "Summer? Autumn? Winter? Spring? Which is your favorite time of the year and why is it your favorite? Tell what kinds of things you like to do during that season." As if you have to ask.  I love Buffalo for the simple fact that we usually have all four seasons. Yeah, we get our fair share of snow up the ying-yang, but we sometimes also have a nice summer or such. In the Autumn, there are a lot of parks you can venture off to just to see the changing of the leaves. I love getting lost in the trails of Losson Park. Chestnut Ridge is also a good weekend venture. For the Buffalonians that love to ski and do all sorts of outdoorsy wintery things, God bless ya. I can't be a party to that. But having had to live life walking to places, I'd rather walk through a Buffalo snowfall than any kind of spring or fall rainstorm. And you can put that on my grave. I'm a Leo baby and nothing can keep me from the sun...or so I think. Springtime always used to be about a "renewal" for me...I'd shed the old skin and gear up for all the fun that summer would bring. But nothing can shake the summer from me. It's MY time. Just feeling the warmth of the sun makes having to sit through what feels like nine months of winter all the more worthwhile. And believe me, I try my best to take advantage of it. Back in the day, I'd spend sun-up til sun-down roaming basketball courts, looking for a game. Now that I'm older, I might make it out to the hoop we've got in the driveway once in awhile (body permitting in my old age  ). However, my main love in the summer (like a lot of men) is grilling. The smell of the fire, the roasting of dead animal, and even the occasional gathering of family and friends...what's not to love? I enjoy concocting different marinades and creating side dishes...and if you don't mind me saying, the results usually turn out pretty good . I'd like to think my specialty is something I like to call "Heineken Chicken". Take some boneless, skinless chicken breasts, marinate them in a mixture of http://www.chiavettas.com/'s sauce, Heineken, a dash of soy sauce, a dash of {http://www.franksredhot.com/} and some parmesan cheese for at least six hours. Grill 'em til they're ready and melt a slice of provolone or mozzerella; they're good either as a main entree or on a toasted kaiser roll. Last time I made them, I even marinated some vegetables and grilled them up too...it was fabulous. So that's my summer fun for ya...if ya see this kid in the driveway, stop on in and I'll grill ya up somethin' nice. Just remember, it's BYOB around here .MUSICAL BREAK: There's just so many good summer songs out there, it's hard to choose which one is the best. I'll just go with a jam I rocked about a million or so times. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNB8pNqwrKw VITAL STATS: Quiet day around here...this may be the longest entry in the terms of how long it took me to finish it. Started it before work, around 10am. Took a nap, went to work, and finished it off. Like good chicken, sometimes ya gotta let your thoughts marinate a bit. And with that I'mma take off...it wouldn't be a late Tuesday night without having to be up early on Wednesday. With that said, peace and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
| THE PROMPT: "What if the "one that got away", the person who absolutely ripped your heart to shreds, came crawling back to you begging for another chance? How would you handle the situation?" First off, who writes these prompts? Are they trying to get us killed? Some of us have husbands, wives and significant others who read this!! All kidding aside, for the sake of discussion, I'll limit the "ones that got away" to ones that left me and took a lot out of me physically and emotionally (and materialistically as well), rather than the ones I left and later realized that maybe that wasn't the right choice at the time...or that later on maybe things would've been different.I have two points I'd like to make. I am a single man in a committed relationship with Jess the CWC. I can without a doubt say that if any of these girls came prancing into my life right now just as easily as they seemingly left it, there is ZERO chance of them ever getting let back into this heart. It was a steel trap from the start...hard to get into, easy to leave, and just like the shitty bar down the street, once you leave we mark you with an X on your hand and there's no re-admittance. That's the gist of point number one. Now, for the sake of argument, let's say I'm not taken. Let's say I'm single and in my mid-thirties, and been through failed relationships of varying degrees. Knowing that people have the ability to potentially change over time, the rules relax a little. Maybe you pay another cover charge to get back in...maybe the bouncer and bartenders keep a disturbingly cautious eye on you. Perhaps the focus shifts more toward remembering the good times and pledging not to let whatever failed us in the past become a problem in the future. But that's neither here nor there, hence... The second point I'd like to make, which I think should be the most compelling argument against ex's reuniting....which is, and note the italics for emphasis: They are ex's for a reason. And typically, that reason shouldn't matter because there is a reason period that you weren't meant for the long haul. And things like time, distance and experience are usually not enough to overcome the reason (or reasons) that couldn't keep you two together. Now, the question remains regarding how you handle this. I'll try to tackle this by scenario...here we go, yo... Scenario 1: You've moved on and are established in a committed relationship. My friends, this door needs to shut as quickly as possible, if it needs to be opened at all. Maybe now she's ready to part with all of the cd's, hoodies and pajama pants you were never allowed to get back once she decided she wanted the milkman over you (and now she's suddenly lonely and misses you). Don't do it. Don't even allow yourself to think about it. And you know what? It's ok to be rude and mean...she had no problem casting you aside, remember? Her twisting and turning of your heart muscles further extended her grip on you, but she let it go like throwing trash down the sewer grate. And now that she's older, she's probably feeling more like the sewer grate. Don't be afraid, in no uncertain terms, to remind her. Scenario 2: You're still single after several failed relationships. Move with extreme caution. Never tip your hand, and never present too much information. No matter how badly your urge to re-sack her is eating at your shorts, don't, and I mean don't, just pour your heart out when you bump into her at Starbucks. Remember, anything is prone to scaring women off. So don't tell her that you've waited for this moment, or that every girl has left you for another girl, or anything that might implicate yourself to something the other sex finds just too bizarre or hideous. Be smart, determine her intentions, and take it slow. If the reason/reasons you didn't make it weren't life-threatening, and the good outweighed the bad, maybe smarter and more experienced daters can prevail. But damn, the success rate in this scenario is probably more in line with your own individual success rate in relationships if you're willing to travel down the same road you crashed your car on once before. Scenario 3: Plain and simple...you're ex's for a reason. Have a little dialogue until one of you figures that point out, and part ways as nicely as possible. Realizing at an early state of conversation is half the key...realizing that it didn't work then and there's reasons why it won't work now are just as important. MUSICAL BREAK: Only one band was ever meant to sing this song, and I believe this is the only song suitable for today's entry (out of maybe 3-5 others, but this one sticks out). Sorry for the lousy sound quality, but you've heard this song before I'm sure anyway, and I don't think anyone needs to sit through a 5+ min.- or longer- version of anything this band does. See? I really do care about the people that read this!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GN2kpBoFs4 DID YOU KNOW...(NEW FEATURE!!) ...that I owned once a copy of the above band's '80's comeback album on cassette? Throw your hands in the air if you know what a cassette is! VITAL STATS (PROS AND CONS EDITION):  Now that the kids are back in town and are starting school tomorrow, we won't have to take the garbage out anymore and my weekday mornings off will revert back to me and this empty house. VERDICT: Pro!  Mr. Weatherman, just because the kids are back in school doesn't mean it's autumn yet. The calendar may say September, and even though lately I've been struggling like never before with heat and exhaustion issues (I slept in again until way past noon), I'm not ready for temps to be in the lower 60's. It's bad enough that retail life has me spending half of my summer preparing for fall, back to school and halloween, but there's two more weeks until the official start of fall. VERDICT: Con!  http://www.consumersbeverages.com/, Buffalo's beer store (since 1948!) has about 7-8 selections of summery beers on sale for Buy One 6-pk, Get One 6-pk Free. Two premium sixers for a total of $8.99? Outstanding! VERDICT: Pro! And that concludes today in this little corner of life. Time to go dust the other corners while the house is still empty. Peace and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
| THE PROMPT: "When is it OK to lie? We all tell the occasional "little white lie". What makes them more acceptable than a regular lie?" Lies...all lies!! There's my response to the prompt, and I'm sticking to it. Ok, that's a lie. I'm not sticking to it. In fact, I'll write a blog entry about it. And you can read it. The fact is, a lie is a lie. Some just hurt a lot less than others. See, my way of looking at it is pretty simple: if you don't tell the truth, you're lying. How you react to that lie and the liar depends on the severity of the lie. Which sounds simple, right? But it's not. Face it. Look to your left, and look to your right. Chances are that person has slipped you a "lil whitey" at least once, and for any reason. Maybe it was jokingly, over something they were insecure talking about. Maybe they just received bad information and passed it on to you, which left you in a compromising situation (which really technically isn't a lie, but roll with it). Or maybe they felt like they were trying to protect your feelings. And maybe, just maybe, it was nonna yo' damn business  . Regardless, that person is still your friend. So it's no big deal. Case closed.(SIDE NOTE: If the little, innocent lie is known as a "little white lie", what color is the "big fat lie"? Ponder that amongst yourselves and hit me up when you reach a consensus.) It's the big, scary lies that hurt feelings and ruin relationships. Those are the ones that do damage. They undermine your credibility as a person who values integrity. It's a known fact (take my word for it, I read it on the internet ) that the key to every successful relationship is trust. If you don't surround yourself with people you can trust, you shouldn't need me to tell you that bad things will happen to you. And if you're one of those dastardly lying types, expect the world to be a cold and lonely place once the word gets out that your filthy ass can't be trusted.So basically, a "lil whitey" now and then isn't such a bad thing, because it typically can be smoothed over with an honest explanation (especially if that honest explanation is over a cold beer). But when it oversteps its whiteness and starts growing hair and legs, forget it playa. You're done. You have no comeback. You can't talk your way out of this one. Bridge = burned. MUSICAL BREAK: While it seems like an obvious selection, I did have to reach way back into the vinyl LP stacks for this one. It wasn't this band's biggest hit, but if you remember this song, you'll win nothing but knowing that at your age, your memory's still pretty good. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PA43ETEU1Vg VITAL STATS: We had "Josh, son of CWC"'s graduation party finally, in what is shaping up to be a tradition here in our casa...The Pre-Labor Day Bash And Festivities. All we need is a corporate sponsor and next year it'll be off the chain, y'all!  No seriously, it was a good time. The weather forecast was horrible...they were calling for rain, high winds and even mo-effin' hail and shit up in here. Luckily, the rains held off long enough to get through dinner and bust the lid off my gas grill (way to be, CWC  ) and have a lot of fun and laughs. When it finally did start raining, we just herded everyone up and mushed them in the garage for some cake, and then it was time to go. Good times! Now, however, it's all rainin' and T-stormin' and whatnot. I shall remain in the safety and comfort of The ManCave for the remainder of the evening.And that's all I've got for another day. If you're a worker and you've got the day off tomorrow, enjoy it. If you're not a worker and you've got the day off, take a day off from tryin' to get a job. And if you're a worker workin' tomorrow, thanks for doin' what you do, and I hope your homies have your back when it's your lunch break. GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
