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 |   A third attempt at this blogging business. |
 30-DAY BLOG CHALLENGE WINNER FOR SEPTEMBER 2011 AND APRIL 2012!!  BLOGGING CIRCLE OF FRIENDS "BLOGGER OF THE WEEK" MAY, SEPTEMBER, AND NOVEMBER 2013 JANUARY, FEBRUARY, AND JUNE 2014 After 380 entries and over 17,600 views, it was time to retire "Who Do I Think I Am??"  . Expect more of the same shenanigans and troublemaking you've come to know and love from me over the last few years. Tell all your friends, warn your family and hide this from your neighbors...this isn't your average blog.   
Thanks for stopping by and showing your support!    THIS BLOG IS NOW CLOSED.
Continue along on my journey over at "Still Figurin' Out Who I Think I Am" . |
| 30DBC PROMPT: "Blog. Tell us about your week. Include your favorite blog entry from your fellow challengers from the preceding week and, most importantly, why." Happy Sunday, folks! It's another episode of the "Sunday Review" during the "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" , so let's see what we've learned.There are a lot of challengers this month, maybe more than I'm accustomed to. That's a good thing, because more people means more viewpoints. On the downside, my lousy memory can't keep up with all of them. There was no shortage of great entries this week, which means I need to start some kind of personal system to remember them all...perhaps going the full-circle route and keeping a notebook and pen handy when I sit down to read will help me, so I can feel like the entries that stuck with me the most throughout the week will get the accolades they truly deserve. After going back and looking at some of the prompts for the week, I'm somehow stuck on "You have 30 seconds to give a speech to the entire world population and after you finish, you will die. What would you say?" as being my favorite prompt this week. Before I get any further, I have a suggestion/question for Emily   : Is there a way that entries can be grouped under each specific day under the "Prompts By Day (in case you missed one)" heading on the 30DBC forum? I know it sounds like a lot of work, but it would make the "Sunday Review" so much easier.Anyway, I enjoyed Jaeff | KBtW of the Free Folk  's post ("Day 14: A 30-Second "End of Your Life" Speech" ) and his use of death interrupting him, and A*Monaing*Faith  's take on the topic, "Day 14: 30 Sec Til Death by Columbus" . Excellent examples of playing to the prompt, both in feeling and in meaning.I also enjoyed A*Monaing*Faith 's "Day 15: Hiking and Makeup" ...I have this conundrum where it's hard for me to like the things people say when they're relating a situation that's unfortunate or not to their liking. But this was a story retold with some love, and I can appreciate that.Lyn's a sly fox   , pinkbarbie and LostGhost: Seeking & Learning had some pretty good entries as well, regarding the "Write about a silly impulse buy that you only regretted after bringing it home. What made you think it was a good idea?" prompt. Again, it's hard to like people's misfortunes, but these ladies did a stellar job relating their situations.Well, another week has been committed to the blogosphere, and I salute everyone who's made it this far. It's only good things in the grand scheme of what we do. BCF PROMPT: It's Sunday...a day of rest. No need for a prompt. In that case, I'll use this opportunity to fill in some of the cracks I left during the week under the guise of "just blog". Cortland County's Work Experience program sucks giant balls. I can't physically sweep and mop a large hallway at the highway department, especially when it's highly trod and grease and silt are the primary residues in the vicinity. What sucks more is that we heard "Good job!" from the site supervisor after Tuesday, which can only mean he'll like us to be back more often. If I was being paid as a full-time employee, I might feel differently (and that floor would be so goddamned clean you could eat off it), but the overall feeling of it is wearing thin on me. It's not my crowd and it's not my kind of people. I am ok, however, with being shipped off to the Church Of The Fifteen Hungry Senior Citizens (as long as the DSS picks me up afterwards, and promptly). The work isn't ball-busting, I get some coffee and a hot meal, and I can relax a little when I need to. Even though I was a stumbling, lost mess in the absolute middle of nowhere after Thursday's "we came to get you but there was no one there" debacle when I had to use the bathroom in lieu of waiting for the van to pick me up instead of waiting outside of an otherwise locked church, and the van showing up earlier than expected, I do actually enjoy working at the Scott nutritional site. (I love how there's this big technical name for feeding old people...must be a reason for it somehow.) I think I got a cold (from trying to walk home from Scott), but I guess if you don't have symptoms all day long you probably are fine. I've waken up the last few days with a sore throat, stuffiness, and a bad attitude. I doubt that Tuesday (when I go back to work) I'll still be suffering, but there's a small part of me that really wants to stick it to them for taking off without me. MUSICAL BREAK!! Well, I started this entry not long after I got up. And I should only be so lucky to feel this blessed. THE DAILY BOX SCORE:  I haven't had the chance yet to peruse the internet for things that may appeal to me and/or you. We'll be happy to agree that Sunday should be a slow news day. Championship Football Sunday in the NFL starts at 3pm! I'm highly excited for this, even if I really don't care for any of the teams (except maybe the Broncos, because I hate New England that much and neither San Fran nor Seattle inspires confidence in me. And I think Peyton Manning deserves another shot at the Lombardi Trophy, if only to stick it to the Tom Brady apologists fans. New England has to crash as a franchise eventually; why not now?I think I've said enough for today. Time to get my rest on, I figure. Peace, you're not my church, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