| THE PROMPT: "You have been named as a suspect in a crime that you didn't commit (and had no knowledge that it even occurred). It was a burglary and now you're being questioned by the police. Write the interrogation, from a handful of questions you are asked, to the answers you provide. Feel free to implicate other members as possible suspects to clear your name. Yes, I am (sort of) shamelessly plugging one of the site's birthday activities "The Great Writing.Com Birthday Caper!" , but I had a blast writing my police statement...and I think you will, too." Ok. After perusing a handful of examples, I've sorta got a gameplan. Which isn't easy for me, cuz this isn't my style of writing...usually it's speaking directly from the top of my head in this here blog, or randomly piecing words together to make loosely-structured items I like to refer to as "poetry". I'll give it a shot. THE DISPOSITION: ME: "Dammit, there's the doorbell. I hate it when people come over unannounced and uninvited. Shit! It's the cops! Awww, what now? I don't even have any pants on." THE 5-0 "Mr. Makeoutbandit? Officer Peanutstick from the Lancaster Police. I'd like to have a few words with you." ME: "Uhhhh, I didn't do anything." THE 5-0: "Mr. Makeoutbandit, this is a serious issue. May I come inside?" ME: "Uhhhh, sure. Have a seat at the kitchen table. I was just eating breakfast." THE 5-0: "Thank you. Breakfast? You're aware that it's 1:30 in the afternoon, right? And... are you going to put on some pants?" ME: "You know it's August and 93.7 degrees out, right? Besides, it's laundry day. And we're conducting this interview seated, so unless you plan on interviewing me from under the table, you won't mind my attempt at comfort in my own house. And Cheerios are a good breakfast any time of the day." THE 5-0: "Very well. Are you aware that last week approximately 11 gifts were stolen that were meant for a prestigious birthday party? The members are a subsect of an organization that you are affiliated with. Nobody has accused anyone outright, yet. We're just interviewing some potential leads to help us with our investigation." ME: " ZOMG!!! No way! Wow, that's bad....hang on, it's my phone. Work's calling me. Shit always seems to go down on my day off...'Sup?... Oh damn!...Naw man, I totally would come in, but the cops are here right now...that does sound like some crazy shit though. I hope they fix that busted nipple on the ink jet machine...No I didn't kill anybody, fool!... aight, peace.' Sorry. Ok, so anyway..."THE 5-0: "We need to know your whereabouts on July 31st, from 4pm to midnight." ME: "Damn. I don't remember where I was three hours ago, and you're asking me about three weeks ago? Damn. Hmmm...OH! Yeah! It was my birthday!" THE 5-0 "Your birthday, you say?" ME: "Yeah yeah! We went out, did some shopping, had some dinner, shopped some more, didn't find anything, came home and I passed out on the couch with my mouth open." THE 5-0: "And your 'birthday shopping' didn't include a trip to WDC's vault, did it? Did it??" ME: "Naw, bro. Check my timeline on Foursquare. You can see I was nowhere close to those vaults. I didn't even know there was a party for them goin' on. I was too busy tryin' to be all about me, man. Besides, I already got my birthday gift from them. See that fancy calendar? How'd they know I collect those little 5'x7' tear-pad monthly calendars? That shit's pretty sweet!" THE 5-0 "I see. Blackberry...nice phone. Didn't know they made one that flipped open." ME: "Yeah, it's nice. Good deal on it too, yo." THE 5-0: "I see you did have a lot of check-ins during that particular time. Nothing around the WDC vicinity though. Very well." ME: "Damn right my man! But yo, check that girl Julie D - PUBLISHED! ...her "Invalid Item"  . And that other chick, In Your Dirtiest Pants ... she might be "Invalid Item" , but don't let her fool you. Girl's a party champ!"The 5-0: "I see. Well, given the magnitude of this heist, we're exhausting all angles. And you sir, in my estimation, seem to lack the mental capacity to color in a coloring book properly, let alone be able to mastermind or even participate in something like this. Thank you for your time, Mr. Makeoutbandit, and good day." ME: "Good on ya, homie. And good luck with that search or whatever, Officer Peanutstick. Next time call first, ya dig?" And people wonder why I check in on Foursquare everywhere I go... MUSICAL BREAK: "I am the thief of hearts. I am the gangster of love." I think this quote comes from Walter Matthau in Grumpy Old Men. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmVusVh4TRQ VITAL STATS: What's up everybody? Not much around here. Just relaxin', still feelin' a little of the effects of whatever I had yesterday, so I'mma beat the heat in the basement and do damn near nothing but look forward to the party tomorrow and two days off. I'm lucky this year...I get to celebrate my labor day by not laboring in a non-air conditioned stock room and not dealing with crabby morons all day. Ahhh, this kid's got the life! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAWjsVoDpm0 Not much else to say today...I think I spent it all on the prompt. Oh well, you'll have that. I'm gonna chill with a Wegmans sub and see what the rest of the night brings. I suggest y'all do the same. Viva la weekend...GOODNIGHT NOW!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpYEJx7PkWE |
| DAY 2 PROMPT: "What is your biggest pet peeve/gripe/grievance/whatever you want to call it? Why does it bother you so much? Here is your chance to use your writing talent to vent about what ails you. Use it wisely." Good evening folks...now here's a topic I can easily sink some teeth into. We all have pet peeves. Nobody is immune to them. In fact, I believe bitching is the United States' 3rd favorite national pasttime, behind baseball and sex. I myself have it ranked slightly higher. On a typical day, I might spend approximately one hour or so whining, usually over something of merit (in my opinion). Be it work-related; be it over children or customers; be it how horrible the Buffalo Bills are; you name it, and I've attached a  to it at some point. To say I have many pet peeves is like saying Donald Trump's got a little bit of money.However, I'd never really given thought to ranking them, and I'm not even gonna attempt that. We'd be here for hours (surely past this entry's deadline), and the thought of waking up the next morning and re-reading this and editing that list over and over really has me a little annoyed. So, for the sake of finishing this little rant, I'll offer up to you the primary example of one of my very biggest (definitely in the top fifth percentile) pet peeves. In fact, I don't even have to tell you. I don't even need a sentence to show you...which is not only a testament to my gift as a writer, but how inane I think it is. Ready? LOL. Seriously. I absolutely hate it when someone retorts with those three letters. I blame AOL for it. And I blame Instant Messaging and the rise in popularity of text messaging for its continuing of the decline of the English language. I understand that sometimes we have merely 140 "characters" to express ourselves and fully make our thoughts seem rational, and sure, typing "lol" saves a chunk of free space. But is it that hard to type out "laugh out loud"? Furthermore, I always assumed that a laugh was a more physical, animated smile. So, why do we have to sound so redundant by adding "out loud", when, by definition, to laugh is "to express mirth, derision, etc., with inarticulate sounds and facial or bodily movements" and a laugh is "the act or sound of laughing" (Random House Webster's Dictionary, Fourth Edition)? A laugh is already audible. To me, using "lol" is like saying "Her red dress, which was red, was stunning". It makes one sound like the fact that they're laughing isn't convincing enough And let's not forget what this little chat-room craze has spawned...now every three word expression seems to come with its own set of initials, because of society's selfish and instantly gratifying ways. It's gotten far out of control. Half the time I get a text from somebody who overpopulates the text field with these random letter/phrases, I can barely read them. "LOL@U" and "I cheez" and "tht sks" and the random elimination of vowels are problems. I would hate to be an English teacher these days, or be a foriegner trying to learn English as a second language (and you'll note that I didn't just call it ESL ).Maybe it's the little old-fashionedness in me, but when I text people, I still use full sentences, and I don't have a problem getting out what I have to say in 140 characters or less. Yup, I'm that guy. So what. You'll have that. It's my peeve, and I'm entitled to it. Call it "The De-Englishatizing Of Society"...or call someone who cares. MUSICAL BREAK: I pulled out this classic because I think it's a precursor to the texting epidemic. This crew may not have invented the trend, but they surely abused it in their members' names and on pretty much every song title on their first album, where they basically substitued every "s" with a "z", among other odd grammatical licenses they took with their music. Still, a fun and catchy song nonetheless. And even though some of my friends have referred to me as "The Grammar Jedi" for the way I tend to occasionally try to police their foul ways, I'm not perfect. I know this...but I try, and that's what matters. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ADgCeYJMN4&ob=av2e VITAL STATS: I stayed home from work today....the second time this summer I've become overwhelmed with exhaustion. At 7:30 I woke up, texted the other manager on duty and said I wasn't coming in. That was my last contact with the world until noon, when I was finally able to pull my head off the pillow. Made myself something to eat, and decided I couldn't waste the day...so in preparation for a party we're having Sunday to celebrate Jess the CWC's son's high school graduation, I weeded the last corner of our patio. Wrong move, sucka!! After two hours in nearly 90 degree sunshine, I could barely stand and my head was killing me. I showered and took another nap of nearly four hours. Yeesh. Thanks to everyone who's supported my through the first day of this "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" , and feel free to check out some of the other writers too. We love the attention! That's all I've got for today...obviously not much to speak of outside of the prompt. Gonna try and chill and see if this slightly dull pain in the back of my head goes away. CU2MRRW!  GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
| DAY 1 PROMPT: "If you had to decide between the two, would you rather forget all of your memories or never be able to make new ones?" Hello friends, and welcome to Day One of [#1786069] "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" . I'm not gonna lie...my initial response to seeing this prompt was something along the lines of "How can I take a mulligan on this one and move on to the next prompt?" Ok, that's actually a lie...what I really did was send out a mock-nasty email, of which its contents I won't repeat here (for now), in regards to said prompt. But what I can say is this: I honestly didn't think I could choose between the two (although I have the feeling by the end of this entry I'll have talked myself into one of the options). I look at it this way, since I'm known to play the "devil's advocate" role in debates on random topics: 1) If I forget all of my memories (good and bad), I'll lose out on reminiscing over good times, and I'll have no knowledge of anything the bad decisions might have taught me; and 2) To me, not being able to make new memories pretty much makes you non-existant...what purpose does that serve if all you're doing is carrying your past with you while being unable to carve out something fresh? It almost defeats the purpose of living when all you've got are memories, but you have no capacity to build on them. It's like life becomes a video game that you've mastered and beaten...you've accomplished everything you're able to do and there's no point in playing anymore, so all you have left is to relive those situations and experiences. Only, there's no new version of the game ever coming out to challenge you again. And in that last paragraph I think I answered my question (and the prompt...I can prognosticate like that sometimes! ) The kind of person that I am always wants more, better, faster and such. If I fall, I want to know why and rise. If I win, I want to share that with everyone and win again. I want the next party to be the one everyone talks about as being a great party; until the next party which is even better. And most importantly, if I do make a bad decision, not only do I want to know just that but why I made it so I can learn from it and not make the same mistake again. So here's where I'm second-guessing myself: My memories are who I am. Maybe in twenty years I'll do something notorious/phenomenal/stupid/noteworthy. Something to be proud of. Something to be shamed. Either way, my name is attached to it. Do I own that moment, or wish it all way? If I forget it, will there always be someone around to remind me? And if it's awesome, who will I share it with? With those last words, I have un-prognosticated myself.  In my mind, it seems like either way it's a losing proposition. No old memories or no new memories. Maybe I'm on the wrong track with the prompt, or I'm just totally overthinking it. Again, allow me to introduce "devil's advocate" for ya...but this time in my favorite setting: BULLET POINTS. No good times or bad times...and when you have either one, it's fleeting. Cuz once you have a momentous occasion, I would assume that it displaces the previous "momentous occasion". At what point in your life do you establish which option to choose? Are you trading in your bad haircuts, cheating partners and/or "it's on the left (when it's really on the right)" for a do-over every day, in which you live unaffected by, say, neglecting to shower on a day you're destined to meet (and totally, at that point) turn off the potential "love of your life" only to perhaps win her back the next day in some dramatic fashion that you just can't take with you? Ok, all of this thinking stuff is starting to turn me into a crazed tangent-monger. I'm over it. My overall consensus with this topic is that there are just too many variables at play to validate a solid opinion for either option. I'm not a grey area type of brotha...I need to read the manual, check the forums and do my research on something like this. Yup...I'm that guy. MUSICAL BREAK: This captivating video (which I just watched for the first time actually) kind of sums up my confusion on the prompt by using "sensory imagery thingeys" that one could either take with or leave behind. Great band too, by the way. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sC2GjXMk7i4&feature=feedrec VITAL STATS: I haven't written a word in over a week and that earns me over 100 views? Ill, people. Straight up. Illin'. I may work in a retail store and be available to help you, but I'm not your concierge. Don't come in to my store seeking out somebody in a blue polo shirt just so you can hand them a list of items you "can't find", when you haven't actually looked. Aisle markers exist to tell you what is in each aisle, and we're not paid nearly enough to read or shop for you. After all, you're cognizant enough to know what you need in your household and able to get in your car and drive to my location. Don't act like having a cart in your mitts decreases your IQ; ten aisles shouldn't be that much more of a challenge to you than, say, choosing what you want to wear for the day (although in my store I could argue that some "fashion statements" should've been muted by the time the body hits the mirror).  That last bullet point was my day in a nutshell. Just back from a week off, all refreshed and ready to bust my ass and build on my charachter profile at work, and today just slammed that brick wall full of Haterade right into my domepiece. I get one more week of the bullshizzle before I take another week off to re-refresh mysezzle...only to come back and start up on the on-ramp to the gloriously insane Christmas season. I tell you, we started receiving holiday products already two weeks ago. And I don't mean Labor Day when I say "holiday". I mean Santa and reindeers and shit. Schools haven't even started for little kids around here yet and already "Back To School" is an afterthought. One of our August "suggestive sell" items was freakin' candy corn. And I love me some of that, but not in August!!  Let the kids have a summer, and let those who have to deal with their needy parents have one too. I had this actual conversation with a customer a few weeks ago, which is not brought to you by: http://www.onstar.com "You're out of the (ridiculously cheap) two-inch binders you have on sale, so can I get a raincheck?" "Sure, for how many?" "The ad doesn't have a limit...how many can I get?" "I don't know...we usually limit that stuff to six." "Well I need more than that...I have four nieces and nephews, and what if they need two apiece? That's eight!" While I was not impressed by her math skills, she added: "If you had a hundred, I'd buy a hundred." No, you would not buy 100 two inch binders, lady. Let's be real. If you had that kind of money, you wouldn't be shopping here. "Well, we do reserve the right to limit the quantity you purchase, and it says so in the ad." "But you ain't got any, else I woulda bought 'em." "Ok ma'am. Here's a raincheck for 10. Our next truck is Tuesday. Maybe we'll have more in by then." Or, as I discovered a little later: Sorry you didn't see the two inch binders (all bazillion of them) in the promo aisle. BONUS TRACK!! Just a little somethin' from the Sixties files that the iPod cooked up; fitting or not (in relevence to all of today's enlightening)? One of my favorite songs from one of my favorite bands, y'all. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwmtNk_Yb2Q That's all I've got for ya today. It's quite a ramble...if you made it this far, thanks. What it means to this kid with the tired fingertips, you'll never know. You can like it, and you can comment...or just wait until tomorrow and you'll never know it existed when I become your next favorite bloggist.  |
| Good evening y'all...how've you been? I've been a little busy, which is not to say why I haven't been keeping up on this here space of the interwebs. I've been biding my time, waiting for September's "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" . I'd hate to waste good words and such, before they're due. I must say that I took part in one of the loveliest weddings I've ever been a part of this past weekend. Mad love to my brother DMFM and his beautiful bride, Regan. Everything about the day was amazing. Peace to my homeboys in the wedding party also...without us, well, they still would've gotten married, but you guys made it a lot more fun.  I'm so honored to have been a part of the happy couple's big day. Can't wait to get the rest of the (few) pics we took up...when you're in it, you're not thinking about photo ops; you're concern is that the day goes well for the bride and groom. Hopefully others post some quality pics...I like seeing me a little bit! I need to vent a little about my occupational frustration. I fear it might be time for me to look elsewhere for employment. I love the company in general, I love the people (and I've met a lot of diverse and fantastic individuals at that), but my function in the company sucks. And to top it off, we recently promoted a nice guy that had dropped his hours down to one day a week to assistant manager. Not that I want to get back into being in a management position (although I'm kinda already), but I have issues with this. He dropped his hours to pursue something that was along the lines of his degree...I get that. That company is kinda screwing a lot of people. I understand. But it's not fair that our company decides to throw a huge promotion at him just so he can be happy and make money...not when I have tenfold the experience on him. Not that I even want the job, but at least give me the chance to turn it down, ya dig? I keep my mouth shut, I do my work, even when they eliminate more and more of the nothing that I do. I find things to do. I earn my keep without being told what to do. I know my role. I play for the team. I guess I just need to find a better job. Kinda hard under my circumstances, since kickin' words doesn't pay. If it did, I'd be livin' brand-name days. But there's no market for people like me with a year of college in the back pocket and a heart full of good intentions. I might know a lot about a lot of things that a lot of people don't know about, but that doesn't impress a lot of people who sign nice paychecks. I fear that the days of my potential for making $15/hr+ are probably over...that's where I was nearly 10 years ago, in a modest yet spacious apartment, driving a decent car, and getting by on a job that I had grown to absolutely hate. What I really should do is just be quiet and keep busting my ass while searching for something better...since there's a lot of people out there that have it worse than me. Yet, the scenario that I outlined isn't even the worst of it. I was able to identify within myself that I was getting bored and frustrated with my current position. I recently took a week off, and came back so refreshed and invigorated. Nothing bothered me. But there's always that one...that one "cheap-ass, out-to-get-someone" customer that had the nerve to file a corporate complaint about me. Even though I did nothing wrong . Yet I still kept my head up. I've put more than my fair share of work in, and picked up some slack of others. And I've had it. I may not be the model employee, but I deserve better. And dammit, I'm gonna find it.Enough of me bitching about it, cuz I've gotta wake up in a few hours and do it again. VITAL STATS: Over 1.1k views. Amazing how that happens when I do damn-near nothing. Hard to imagine that in about three weeks Jess the CWC and I will have been together for three years. She gets prettier every day. Fitting song: great Canadian punk/pop/emo band. Rounds out the entry just fine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiq8FqfnXjw Awesome song...fun video...and ask yourself, are we really happy with who we are right now?That's it for tonight. Namaste...see you in September, when you'll get way too much of me on a daily basis. |