| 30DBC PROMPT: "Our brains are master creators when we sleep, creating worlds of dreams for us to explore every night. Write about the last vivid or lucid dream you remember and what you believe its significance was." Happy weekend, friends! For "Creation Saturday" in the "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" we're being asked to explore sort of the subconscious...which, if you ask me, is kinda the polar opposite of creation in that you're not exactly in charge of the motion pictures your head's running while you're asleep. You're not casting, or directing...it's more like someone just popped in a dvd at random and you happen to be in it.I feel like I've gotten lucky with a lot of these prompts so far in that once I've checked them out I have a rough idea of which way I want to go with them. I feared my luck had come to a screeching halt today, because I don't always remember my dreams and when I do I'm not comfortable bringing them up in conversation. Lo and behold, I dozed off for a little while earlier this afternoon and was greeted by possibly the strangest dream I've had in quite some time. Allow me to share. I was in a fast food restaurant that looked a lot like an Arby's from the early '80's, but the counter area was very, very small and the menu board had maybe a quarter of the items you can find at your local Arby's. One of the items was sesame sticks made with bits of dried jalapenos, which to my knowledge doesn't even exist anywhere. And they sold Tim Horton's coffee, which also is rather odd. There was a mean, overweight manager-type of woman taking inventory counts, and there was a tv in the lobby showing a police drama starring Gary Busey in a wheelchair playing a Max Headroom-ish character (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYdpOjletnc) opposite Harrison Ford looking very intellectual. All I can recall of my actions in this dream sequence was trying to place an order, and then waiting for what seemed like forever. Besides the outlandish details, there really was nothing else of note going on. I can't even speculate as to what it's supposed to mean, or why I remember such a weird dream...it happened very fast, and there seems to be conflicting and contradictory tones to it. I'm just gonna take comfort in the fact that I didn't wake up screaming or shocked, and that it wasn't remotely nightmarish or overly troubling...that's a win by my standards. BCF PROMPT: "Tonight on the news another shooting incident at a Philadelphia school. Two students were hospitalized. Why do you think children are taking guns to school? What is escalating this violence? What do you think as a society as a whole we can do to stop this? Will gun control really make a difference? This is a very controversial issue in our country." First off, I offer my condolences to the victims, their families, and the community. Another senseless tragedy. Unfortunately, there will always be more questions than answers. I pulled this up after a quick Google search, in case anyone wants to read about it: http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/17/justice/philadelphia-high-school-shooting/. For the life of me, I'll never understand what possesses people to open fire on a crowd of (likely) innocent people. I have a difficult enough of a time as it is trying to rationale gun usage in general, for any purpose. But for one person to turn a gun on a fellow human being, it blows my fucking mind. All sorts of things have to happen, and in no particular order, for something like this to occur: a dispute, a possibly illegal transaction, and someone (probably more than one person) not being right in the head. I know there are plenty of law-abiding people who are properly trained in the art of gun ownership and usage. Good for them. But it only takes one person with immature tendencies, a piss-poor attitude, and some unfortunate circumstances to ruin it for the average person who just likes to hunt deer a few weekends a year. It's easy for me to spit out reasons why I think this nonsense occurs. Is it a breakdown in parenting? That seems like the most logical explanation. But how are these kids getting guns? What propels someone to think they can settle their problems by shooting other people? Why aren't other coping mechanisms in place? How does this prove anything other than how stupid and pointless reckless gun violence is? Who wants to be that example? I don't have solutions. I don't know how you take guns away from people who are otherwise good citizens, and I don't know how you keep guns out of the hands of people who clearly aren't mentally stable enough to go through the proper purchase channels or are willing to do whatever they have to in order to circumvent the system. Background checks are great, but if someone wants a gun bad enough to reach a point where they'd consider killing someone, you better believe they're gonna find a way to get their hands on a piece one way or another. And I'm sorry, but guns in schools is the most unimaginative thing going nowadays (not that anyone who's reached that point has an imagination to begin with). You'd think with all the press anyone who shoots up a school gets, there'd be some kind of evolutionary process for murderers that kicks in and says "Yo, school shootings are so 2012...I need to do something more memorable". I don't mean that in any kind of way that advocates murdering people...and now I'm just rambling. The point is, there's no tried-and-true method for making any sense of this issue. All I know is I'm glad I never had a need to own a gun or use one (Boy Scout camp excluded), and lord knows I'm the last person that needs to try and satisfy an itchy trigger finger. MUSICAL BREAK!! I was gonna go with Atmosphere's "Smart Went Crazy" solely for the line "I never sold coke and I never had to hold a pistol" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svnbtrmlX3I), but I feel a greater need to switch up the tone of this entry from weird and depressing to something else. I don't know what that is yet, but I'll gladly take eight minutes or so trying to get there. THE DAILY BOX SCORE: 4th: The fine people associated with the "Blogging Circle of Friends Prompt Forum" have voted, and they've named me "Blogger Of The Week" again for the fourth time. I'm very humbled by this designation, because I don't think I'm anything special. It's a great little honor though, and I'm very appreciative. That and $1.70 will get me a cup of coffee at the diner next door. But seriously, no, it's a cool thing to be BOTW...it shows that people pay attention and read and that you've made enough of an impression upon them to put your entries over other (just as worthy, if not more) writers and their words. For awhile I was keeping a notebook next to my bed because I was having problems with dreams scaring the shit outta me (not nightmares, but more along the lines of creepy and uncomfortable situations), and my therapist wanted me to write down details so we could discuss them later. He never followed up on that. I should probably consider changing up therapists, since he never really follows up on suggestions and probably thinks he's a genius anytime there's a breakthrough of sorts that leads him to propose grand ideas he'll never ask me about ever again. Again my fair hometown gets a little love in the form of an internet piece regarding the stereotypes associated with Buffalonians (http://www.movoto.com/blog/opinions/buffalo-stereotypes/). I will cop to all of these, especially #9, which has long been a peeve of mine. Buffalo Wild Wings (I won't provide a link because they don't merit any more promotion than they're already getting) can't compare to the chicken wings you can get at nearly any local corner pizza place or bar. And any place that sells you something called "Buffalo wings" is clearly ripping you off, because it's not the real thing.Well, now's as good a time as any to get out of here and reset my head after today's prompts. I've got a little catching up to do on yesterday's 30DBC entries, and hopefully I'll snag a decent night's sleep after...Sunday's "Weekly Recap" is on the horizon, and there's a lot to think about in regards to the past week's submissions. Peace, get your dream on, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
| 30DBC PROMPT: "Write about a silly impulse buy that you only regretted after bringing it home. What made you think it was a good idea?" What's up y'all? I figured I'd stop by and waste a few minutes of your time by coming up with a "Funny Friday" post for the "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" , since I've pretty much done all of absolutely nothing so far this fine day. I'm not gonna lie; this prompt is harder than it looks because not only is it supposed to be funny, but rare is the occasion that I actually commit to buying something I'll later find myself regretting...I prefer to live with the choices I make, even when I'm less than plussed by them. Please allow me a few extra moments of reflection on this topic, as it is my authorial credibility we're also laying on the line.This goes beyond an article of clothing that looks great in the store but not on your person, or the cd that you've been excited about buying for weeks only to be disappointed by its suckage. I've never purchased an animal for enjoyment (or any other reason), nor dropped serious cash on a rat-infested vacation property. And no, I'm not going to reminisce over every single bad haircut I've ever paid more than $15 for on a whim (and yes, there were plenty). Instead, I'll share with you the single worst case of near-immediate buyer's remorse I've ever had the pleasure pain of experiencing: hamburgers. Hear me through and please, don't interrupt. I was living on my own for the first time many years ago, and I had recently purchased my first (non-gas) grill. I had a cute little patio, and I was going to throw a little summertime cookout. I should note that if you ever plan on doing something like that, don't wait until you're actually going to do it to invite people over...it's a bad look when you say you wanna have a party and nobody