| Yo! What's up everybody? Not much here; just settling up a few "who cares" and "not quites" after posting up a few pics on ye ol' Facebook. Not looking forward to taking Jess the CWC to work tomorrow, as she's not looking forward to going back to work from her vacation, as I'm starting my vacation. OK, so that's kind of a lie. My first full day of vacation was actually last Friday, but J was still on vacation, and between everything we had going on this past weekend, my vacation officially starts on Monday after I take her to work. Why? Because I have this brick house to myself and don't have to answer to anyone for a few days. While I love spending time with people, sometimes I just need me-time to accomplish what I want to do.That said, I do actually have some things I'd like to accomplish, and I feel that I can do them without the distractions of others around me (although I may need a little help on a couple of them)... So here's my list of expectations...Let's see how well I do.  The check is the new bullet point. File my state income taxes. I filed an extension, even though I'm due a small rebate, because Turbotax.com wanted to charge me a lot of money to process them. And also, with all of the moving around of things we did last year, I can't find my state return from last year, and I'm not paying Turbotax.com to send me a copy of something I already have. So I best be getting on this. Renew my drivers license! I won't be able to until Friday (next paycheck). But NY is turning into Mother Superior about not having this and that up to par. Grace periods are a thing of the past, I guess. Call my lawyer. To handle some unresolved financial business between him and I. Finalize my ManCave. This is going to be the bitch of my week. It entails transferring the DirecTv connection from the boys' side of the basement to mine. It'll require the drilling of a hole in the storage area of the basement, me running that cable (and possibly extending it, which I can do, from there to here), and realigning where all of the power goes (since my side of the basement has no outlets, and the only electricity are the lights). I also need to reclaim my loveseat from the kids' side, and hang up some pictures and whatnot. I may need to move things around also. The Garage. Basically, the same as above, only with less furniture moving. Just getting stuff hung up in there. The laundry. I was a single guy for parts of a lot of years, living laundry basket to laundry basket. I didn't have time to put the clean clothes away, so I just pilfered the clean baskets 'til the dirty ones were full, and then I did more laundry. I need this week to re-learn utilizing my dressers and drawers. I'm not totally a slob, but I would welcome being a little more organized. Change the garbage can under my computer desk drawer. You wanna talk about out of hand?? That's the definition of it...the cats doon't even play with it anymore. Vermins that they are. Finally print up that Madden NFL Superstars spreadsheet that I have, so I can keep track of my progress and collecting a lot better. You KNOW a stupid Facebook game is a PROBLEM when you have to download a spreadsheet for it. Revamp my WDC page...it's been about four years overdue. Especially considering that I'm going to be a part of a contest in September regarding blogging...gotta tighten that up, as well as the header on this here blog. Pretty ambitious, no? I've got the next few days figured out for me. I'mma leave you with this...confused and jaded as I am sometimes...it's MY week, and I'll do it as I wish. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYm1PDwLrQM That said, goodnight now!! |
| Good evening from The ManCave...a lovely rainy (sorta) Wednesday night in The 'Lo. I have something I think any guy would be proud to share. Currently, upstairs, I have a house full of ladies. Ponder that sentence for a minute. K, minute's up. Now, to qualify that sentence above, they're not here for me (although, I would've loved to be able to scream that statement when I was livin' at 542 in my mid-to-late 20's ). They're here because Jess the CWC is a consultant for a company called Thirty-One and she's showing off the new Fall line with her cousin today. What is it? Don't ask me. I stay out of it. I help her set up and then scurry to The ManCave to play Madden Superstars on Facebook and listen to loud music until I get hungry, at which time I sneak upstairs and raid the spread of food that gets laid out for the ladies . I don't tell her how she should run her business, just like she'll watch football games with me but won't tell me who I should add and drop in my fantasy football leagues...it's a good partnership like that!What little of it I do know is this: She sells fashionable-looking handbags and purses and accessories and stuff like that, available to be embroidered as well. That's as technical as I can get. Again with the football analogy: It's like Jess knows Ryan Fitz-somethingorother plays for the Buffalo Bills, but can't remember if he's the quarterback or the coach .It's cutesy girl stuff, if you're a cutesy girl and into cutesy girl stuff. 'Nuff said, y'all. Here's a link to her site: https://www.mythirtyone.com/forms/frm_login.aspx and click on "View Our Catalog" (skip the whole "login/password" stuff, 'cuz that's not for you!). Peek around. No obligations or anything.  QUASI-LEGAL DISCLAIMER: No, Jessica did not ask me to do this. It's something I've been meaning to do since I opened up shop on this blogger space contained within the interwebs. Author makes no guarantees. Terms and conditions may apply. Could be detrimental to the life of your bank account (but probably not). Harmful if swallowed. Please consult your doctor if the excitement lasts for more than four hours. Offers may not be valid in some states; exclusions may apply. Red M&M's no longer cause cancer. Tip your bartenders and DJ's.IN OTHER NEWS: No news is good news, right? Speaking of Fantasy Football, I'll be in two leagues this year...I can almost taste twice the aggrivation on Sundays and Mondays! No less than two hours a day may be spent on deluging myself with any and every bit of information from a variety of sources, in order to seek out any possible match-up advantage I can gain, only to lose by two points when somebody's bye-week backup QB will torch some club unexpectedly and send me into such despair that by the time Monday Night Football on the sports authority/almighty, ESPN, is over, I'll be in tears like I've just watched the ending to the most touching, sappiest movie the Lifetime channel has to offer. (Note to self: Cancel the DirecTv package that offers the Lifetime channel before the start of football season, k? And thank me for it later.) Let's consult the Magic iPod: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eJ1mRU_V7g Totally random and unrelated to the post, which is sometimes necessary. And these guys just never disappoint!OK folks, the party (down here, at least) is over...wait, who am I kidding? It's always a party down here! But I have to work early tomorrow (last day before a week off ) and Madden Superstars is calling me. Plus, I hear there's some fabulous taco dip upstairs...time to ninja my way up there and come back satisfied. Peace and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
| Hey! What's up? Plenty...it's been a busy week, so let's jump right in... Last week, about 3am on Sunday morning, I frantically shot off a blog entry about a surprise party we planned for Jess the CWC. I had been struggling for weeks trying not to spoil the surprise, and it felt safe enough at that point knowing she wasn't gonna find out. Well, I'm proud to report that we pulled it off !!Save for all the running around I did on Sunday morning (because stuff got hectic at work and my schedule changed, so I couldn't get anything done the night before), it pretty much went without a hitch. As people started arriving, we herded everyone into the garage and I kept the garage door opener in my pocket. As far as Jess knew, we were just going over for a little barbecue. So I picked her up from work, grabbed the pasta salad I made (making her think I brought it from home when really I was bringing it from Erica's), and as we walked up the driveway, instead of heading toward the front door, I reached into my pocket and opened the garage door.  SURPRISE!! Jess started tearing up...it was so amazing. Everywhere she looked in the garage, at all these 30-some odd people, she saw someone different and totally unexpected, from every part of her life. She had absolutely no idea that this was gonna happen. I can't thank them all enough for making her 40th birthday such an awesome time...and an especially big thanks to Erica, Kenny and Emily for all the hard work they put in. It really was a great night...pics are up in Facebook (finally). Thursday was Jess the CWC's real 40th birthday. Every Thursday throughout the summer there's a free concert series. It used to be called "Thursday At The Square" based on where it was located. This year, they've changed the location to a wharf by the Erie Canal...so what? Still free...and that's what matters. A lot of people go just to go and hang out and whatever, because the bands aren't usually the greatest (ya get what ya pay for, ya know?), which is usually why I don't go unless there's a band I really want to see. I don't mind crowds, but I just don't care to deal with them any more than I have to. So, for something to do on her true 40th, we headed down with Emily to meet up with her sis, brother-in-law and a few others...to see this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UypeE3zTwBs Yup, George Clinton and his latest incarnation of Parliament Funkadelic . I listened to them a lot in my teens, because they influenced a lot of other music that was prevalent in the early '90's I was listening to back then...and he is, of course, The Godfather Of Funk.That was a great time, fo' sho'. We went out after for a few beverages and got into some hijinks with random strangers we met, including this metal-head hardcore singer kid serenading middle-aged women. Crazy ass night. Saturday was a tough call. My boy DMFM is getting married this summer, and has blessed me (along with a few other gentlemen) with the honor of standing up in his wedding. DMFM and I go way back to '94. Ups and downs, through thick and thin, we've always been there for each other. We're brothers...we're family like that. Not thinking my entire schedule through, I didn't realize that his stag party was also the same night as not one, but two concerts I would've absolutely loved to see. I got a call from DMFM Friday night, telling me I should go to a concert rather than his stag. Very gracious. I love that kid with all my heart...see, we're both big music people. We can talk about bands and music and songs for hours (we've spent many a night and a lot of beers doing just that). For him to excuse me from something like a stag (which we both agreed: stags aren't my thing anyway and it's just a bunch of dudes sittin' around playin' cards, eatin' and drinkin')...his stag, because he knew what either of these shows meant to me, speaks volumes about our relationship. Dave, I love ya brother, and thanks. So who did we go see? Well, one option that sold out real fast, was only the greatest Canadian rock band of our generation: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBhDqir7UpA&feature=feedrec_grec_index The Hip played the same place we saw George Clinton a few days earlier. That clip is awesome...having Dan Akroyd introduce you on Saturday Night Live is like having God Himself walk you into the smokers' lounge in heaven. And it's from 1995...the band still rocks and is coming out with a new album soon .But like I said, that show sold out fast. Instead we decided to head north a little to Niagara Falls for a free show to see only the sexiest man alive, and the only man I feel comfortable with myself saying he's "sexy", Mr. Hawksley Workman. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNPx14J3lEI The Hard Rock Cafe in the Falls puts on a free concert series also, and Hawksley is a must-see live. He hasn't been here in a few years. Right before he went on, we moved up near the front of the gate and a girl walked over to the couple next to us and said "Hey! Great to see you! Here's your wristbands...see the big guy in the yellow shirt over there? He'll let you in." Jess's jaw dropped. I stepped up..."HEY! Ummm, it's our birthdays this week! That's why we're here!" She asked if we were big Hawksley fans, and we said of course we were, and that we drove from Buffalo, and it's my fourth time seeing him, and this chick was sold. We traded her our stories of love for Hawksley for two wristbands, front and center in the VIP section. Did I have a great night? The best part is he's put out a few albums in the last couple of years that I didn't get because they weren't available in the U.S. yet or I just didn't know about them (and don't worry, I'll have them soon ). So he opened up with a new song, an old song and a new song...the crowd kept shouting requests for older songs...and he basically must've torn up his setlist. He would say things like "We haven't played this in years, it'll sound terrible..." and "Wow, that's an old one" and things like that, because I believe he wanted to move on and play his older stuff. But being the showman that he is, he plays very well to the crowd. He really killed it on the older songs last night...including a bluesier version of one of my favorites, and the song that got me hooked on him:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLAPPdypHv4 Not as fascinating as the live version of that song...which ironically I heard first maybe in 2002 or 2003 when he was opening for The Tragically Hip's lead singer Gord Downie, who was playing Thursday At The Square on his first solo tour. Here's a gem from his first solo album, Coke Machine Glow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1kJP78BjNY My birthday today wasn't anything special. We drove around and hit a few stores, mainly looking for a new computer chair for my ManCave. My current chair is a nice fabric one that's being supported by PVC pipe, as it was a hand-me-down from an aunt and uncle and the chair has "been through some issues". I test-sat a few models, but nothing to my bum's liking yet that also in our price range. We also had dinner at a restaurant I can't plug 'cuz the service was absolutely terrible. Hint: when I ask for extra cheese, whether it's my birthday or not, you nod your head and say "Extra cheese on the side? OK, you got it!" and not "Well, there's some cheese under your chips." Yeah, well in lieu of a tip, I'm sure there's some extra change in your couch cushions you can scrounge up. And when we ask you to wipe the table down because it feels gritty (as it was a facility that offers outdoor dining in a mall parking lot), don't brush it off as "the tables are unfinished marble". WIPE THE F*@#IN' TABLE DOWN! Follow simple tenements of customer service, and I'll rep your restaurant to anyone who'll listen. But if someone brings your establishment up, I'll be the first to tear it down. VITAL STATS: For those of you keeping score at home, Jess the CWC is now 40, and I am now 36. I don't even know if they use WDC anymore, but this day always reminds me of what Hailey, Chicochica, Inhercat, Noe and others did as a surprise for me one year...I was so anti-birthday, and they created an on-site forum for my birthday complete with images and lotsa love. I was floored....it was so sweet and awesome. It's in my port somewhere...I'll have to dig that up. I'm cracking. Don't eat at Bar Louie. Terrible service.That's it for me tonight folks...I've got at least 150 thank-you's to make. Love ya all. Live every day like it's your birthday...and treat each other like it's theirs. Peace folks...36 is the new GTFO!! GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
| A late hello to you all. Just something I've been dying to get off my chest, and now I can. Jess the CWC's sister and I, along with our friend Emily, have been in cahoots. See, the CWC turns 40 in a few days. I proposed a surprise party, and Erica and Emily are helping to make it happen. Luck has turned in my favor, as the birthday girl has to work that day, and then we're invited to a barbecue at Erica's. Usually this just entails us and their family. Only now it will include old friends and some family, plus a lot of friends we've accumulated along the way. I'm bad about keeping these things a secret, but between her being at work in a few hours and me having to do my part, I feel pretty confident putting this out there now. I'm almost more excited that her b-day gift from Borders made its way here while we were at work tonight (and please, don't get me started on that {e:<insert emoticon for "scowl" here>} If I've missed you with a invite, message me here or on facebook, or drop me a text. I'm not hard to find. Can't wait to see the look on her face. {e:<insert emoticon for "batshit surprised" here>} How this has managed to work out so far without her having any idea of it just awes me. I think she basically expects nothing out of me. I forget simple shit sometimes, and make promises my money doesn't cover {e: <insert In Your Dirtiest Pants 's "Shit, son" emoticon>}.But this time, I've basically covered many bases and this is going to be a success. I can call it now. And now, I need to get you and me some sleep. I'mma leave you with what she thinks is "our song". We debated this the other day as the first song we "danced together at http://www.magruders.org/ to". She claims it was this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lyu1KKwC74 My arguement claims this song is what we first danced to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTAud5O7Qqk&ob=av2e Either way, yes, I know we're "special" individuals either way. Circumstances lead each and every one of us into where we're at, at any given time. We just got lucky at the same time, nearly three years ago. And circumstances have led me to be able to share this with you. So there you go. And don't be shy about telling me which video you feel better about. I'm open to any/and/or all comments. Aight playas, gotta get me some sleep, since I have to drive the soon-to-be birthday girl to work in a few hours, then get everything ready and help decorate. No need for VITAL STATS tonight...you'll get all of that soon enough. And you've got enough videos to watch. So peace on out y'all,,,soon enough will have to do in lieu of ASAP. Just remember that. |
| Good morning...I'm sure most of you in the reading/writing community have already heard the sad news, but I'll share: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43797505/ns/business-consumer_news/?gt1=43001 That's right. Borders is closing its doors for good. Most of you will remember that I spent time at Waldenbooks and Borders as a second job. But it wasn't. See, many people work two jobs. They have their full-time job, and their "second job". I put that in quotes cuz they rarely care so much about their second job as much as they do their main gig. To most, it's just extra pocket money and who gives a damn about the work. But to me, it was more of a way to supplement my income, and at one time, actually earn some income. But I took it as a learning experience. I never was the most voracious reader, but Waldenbooks and Borders got me back into reading. That was before I understood the elements of "Big Box Retailing" and what that all meant. I also didn't know that Waldenbooks and Borders were related...Waldenbooks was just a tiny store in the mall, while Borders was this giant bookstore across the street. I learned a lot about retail and life from that company. I worked there twice, and both times it was in what I guess you could say "transitional" periods of my life. Both times, I met a lot of great people, read a few books I loved, and never felt like I was "working", even though I did my fair share of stocking and dealt with the usual retail rifraff and undesireabilty. I actually reapplied around last year's holiday season, and was considering it again after Jess the CWC went there last month and saw a "help wanted" sign". Some people get a second job just to piss all over it for a paycheck. I got one because I was interested in something they had to offer. Not too many people take semi-management positions as a second job when their primary job is semi-management. I got lucky. I had my position at Walgreens, which I loved as the Head Photo Specialist, and was also a keyholder for Borders. I worked about 60 hours a week, but I loved it. I really did. These days, I'm looking for a second job again to flesh out my income. I do well as a Store Team Lead at Walgreens, but I want more money, and am willing to do extra work. Do I want to get promoted to Assistant Manager? No...not yet. I did that before for another corporation and I wasn't ready. Chasing $$ leads you to missing happiness sometimes. As far as opportunities go, there's a pizza place down the street we frequent that's looking for a driver. My schedule has opened up and I think I might go for it now...but why? Cuz I like pizza? Or I like money? Do I really have the same heart for the job when I'm not delivering, and I'm stuck cleaning up and earning minimum wage? It's not like books and the engagement provided by interested parties. It's food and grease and tips on occasion. I really have to wrap my head around that. On the bright side, I was pissed that Borders didn't have what I was looking for on Sunday when I went there, and the guy trying to help me was kind of a douche. I wanted to use my 30% off coupon that expired Monday as a gift for someone, but I couldn't remember my username and password. Oddly enough, for a company that's closing their doors and liquidating, they sent me another 30% off coupon. I was able to recoup my sign-on and password, and made my purchase. Aces for this guy !! I just can't believe that after all the bs we went through when our store closed, that they're shuttering all of them. It's sad. VITAL STATS: Two entries in a few days....still...creepers gonna creep. Trying to figure out a way to work still. As much as I'm dying for a day off, I know if I can make it through tonight, tomorrow might be so much sweeter having the day to myself. But I'd love tonight off coupled with tomorrow. My vacation time can't come soon enough. "I should just sit on the couch and read a book or two"... My unofficial send-off to Borders, and your song for today. Lots of lyrically creative images in this song. Many things can be considered a job in life...relationships, work, friendships...what constitutes fun more than a hobby? I'd love to write what I want and get paid for it. But I'll settle for a steady paycheck in this economy for now. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15RZ5j0CNrcHave a good day everybody...it's time to nap this one out. |
| So what's up everybody? Been a long time.... ... ... Sorry 'bout that. Life happens, ya know? This is gonna be a short and sweet update. Tomorrow night will entail a visit to the Italian Festival in the Hertel area of Buffalo. http://www.buffaloitalianfestival.com/ Please love up a little on that, and the 1/4 Italian that I am. The main reason we're going is because it's an event in the local area. I don't get out much, and since the winter cripples me, it's always good to get out. Especially on a weekend. But I have bigger ambitions.... The Italian Fest usually has some big, nationally known headliner for their music. In past years it's been Frank Sinatra Jr., or local artist-turned lounge act (and a very good one, at that) Frankie Scinta and his family band. This year, the sponsors decided they didn't want to pay big money for musical attractions. Usually, I'd be pissed...but then I found out that a fantastic local cover band is playing around dinner time and we're definitely going.YOU NEED TO SEE THIS INTERLUDE FOR YOU TO GET THE NEXT PART: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg8IJ7RN9ss This is the Strictly Hip doing their thing. When you see them, you can close your eyes and really believe you're at a Tragically Hip concert (all apologies to In Your Dirtiest Pants , since she's Canadian and disapproves of the Tragically Hip).SECOND INTERLUDE, FOR YOUR VEIWING PLEASURE: If you're not familiar with the Hip, this is the same song... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEGyKECUh80 And don't tell me Gord Downie isn't one of the greatest improvisational showmen in the history of music in general, period. That said, he's in my top 5 of all-time greatest frontmen of all-time. But that's an entry for another time. I'll just drop another Tragically Hip favorite of mine on you and hope that Strictly Hip plays it tomorrow: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_RSJ6xuHbE That's your most lyrically poetic Canadian band, folks. VITAL STATS: There's some creepers that inch my views up daily. Out yourself, lest I take some poetic justice into my own hands! Better yet, don't.... My sunday got fun, and I can't wait for that... I could go into work stuff, but I won't. No need to right now.I'll just leave you and it with this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPJ2rcYQC88 Amazing how The Hip have evolved since the early 90's. Goodnight now!! I pledge to be more engaged to you all sooner than later. And in six months' time, you can call me a liar. Peace and love.... |