can come because, well, it's just too last minute. The only people that came over were my sister and her boyfriend at the time. I had spent the afternoon cleaning and cozying up with my date, a bottle of Crown Royal. Needless to say, my inexperience at hosting shindigs was showing, in direct proportion to my guests' boredom. Also, my drunken lack of common sense was on full display next to my enthusiasm regarding my charcoal grill...which wasn't your simple hobo hibachi, but more like a waist-high fire pit. Pretty impressive to cook dead animals on as far as things that aren't propane-powered go. Let the record state that I neglected to check the weather forecast for that particular afternoon. As the clouds rolled in, I decided to start up the fire. How hard could it be? Dump in the charcoal, squirt some lighter fluid on it, light a match, and dinner is ready in no time. I'd seen it done a bunch of times, and I'm a fairly intelligent person, so there should've been no problems whatsoever. Except that there was. Several, actually. In hindsight, I don't even know why I picked hamburgers as our main course, other than it's standard cookout fare. Personally, I don't even really enjoy hamburgers all that much; I'm more of a hot dog kind of person. But that's not even the point. As quickly as my fire started blazing, the rains came and reduced my fire to a smoldering, practically useless mass of crap. But that didn't stop me from trying; after all, I had two other mouths I promised to feed. More matches, more lighter fluid, more rain, lather/rinse/repeat. My sister's boyfriend began laughing at my ineptness (which was a very welcome turn-of-the-tables for him). My sister was very something less than ecstatic. I resorted to stuffing newspapers into the grill and trying to light that on fire, because what kind of idiot can't just light stuff on fire? I mean, I've torched tons of stuff in the past; why all the sudden can I not figure out how to use that to my advantage in this situation? I was pulling the classic "don't do this" move even, and squirting lighter fluid directly on anything resembling embers. I may have used a little too much. Meanwhile, the wind was conspiring against me and blowing newsprint ashes directly into my living room, which means it's pretty amazing that I didn't burn my entire apartment complex down while managing not to actually burn anything with the intent of having an edible meal. Eventually I finagled some kind of flame enough to try cooking. On went the store-bought frozen hamburgers, and out once again did my lackluster flames go. I may have started cursing cavemen at that point for being better at fire than I was at that point. In my (absence of) infinite wisdom, I did only what I thought was the next logical step in the process: more newspapers, more lighter fluid, and more matches. And somehow, I ended up with two sorta cooked hamburgers out of four on the grill. There was no way of knowing yet if they were actually cooked through, because after one bite I believe my sister exclaimed that they tasted not like beef but more like what you'd expect lighter fluid to taste like. And the fun didn't stop there! Because the rain's intensity had increased, I scrapped the idea of cooking outdoors altogether because my adorable little patio was uncovered. I took the burgers off the grill and attempted to finish cooking them in a frying pan on the stove. The result? Pan-fried meat that tasted like it was marinated in butane. You don't have to tell me it was gross, even as I tried to ignore the smell and pretended like I was doing something awesome. Since that fateful day, I can say with every bit of confidence that my culinary skills have increased tenfold, but never will I ever try cooking hamburgers again. I've grilled many times, but I can't seem to make a hamburger that isn't blackened all over and raw in the middle, no matter what the flaming option of preference is. Steak? Good. Chicken? Gooooood. Hot dogs? Gooooooooooooood. Burgers? No thank you. And come to think of it, I don't believe I regret purchasing those hamburgers all that much way back when, because I now know you probably shouldn't rely on me to use fire to cook them. Ever. BCF PROMPT: "What is the coolest city to visit in the US?" Switching up gears and heading into the "Blogging Circle of Friends Prompt Forum" 's suggested topic today, I'm not sure if I have a solid answer. I've been to many US cities besides my hometown, Buffalo...and I'd recommend checking that out to anyone in a heartbeat. I've seen Cleveland, Washington DC, New York City, Nashville, Miami, and probably a few others...but if I had to pick one place to go back to, it'd probably be Savannah, Georgia.Savannah has to be one of the best-laid cities in all of North America. It's a giant grid; most every street runs horizontally and vertically, creating squares everywhere. I was there a few years ago, in the spring, and the weather was absolutely gorgeous. The people were so pleasant, and the area had a really nice vibe to it. Everything's authentic. There are very few corporate chains, and every business that wants to operate in the area has to maintain the integrity of the community and its buildings first and foremost...no "big box" storefronts or crazy designs; historic preservation is of the highest priority. Back in the late stages of my very first blog (gosh, I'm so growed-up now!), I wrote a few entries