| 'Sup everybody? Not a whole hell of a lot around here. As eager as I've been to write something...anything, I haven't. Mainly because I'm laying low a little, and not much has been going on that I would post about. But it's my 25th post (any reason to celebrate will do and in honor of my pal Julie D - PUBLISHED! gifting me with a Music MB for guessing the video she posted in her blog (and really, look over to the left and click her link, you won't be disappointed), I hereby declare that it's time for the inaugural (for this blog, at least) iPod SHUFFLE QUIZ!!! (You know the rules....put your iPod, Zune or any other musical device of choice on shuffle and answer the questions with the song that comes up. If you're familiar with my previous blog, you'll know or remember.) I have to admit I stole this from a friend's off-site blog that I was recently allowed access to, but I've added a twist to it...if they're available, I'll throw in links to each song. I know...I'm crazy interactive like that! I've got 14,000+ songs that could either love me or do me in, so here we go:The next time you stand up in front of a group of people, you’ll say… Song: Love Hurts Artist: Incubus Comment: Aaaaaaaand we're off again to a fantastic start. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy-S2WrX-8o Your favorite thing to say when drunk is… Song: Swagga Like Us Artist: Jay-Z & T.I. w/Kanye West and Lil Wayne Comment: "You can pay for school but you can't buy class." -Hottest Jay Hova line I've heard in a long time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiS9-yPvBnY Your message to the world… Song: Make Some Noise Artist: Beastie Boys Comment: Don't stop. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdgLMslbDuY Your deepest secret… Song: Lady, Your Roof Brings Me Down Artist: Scott Weiland Comment: Maybe it is, maybe it isn't... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxB7f58vii4 (And I love that this was posted from VHS while Weiland was batshit crazy on heroin. But I absolutely love this song.) Your innermost desire… Song: Obvious Artist: Blink-182 Comment: As in, it's my innermost desire, and not yours, so that's where it stays. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Axzpa9cRsFI Somewhere in your wedding vows, you’ll include… Song: Change Your Mind Artist: The Killers Comment: If this means I'm never destined to be married, so be it.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeEYZVWu_IY On your deathbed, you’ll whisper… Song: Red Letter Day Artist: The Get Up Kids Comment: "It's over, I'm gone!" Nice. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCb4b-c2IM4 I'll take this song to my grave for my boys. Your friends say behind your back… Song: Tourette's Artist: Nirvana, Live at Reading, 1992 Comment: Yes, I know I have a potty mouth. Way to be supportive, friends. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlVdPl-oEmg You say behind your friends’ back… Song: Hell Is Here Artist: Saves The Day Comment: Thanks iPod, for single-handedly killing all of my friendships. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zib1h9TP44I When you wake up in the morning, you mutter… Song: Fake Plastic Trees Artist: Radiohead Comment: Maybe I really do hate mornings and people that much. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKd06s1LNik And certain live versions of this song can make me cry. If you found yourself lost on a desert island, you’d yell… Song: I'm On A Boat Artist: The Lonely Island Comment: "You can't stop me muthafu**a cuz I'm on a boat!". Ohhhh hell yeah!!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avaSdC0QOUM Right now, your feelings are… Song: Scapegoat Artist: Atmosphere Comment: Wow...that's creepy on a few levels. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0Jq-6CnttM And then I watch this video, get pumped, and love my life just a little bit more (you may have to turn the volume up just a little). The day you fall in love will be the day that… Song: Ender Will Save Us All Artist: Dashboard Confessional Comment: Ugh. Smarmy and emotionally gross. But I do love this song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIZrHADaxqQ You scream during sex… Song: Us Remains Impossible Artist: Matthew Good Comment: That's so harsh, iPod!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgL3WF27_dk What do people assume when they first look at you? Song: Honey Artist: Moby Comment: Cuz I'm suh-weeeeeeet. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT8D5j78mgo A fascinating video What will be a big challenge in life for you? Song: Going Nowhere Artist: Oasis Comment: That's optimistic, no? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB0B93FLS-M What’s your career path? Song: Princeton Review Artist: Team Sleep Comment: Hardly, but one can dream to fail. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD6izfdw4og Are you a good boyfriend/girlfriend? Song: Hail Hail Artist: Pearl Jam, Live On Two Legs Comment: Now the iPod's playin' tricks on me... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZ-xFbEJTbw Do you have a secret admirer? Song: Children Of The Korn Artist: Korn (With Ice Cube) Comment: I better watch my back, then. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZ-xFbEJTbw Will you ever become manically depressed in your life? Song: Some Kind Of Wonderful Artist: Joss Stone Comment: Either it's a no, or I'll be some kind of wonderfully depressed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8_zkj43adk How will you die? Song: Glory Burning Artist: Felt Comment: That's hot. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBvqJyq71sk What’s for dinner tonight? Song: Jealous Of Your Cigarette Artist: Hawksley Workman Comment: Damn, that's one sexy dinner! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgxltDbSDec What’s your excuse for reposting this? Song: So Doggone Lonesome Artist: Johnny Cash Comment: Not really, but why fight it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mIAxDxU-yI Johnny Cash is a straight-up playa. He's sick. Your life’s soundtrack: Song: Everything's Not Lost Artist: Coldplay Comment: The iPod redeems itself, slightly... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZUn3wUlcXE Your farewell message to the readers of this: Song: Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo Artist: The Bloodhound Gang Comment: Fitting... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZpxaiNV_sM VITAL STATS: My consensus is that the iPod failed me this time around. And I need some better questions. Love me a day off once in awhile! That would be tomorrow. A weekend day spent recuperating from a strenuous job change just isn't enough. Even when I take time to make sure I work at my own pace (much to the chagrin of my employer). While I retain the mental capacity to talk about work and hockey-related things to my boss, I still can mock her. But my legs don't want to move like the kid I used to be when I was running a football over and around neighborhood lots. And my knees don't want to help me much anymore when I have to get low and then get back up.That's it for me tonight, folks. Gonna plug in the links and add a coat of WDC ML paint, and I'm gone. Enjoy your independence, if you have some. Otherwise, I get the feeling this space will be closed on July 4th....if not for personal maintainence, probably something else I don't wanna do. GOODNIGHT NOW! |
| Hey y'all....been awhile, hasn't it? Looks like summer, since things have slowed down almost everywhere in Blogville. I hear it's not quite the tourist destination it once was. That said, it's not like I haven't been busy...I've just been, boring lately. Not much going on in the way I could speak about, I suppose. But I feel I need to speak at this issue. Last night we went out to dinner at a lovely little place, http://www.kentuckygregs.com/ for the first time, and I was impressed. It was good BBQ, and we're already plotting a return this week. We were on our way downtown to catch a friend's friends cd/lp release concert and meet up with some other friends (and the friends part was awesome !) when it was determined, immediately after dinner, that I must "use the facilities".DISCLAIMER: I don't approve of blog entries regarding potential excrement. I will make this an exception, since everyone found this hilarious. We determined that the closest "acceptible" place to "do my business" was the local Wegmans around the corner, since I'm familiar with their facilities. Never had a problem there before...always clean, always stocked, and if you're stuck going in the changing room, you've got access to diapers and stuff! Nonetheless, the stall I usually use when I use the Wegmans pooper is open, so I sat to begin my journey....only to feel a chilling sensation on my boys. WTF??  Due to a slightly higher water level in the porcelain bowl, my boys went for a dip. Men, if you're ever wondering, "How can I stop myself from having the urge to poop?", just dip the dangling half of your junk in cold-ass toilet water. I can vouch that it works, cuz as soon as I realized what was happening, my bowels tightened up faster than a senior citizen's wallet when you tell him/her that you can't accept their expired coupon. NOT COOL!Broke outta there as fast as I could dry the boys off, and made our way downtown to a great little place to see some local live music, http://www.themohawkplace.com/. Met my boy Adam up there, and was suprised by my bro DMFM and his fiancee (who I haven't seen in forever, and is looking as beautiful as always) stopping by for a night of great music, good times and laughs. Love those guys like brothers...always have a good time with them. Good peeps and good tunes are always a formula for success. Good for Jess the CWC and Dave's fiancee Regan to finally meet before the August wedding. There's a couple pics up on Facebook of us guys having a moment together. I wish I was more of a piccy-taker. VITAL STATS: Happy Fathers Day to all you dads and father-figures out there! Here's my wish to Pop Diesel: Sorry things got complicated and misunderstood. Hope your dad's day was good and you were fulfilled. Sorry I can't be a part of it. Welcome to my iPod, Roger Bryan & The Orphans! For fans of Wilco, old country, beer (maybe PBR, which was the special at Mohawk last night), and just jangly rock n roll with passion behind it, they're your band and pretenses be damned. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GL-Pm8Sk0Oc. Watch it and fall in love! Find out more as soon as the website is up at http://harvestsum.com/a/. They love vinyl. I love vinyl. And if you don't love vinyl, I'm sorry for you. I can't wait to get their records (all three of them). More Thor! Pics coming soon to the intro via G-Stam, who thinks they should be my FB profile pic. I say nay, but I'll include them here. Jess the CWC was recently promoted to assistant manager for Walgreens, but they're renovating all of the stores in the district. That includes the moving of departments to other areas of the store, hence "CCR"- "Customer-Centric Retaling". She was drafted for the mission, and she accepted....so she spends one week at every store making it right. This week, she's at my store. And the CCR staff is short, so I've been drafted to help out the CCR team this week. And that's great, cuz it gets me out of counting countless nothings for a week. A negative? Our car rides to and fro are going to be weird, since she usually carpools with another member of the team; now she's carpooling with me. The discourse of conversation will practically end, since she'll know what I do and I'll know what she does and there'll be little to talk about. On the positive side, I'll be able to make an impression on a wider range of people, and hopefully it'll be positive. The count keeps rising even though I haven't posted in almost three weeks. Thank you all for looking, and I'm sorry if I've been boring lately! Love you all. Gotta get some naptime in though. GOODNIGHT NOW! And tip your bartenders...it was nice to see an ex-coworker tending the bar and doin' his thing at Mohawk. He drums here: http://www.alisonpipitone.com/ and that's a great live show if you've ever seen one. Ok, I'm really out of here. I had a great time. Come back soon! I promise I'll try to also. |
| 'Sup everybody? OK, so it's been a little productive around here with the dual-"3-day-weekends" going on, no lie.... HOLD UP. BREAKING NEWS: So Jess the CWC comes down to tell me to listen for the dryer to stop, and to restart it if it does. She's drying our comforter, and she heard that if you dry it with a clean shoe, it'll fluff up more. So she said she put a sandal in there. No big deal...besides, when the iPod's in control, I probably can't hear the dryer anyway over the humidifier from the other side of the basement, so I really pay it no mind. Til I hear a crazy, loud, dull thunk and wonder what the hell's happened again upstairs. You see, the CWC's been quite the little trainwreck today, but I'll get into that in a little bit. So before I run upstairs, I decide to check the dryer. Sure enough, that "sandal" popped it open all right. Only, this wasn't an ordinary sandal. This "megasandal" had a three inch, woven heel on it. This "megasandal" must've started from the back of the dryer and waited for the perfect moment, when there was a four inch hole clear to the front of the dryer and void of comforter, and launched itself at the door. When I got to the dryer, the door was wide open and the guilty "megasandal" was resting on the lip of the dryer opening. A "megasandal", I presume, is something worn by high-class hippies and beach prostitutes. A "megasandal" is not something that you use in place of those "As Seen On TV" dryer balls that are supposed to make your dryer more efficient, and are sold in major retailers everywhere: http://www.simplygoodstuff.com/dryer_magic-dryerballs.htm BACK TO YOU, B: So earlier this spring, as the snow was melting, we discovered the roof was leaking in one of the kid's bedroom. It was a bad enough leak that it managed to go all the way into the basement. It didn't really damage anything, but it did happen to be our storage room, so everything had to be moved...into my ManCave (and thus holding up the process of me finally completing it). Planned on sleeping in a little on Saturday, til the doorbell rang. Same kid came home from spending the night at his friend's house, forgot his key, woke us up, and realized that overnight, part of his ceiling collapsed. Ohhhhh SNAP. This is one reason why I'm glad we rent a house like this...let the homeowner worry about cleaning this up and fixing it. He already told us he was putting a new roof on the crib, but he hasn't been able to nail anyone down a) cuz it's been so rainy; and b) cuz a lot of other people are having roofing issues, it seems. But the landlord's assured us that this will be taken care of promptly. We'll see.Jess was glad this happened, actually, cuz this got her out of bed and motivated to do things other than sleep...like watch all of True Blood, Season 2 on dvd. Which meant I did nothing but play Madden Superstars on Facebook and dick around the house til dinnertime. And that didn't happen til about 10pm, but only because I made (with barely any assistence at my own request, mind you) the most awesome Shredded Chicken Enchiladas in a sour cream sauce EVER!! That right there alone satisfied my intentions of productivity for the entire three day weekend. Kick a hole in the speaker, pull the plug and I jet, right? Yeah, not so much. To my very own chagrin, I wake up and it's beautiful outside. I know what that means...gardening (The CWC likes this kinda stuff, and our house is literally surrounded on all four sides by garden-worthy areas that aren't covered by our lawn service). Let's put a manly spin on it, shall we? I was not "weeding the gardens"...no. I was disrupting the ecosystem of several thousands of insects. Yeah, that's what I'd be doing. No matter if I fashion a pretty decent breakfast sandwich out of Jimmy Dean pancake/sausage sandwiches by adding egg and cheese, cuz I already roped myself into this by volunteering to help her, so that she can see it get done the way she wants it to be. Plus, I'm not gonna let her sit around and watch tv for two straight days, and listen to her whine on the third day that nothing got accomplished. (If you read my last entry, you'll understand why I was kinda wishing a migraine would have hit her right after breakfast.) So finally, we get ready to clean up the outdoor furniture and start weeding the gardens. About 15 minutes into, the skies start to get gloomy, and she mentions it's supposed to rain this afternoon. Well, after a half hour of gloom, the sun won. Damn. After bending over and back, and up and down, and sitting in one position for too long while finishing about 1/4 of one side of the house, I try to get up and move to the next section, but my legs don't feel the same way. One knee locks up, the other knee gives out, and I damn near fall over. My old-ass legs took enough pounding in my youth from playing sports, and their calibration with my brain's want-to-move is very off. She looks at me as I make a bit of a pained, moaning sound, and I tell her what just happened. Then I make my way to the next bush, and sit. A lot. And pull. A lot. Meanwhile, we've got this funky tree on the side of our house, and she's cleaning up underneath it (and I'm not an arborist or whatever they're called, but if you've been to my house or seen the pics on Facebook, you'll know what I'm talking about). All of the sudden, she starts screaming and whatnot. Let me preface this by stating that she's wearing what was probably her favorite jeans from 1988, only she cut them into shorts. And she cut them very short. I'm not saying they look bad on her, but in the front you can almost see the pockets, and in the back they're frayed almost to the point of her ass hanging out. These are her gardening shorts, that she wears tending our gardens, at our house. On the corner of a busy street. In public view. I digress... Screaming in pain, yeah. I turn around, and the bottom of her ass and top of her thigh are red, scratched and welted. Apparently a weed she pulled was sitting atop of no ordinary ant hill. The weed was a cover for an Al-Kaida branch of red army ants that proceeded to attack her. They got her good, too. And of course, living as two people who work in drug stores would live, we have nothing in the house first aid-like to put on it besides calomine lotion and hydrogen peroxide. So I have to stare at this ass whenever it's naked in my presence (and look away as if she were abused), or worse yet, whenever she juts it out (intentional or not) I'm supposed to resist the urge to do the right thing and give it a playful slap? My lord you filthy red ants, what is this world coming to?? Fast forward to after I gave up around an hour or so later due to knee and back pain. We shower and shop for dinner and stuff for tomorrow's festivus at her aunt and uncle's place. I throw pizza in the oven while she's making a Slush Pie. I don't cook the pizza enough and after one piece she throws it back in the oven while she's pulling the crust of her pie out. As I set my plate on the over door to grab another slice, I wind up closing the oven door with my slice still sitting on it. Meanwhile, she's grabbing the hot oven dish, causing burns on her thumb, index finger, and pinky...to the point where she's mangling band-aids while trying to put them on. (If you're keeping score at home- and mind you, this is before the "megasandal" incident- she's up on me 2-1 now). After dinner I come down to the basement to do my thing, and I'm greeted almost immediately by a crash. Beforehand, I had finished off her bottle of water, so I refilled it and stuck it in the fridge. As jokingly appalled as she was when she asked me to get it for her from the fridge after I'd told her it was on the counter cuz I had some, she was equally disruptive when she couldn't find it, only to learn I had killed, refilled and refridged it. That crash I heard was her getting it out of the fridge, and dropping it on the bottom shelf of the door, where we keep the salad dressings. The bottle knocked the drawer off and sent dressing bottles to the floor (and bless the fool who developed plastic bottles for this stuff, my word). Trainwreck. But I still love her. She got her rain, and she got her thunderstorm. And awesomely, not in that order, since we had a pretty good light show going before it started raining. It'd start in the front of the house, then in back. Then from the side. Then you didn't know where it was gonna come from. Then a cop car would drive down the street with only its flashers on and it'd be comin' from errrywhere! OH SHIT! Better check on the status of the kid's room, now that there's a 2 foot x 3 foot (I never can remember which is "foot" and which is "inch", the ' or the ") hole in his ceiling. Definitely don't need a hole in his floor now either...unless it's a portal that can take him wherever he really wants to be. VITAL STATS: I have done a lot of cooking this weekend. Be it finagling pre-made into homemade for breakfast or straight-up shredding chicken by hand or throwing a Tops-made pre-cooked pizza in the oven, I'm all set. Cleared 700 last time . Maybe 800 next time. I know I posted this, probably either in the blog prior or on Facebook, but this came on while we were coming back from Tops, and it's a fitting track for the weekend (in metaphorical ways, I suppose). And even though he knows this, it's for my boy Winkz, who couldn't come over for a little bit today. Need to catch that kid up with some stuff. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WsIB6meP70 "My rich kids burn it; my broke people dub it....Like that? Like that, and bottle of Jim Beam." Lots of other good lines in this one...Peace to Winkler and sorry we won't be getting together this weekend, but you know I'll get you some new Atmos soon. Guess I missed the dryer getting smacked open by "megasandals" again, and heard hell about that and a shirt that was hanging on one of my dresser knobs for days that I fussed outta my way in a big way on a day I was runnin' late and needed it out of my way to access other drawers. Oh, sorry. It was dry by then. Next time, hang it on the doorknob outside and pray it doesn't rain. Love you, sweetie! All the rest of y'all enjoy your Memorial Day...and if you don't celebrate it, make it memorable anyway. Peace and love. GOODNIGHT NOW! |