on location from the hotels we stayed in during a voyage by car to and from Savannah...it's crazy to me just to see how much I've evolved as a writer-kind of person since then...and yeah, the city was great too. Rather than duplicate those thoughts, peep these (in my long-favorited bullet point style):  "Redefining "Historic", Day 1" "Redefining "Historic", Day 2: Sensticles" "Redefining "Historic", Days 3-4, Somewhat." "Redefining "Historic", Day 5: Home. Barely." I haven't actually read those entries in a long, long time, and I probably will after I post this up, so whatever. This isn't about me, but beautiful Savannah. Someday I hope to go back, for nothing else if not the homemade pralines at http://www.savannahcandy.com or the 40oz. of Miller Lite for $5 served complete in a brown paper bag at a little dive bar known as The Rail (http://www.therailpub.com/)...the kind folks at The Rail, once they heard we were from Buffalo, actually turned on a Sabres game for us, and were very hospitable. What more could a tourist want? Also, The Forsyth Park Inn (http://www.forsythparkinn.com/) is incredibly gorgeous and is a wonderful place for a small wedding (my sister held her destination wedding there). Overall, it's just a great little place to spend some time at. I highly recommend it if you can get there.  I'm a romantic sucker for cobblestone streets, and for wearing NY Mets gear in Braves country. MUSICAL BREAK!! I was in the midst of forging a personal relationship with this band (hey, they're from Georgia too!) much later than my peers did (as is the case with a lot of other things I do in life) and this song played way too much in my first apartment at Briarcliff, primarily because I was absolutely in love with a girl who came over I think only to hear this song and watch reruns of The Golden Girls. But I like these songs better... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWkMhCLkVOg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKKqLl_ZEEY THE DAILY BOX SCORE:  That grilling story I referenced earlier in this entry isn't even the most outrageous episode of cooking chicanery I experienced during my stay at Briarcliff...once I got settled and knew how to throw a get-together, I had a cookout where friends of friends who became friends knew people who worked at the legendary http://www.tedshotdogs.com/, and my parties would be supplied with their jumbo dogs, buns, charcoal and whatever else I needed. Those parties were a great mix of family, coworkers and friends- people from every different part of my life at the time. As I was on the phone with my "Shiny Happy People" girlfriend-hopeful after I got the fire going (weather wasn't an issue), a friend tossed firecrackers and Jumping Jacks into the grill. He then watched me get the shit scared outta me because I was heavily startled and I thought the front of my apartment had blown up while I was pacing the sidewalk leading up to my place. Have I ever mentioned I don't react well to that kind of stuff? But we still had a good time...I don't think "Shiny Happy" Sarah came over though. In an amazing coincidence (that has less to do with cities and even less to do with pretty much anything), Deadspin posted a fun little diagram of useless yet humorous states in the US and their rivals. My only wish is that they would've expanded it to include what their reasonings were for each state, but I guess that's what the comments section is for (and it must be a hard job originating in Texas). http://deadspin.com/state-hate-which-state-is-your-states-enemy-1496315563?utm_c... I was kinda miffed at first that Sabretooth (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRg1cUUc66w) didn't make this list, but then again he's a family-friendly mascot that doesn't ruffle feathers or cause controversy. So I guess he's got that going for him. http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/top-10-nhl-mascots/ And they said they never knew people liked hockey so much! Lyn's a sly fox , please tell me the Flyers have a better mascot that isn't the Philly Phanatic (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOG6TcOWKlQ), because really, what is that thing?? It's bell-shaped (in reference to the Liberty Bell), so I'll give you that much, but it's green (which is not a color of the Flyers or Phillies) and has a Muppet-shaped horn nose thing goin' on. If I lived in the area and/or supported that team, 1) my kids (if I had any) would never touch it; and 2) that thing doesn't inspire me for anything, let alone trying to win ballgames or the humor it's meant to imply. When I think of Philadelphia, I think of fans booing Santa Claus at Eagles games and snowballs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWvza6en5Rg). If I were to even guess what I'd enjoy possibly as a Flyers mascot, it'd be some big ugly thug-lookin' thing reminiscent of the "Broad Street Bullies" days in a cartoonish get-up, complete with missing teeth. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that'd be a helluva mascot. Today's the last day (so I hear) to get your nominations up for "The Quills" , so get at that! This is not campaigning.And that my friends is another day off and left to my own devices as far as anything to do with everything is concerned. It may not be the funniest, nor the best conceived way of looking at things, but I've satisfied my own urges to write about something, and I suggest you do the same. Peace, do it for your city, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