| A good evening to you all from soakin' Buffalo, y'all, where 80 degrees during the day doesn't mean shit if you can't be out enjoying it, and when you can be out, it's raining. So for the first time in about a year, I've got a 3-day weekend. And I don't know what I'm gonna do about it, seeing how I get antsy during the day on the days where I go in later as it is. Luckily , Jess the CWC also has the same three days off as I do (how's that one for timing?) and usually she's never short on things to do. Ahem, til now.She had a week's vacation almost a month ago, with a list of intentions and a migraine hell-bent on seeing that none of them got accomplished. I won't even get into how great of a week that was . So I'm assuming that we'll hit up some of the gardening, and maybe get that wall in the living room painted (and I won't get into the chore of picking the color and the fiasco that has become ). ALERT: SNAKE EYES!! DOUBLE "ROLLS EYES" EMOTICON USED! User now has 65 cool-person credits to use on crap he/she doesn't need! Spend wisely! Anyway, so yeah, Ms. Agenda has no agenda. Sweetheart, I love you, but if we're not doing anything this weekend, at least please get a migraine to justify it. Thanks, , me.VITAL STATS: The Rapture has been delayed until October. Now what am I gonna do with a shed full of bottled water, toilet paper and 100 lb. bags of rice I've been hoarding all week in case it happened after the fact that it didn't happen until we were made aware that it, in fact, didn't happen and would happen later? I'm gonna learn how to make rice cakes! If a day off Thursday was followed by today's workday, I'mma need every bit of those three days off. Cuz today was clusterfuck with a capital "figure those four letters out yourself". This message was brought to you by this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nTo8rjo-lM...one of my top 10 favorite bands covering one of my top 3 favorite bands...and being amazing at it. Someone needs to form a committee that can rank bands on stuff like "what kinds of bands should cover who" and rank them. I would be more than honored to oversee this ranking. Jus' sayin'. ALERT: EXTRA SUPER DOUBLE-BONUS LINK UNLOCKED!!A really underrated Irish band that features a lead singer who's done a movie, singing the title track of their UK-only released "Fitzcarraldo", live at Lollapalooza. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkf7MznDRBg&feature=feedrec_grec_index I love this band, and you should too...for fans of DMB, Radiohead, U2, Coldplay, and screaming drunk guys having fun in Irish pubs for no reason other than they're happy. Let's not forget what this weekend is really about, huh? Those that served and left all of it out there. Take a sec and thank them in your own way. I say thanks here...some of you say thanks elsewhere. THIS SPACE IS RESERVED FOR THE ARRIVAL OF A "MOMENT OF SILENCE" EMOTICON. Love yourselves, love one another, and have a good night/weekend/week/whenever I get back at y'all again. After two failed attemps at trying to post this with error message: "We encountered the following problem(s) with your request: Your account doesn't appear to have access to post to this book.", and some numbers, I'm giving up....why wouldn't I have access to my own account?? This is baffling... |
| Good evening fellow citizens of the WORLD. I'm here to brief you on some breaking news...the world is not going to end. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43092171/?GT1=43001 I mean, who trusts this guy anyway? Ooooohhhh, bullet point time! He once ran a construction company. He's already 0/1 on fantastical predictions. "Christian", by definition, should cancel "judgement", by definition, if I'm not mistaken. And by me just typing that sentence, I should be struck by lightning through my laptop as I continue.Really? Maybe I should just blow my piddly paycheck on the unimaginable between now and tomorrow, since repenting isn't an option. Besides, it's not like I'm gonna have the time to complete my collection of "Friends" DVD's if this shit's going down. I'm banking on the fact that the world will in fact NOT start the "end times" because of one simple fact: The Buffalo Bills have not won a Super Bowl, and the Buffalo Sabres have not won a Stanley Cup. If and when that happens, I will be fully prepared to accept that the world will, indeed, end. CLARIFICATIONS: The world has not yet ended. But it's only Friday. I have yet to be struck by lightning. Either the Bills or Sabres will have a dominant season (in my lifetime) that leads them to the title game of their respective sport. And with about five minutes left of either team clinching a sure title, pretty much all of the Book of Revelation in The Bible will happen and therefore erase any thought of a championship for Buffalonians who've endured some of the most tragic events in the history of sports. Of course, history won't matter then either, I suppose.This entry was brought to you by a band that I'm not entirely favorable of, but since all of this news has gone down, I've been kinda bouncing this song around. Please don't enjoy this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doT5uZLInWc Meanwhile, I'll be slurping up Beastie Boys videos left and right, courtesy of my new Youtube-ishnessicity. Or something. Peace out now. Love somebody. |
| Good good evening to all of you! I'm here because I'm confused and concerned about the climate and culture of this fine country. Long story short: the company that I work for is recommending that employees that receive paper paychecks now either move to Direct Deposit, or receive a new Visa "paycard", to cut down on paper being used, and the postage required to mail it. Which is all well and good, and I understand it. BUT... (and there's always a but...) I think it's a load of crap. Somebody's making money off this that's taking money from me; that much I know. For every non-network ATM transaction, it's gonna cost me. To cash a paper check at the grocery store, it cost me a dollar. Now I have to find a no-fee ATM, and that's kinda like finding fat-free fast food...you know it's out there, somewhere, but never when you need it. What makes it a little worse is in my neighborhood there's a few places you can still do business at that ONLY take cash. And I like those places. It's nice to know that a dollar is still a dollar, unlike this digital currency we have floating around. See, I don't like Direct Deposit. I had it once and got screwed plenty of times...especially during holidays...you think that money is there, but wait...it's not. It wasn't dependable for someone like me who relied on it and needed peace of mind to know the money was there when I needed to pay something And before you get all into yellin' about "Get a bank account!", well, howsabout a big, fat, NO. Had one. Had two. Had a bunch. Banks are the worst possible place you can store money. I'd rather keep it in a flower pot on my front porch, because I can see it then at least. Trying to figure out how banks charge fees is like trying to figure out the road map to China, and using three different internet sources to get you there. Cuz you know every bank does it differently. I prefer cash-on-hand. That's how I like to do things. Plus, I might be more tempted to spend money online if I knew I had Visa backing my stats. That's another downfall. Oh, and if a buddy says he wants to get tickets to a concert, I can give him the cash the next time I see him, if he wants to charge it. I prefer not to be that guy, cuz I don't want to get screwed if somebody backs out last-minute, but I've had friends who have no problem charging a stack of tickets, and I've had no problem giving them cash to spend at the venue. It's a good system and it works. Short story long: I like cash. Not plastic. VITAL STATS: Probably coulda fleshed this entry out a little better, had it not been for several distractions. The CWC, the phone, the randomness. Many aggrivations today. Many. Did I mention I've not been in a good mood today, and this whole pay-card thing isn't even the biggest of concerns? Hey, by the way, check the last post, cuz I fling videos on youtube occasionally! (And a big thanks to all those who checked out the Letterset videos...) (,,,Cuz...) Big jump in the volume stats on this here lil slice of internet lovin'. Created while listening to the hums of a washer and a dryer. And this, definitely: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjZRAvsZf1g Seems like it's censored, and that's ok tonight. Rumor is they have a new album out tomorrow. We'll see.Til then homies, take care. Of yourselves and each other. Word. GOODNIGHT NOW! |
| A pleasant evening to you all as I come to you in a house inhabitated by nobody other than me, which is how I like things...that way I don't have to hear fighting and other random ridiculous things. It's just me and the beats I can crank. Fantastic! Tonight I will re-teach my own self how to use the internet to my advantage, since this entry was supposed to be sent last night, but I made a goof that felt like I left a notebook of poetry in a copier, never to be seen again (and as a writer, that just makes you want to pack up shop, never look back and get a real life). But I've got some things I need to share, since I'm that guy. Last night was my first experience ever uploading videos to http://www.youtube.com/. I know, I'm so 20th century and all. But it's for a good purpose. See, I took some video on my stellar Blackberry Style of the Letterset show we went to almost two weeks ago, for "Rock For Roswell". If you forgot, lemme smack you with the link again: http://www.roswellpark.org/ Cuz we all know somebody who's life's been affected by cancer, or is a Cancer by Zodiac terms. Or, they're just a cancer to your environment...anyway, I'm sure the folks blossomming tumors stand to benefit a lot more from these links than the other parties. When exactly has your Zodiac sign saved your life anyway? I'm a Leo, and that hasn't exactly provided me any Lion-like tendancies that I'm aware of. Anyway, so I shot some videos, and uploaded them to Facebook and Youtube. Be gentle, as phones aren't the most reliable way of doing this. The audio is better than expected but not fantastic. I tend to move around also. And if you don't like music, don't like this and don't comment. Cuz music is all we have sometimes, especially when sometimes is bad times, if ya hear that. Letterset..."Count Me In"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w04Nf656w8kPlease forgive the stage banter, as it was the first video I'd ever shot on my phone in my existence (or a lot longer than one would think). Letterset... "I Wouldn't Be Surprised If You Said You Were A Lion" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs-PEzKh6u8Might be the best of the three I shot. Letterset..."This Is Just A Filler Song" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX68hZyvX-0And damn me for not getting all of the pre-song info! Ricky gets into a diatribe about how this song will be available for download on Rockband eventually. Please check these videos out! It'll make me happy, and a lot of others associated with this band also. VITAL STATS: Lotsa hits, thanks to the boys at http://www.jactrecords.com/. Thanks for the props y'all!! Really, today couldn't have been more ridiculous, but I managed to have a little fun with it, so it's ok. Plus, I had some http://www.mightytaco.com/main.php, which sometimes can make everything right in the world. We got a copy of "Buffalo Does Pop" today and from what I've heard so far, I ME LIKEY. Get your own here: http://buffalodoes.storenvy.com/products/73194-buffalo-does-pop-cd From what I've heard so far, it's a beast of a great cd so far. Buy one now!!That's all I have for you playas and playa-haters out there tonight. Rather than let you guess what I'm listening to tonight, I'll leave you with this tonight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSctIW8B_mA and leave the rest up to you. I get a thrill outta drmmers doing what they do, and Josiah's in my top two. I'mma finisn this BK Double Stacker and head off to bed....been a long last couple of days. I'm over last night and looking forward to tomorrow. Hope y'alls is too. GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
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