| 30DBC PROMPT: "Do you believe we should tolerate everyone's opinions no matter how misstated or misinformed they may be? How delicate are you when discussing your opinions with others? Make your case as logically as possible without emotion influencing you." Good afternoon from cold but sunny Cortland, where I'm slowly regaining the feeling in my extremities after being stuck outside in the middle of nowhere without cell phone reception for over a half hour due to a lack of communication on the part of my supervisors after being on my feet all morning for another feeble attempt at this "work" thing. To say I'm losing faith in 'the system" would be an understatement, but that's neither here nor there at the moment...you're here to see how I'm going to respond to the "Opinion Thursday" segment of the "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" , and I'm here to give you what you clicked on the link that brought you here. My only concern is that I'm supposed to answer logically (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcX1qA1Etc8)...when have I ever done that before? And without emotion, no less? Wow. I instantly felt the color fade from my face when I first read (and subsequently forgot) this prompt when I woke up this morning. But I'm nothing if not game for the chance to see how this turns out, so let's have at it. In my adult life I've always operated under the principles of "To each their own" and "Live and let live". I know that we're not always going to share the same views, or sources of information. I know it's a cliche, but one of the most important ways of keeping the peace between different people is knowing when to agree to disagree. Sometimes people don't know any better than what they've always believed, and they have their reasons for it (whether it's the way they were raised, or something that's always stuck with them for whatever reason). Who am I to say they're wrong, knowing there've been many times along the way where I myself have shared the occasional opinion that wasn't always accepted by the masses? Even though it doesn't guarantee anything other than your right to say whatever you want, there's such a thing as freedom of speech and expression.(I'm referring only to the version referenced in the Constitution of The United States' First Amendment). There's also a time and a place for everything, and knowing when and where that is can go a long way toward getting along and understanding people better...but perhaps the greatest bow in one's quiver is a little thing called "tact" (hint: tact is not this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feB7Oc8rw1o). You have to know who you're talking to, and understand how your words may affect them. True masters of tact know how to work a crowd in order to push their beliefs along positively; conversely, they know when not to use certain terms and phrases among different groups of people because offending them wouldn't be in the best interests of anyone involved. Personally, when I'm among people I really don't know, I do try to watch what I say because you never know how people are going to react. You don't want your first impression to sink you in a new setting, or get off on the wrong foot with too many people (especially if you're going to be seeing them more often, such as coworkers). I think it's good when people have differing opinions, and debate over them can be healthy if the discussion remains positive and cases can be stated with intelligence...it's not always easy, especially if the opposing party is firm in his or her convictions, but a rational conveyance of beliefs is sure to gain more acceptance than trying to beat someone over the head with rhetoric that is based first on emotion and second on actual facts. Beyond that, I stick to something I read once on a matchbook cover in a bar around fifteen years ago, and it's worked out pretty well for me: "Judge me all you want; just keep the verdict to yourself." BCF PROMPT: National Do Nothing Day (Someone read my mind.) "If you had the opportunity to create your own day, what would it be? Would you have any special perks to make your day unusual or memorable?" Well now...if ever there was a day that should be dedicated in my honor with a bronze statue of me in a recliner with my feet up erected in your city, I do believe it'd be "National Do Nothing Day". But since such a day already exists, let's come up with another reason why I should have a day commemorated in my name. In the grand tradition of Seinfeld's Festivus celebration (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JR6xt9S02o), how about Worldwide Grievance Day? As the once-reigning "Complaining Male" in the storied lore of the 30DBC, I think this is a great idea. But let's not corrupt it make it a "Hallmark Holiday" where it's married to a specific day on the calendar. I propose two options for its inclusion into the holiday lexicon: hold a lottery of sorts where you're randomly assigned one day a year to bitch and whine about everyone and everything that irks you, without fear of consequences, or just make it a straight six months after your birthday. I like the second one better...one's your "special day", and then half a year later, it's your "special you-against-the-world" day. It could be ceremonious even...get cake, thank everyone for coming, and then haul off on the banes of your existence (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNqK8ljyHjA). The beauty of this lies in the simple idea that no one can contest your peeves, since they are yours and yours alone for the occasion, and they should be greeted with concern and a due diligence toward making things right. Someone can be appointed secretary of the event, taking proper notes, and a compliance officer can act as a liaison between you and the offender(s) in a somewhat impartial mediator kind of role. And no one can get mad at you for being pissed off, regardless of how petty it is. After all, they're getting cake, and who gets mad when there's cake? Now, about that bronze statue of me...don't make my nose too wide, because I'd hate to have to invite you to my Grievance Day extravaganza. MUSICAL BREAK!! Oh, the man of conviction...if ever there were a day necessitated by the ignorance of others, Worldwide Grievance Day would be perfect for setting straight the wayward opinions of idiots. THE DAILY BOX SCORE: 1/2: Estimated mileage walked on a chilly day after being left behind at my job site this afternoon (which again was the Church Of The Fifteen Hungry Senior Citizens, and I'm pleased to report my coffee cup remained upright whenever it was alone on the countertop). My immediate bosslady had to leave early because her kid was experiencing personal problems of the female persuasion minus the necessary feminine hygiene products to avert teenage disaster-type scenarios, leaving me alone after we were all done supplying reheated food to and cleaning up after the disciples, and while I was using the bathroom my other boss-like person showed up and left (albeit five entire minutes before he was supposed to, and he said he waited three minutes...who waits three minutes??). So here's me, sucking at walking, in the cold, wondering if I can use the skin of the dead deer I saw in a ditch to stay warm if I can't continue any farther down the road. And oh, what a great time to learn I don't get cellular reception in this town that's much deeper into the middle of nowhere than I already live! I think I was too cold and sore to be angry once dude came back to get me.  I'll admit that I kinda lost my shit earlier this morning...never mouth off to a sheriff running a metal detector who goes by the name of "Duke" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DykNAQ_utJQ). Forget the fact the Cortland Country Department of Social Services even has a metal detector (when Erie County doesn't, and they serve at least ten times the amount of people daily)...these guys are always douches. I understand they have a job to do, but they don't have to be dicks about it. Because I have to wear steel-toed boots for work, of course I always set the alarm off. Then I have to go through the protocol- lift up the arms, get frisked- and this sets off my anxiety as I'm getting wanded. I didn't even hear him ask me if I was wearing a belt, even though I felt him lift up my jacket to inspect my waist...but I did hear him ask me a second time, as if I were unable to understand English, "DOOOOOO YOOOUUUU HAAAAAAAVE A BELLLLLLLT?" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-twUCEfzrDk). And I snapped, I guess, partly because I felt violated and partly because I don't need to be talked to like I'm The Six-Year-Old Me. "NOOOOO I DONNNNNN'T HAVE A BELLLLLLT." And in the pending feeling of wanting to GTFO of there, I dropped the belongings that I checked before crossing the detector trellis. Once we got into the van, I had to hear not once, but twice, from my supervisor guy how this Duke guy was all butt-hurt over how I reacted to his overzealousness of responsibilities. It kinda felt like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bchnLOT7ic. Was I in the wrong? A little. But I can't always help that other people are random A-holes (sorry for the capitalized, implied cursing) and that I get weirdly stressed out in these kind of situations. If Duke hadn't mistaken the fumbling of my personal belongings for "throwing them", there might not've been a problem, and if he would've pawed me a little more, I would've insisted he kissed me first (an offer I would've most assuredly declined, ladies...I may be single, but he's way hella old and he's got parts that I personally am not compatible with). Instead I got the "Well, he's set in his ways, so try to get along" speech, which didn't make me feel any better about him being a senseless, emotionless power-tripper. Also, I should probably watch what I say under my breath, because I know I called him some kind of name to who I thought was myself, but he probably heard me, which means the pills I'm taking to curb that kind of behavior likely aren't working as well as they used to. On to bigger and better things...sign up for "Invalid Item" and an opportunity to be judged by me and lazymarionette and Lyn's a sly fox in a tournament-style blog death battle format to see who has the best skills, sponsored by the "Blogging Circle of Friends " . There's prizes and stuff (but no cake...so save that complaint for your personal Day Of Grievances). And while I'm on the topic of WDC stuffs, don't forget to check out "The Quills" and nominate your faves for whatever suits your fancy. This is not campaigning.Sounds like now is as good a time as any to forget about life for awhile and get over all the crap that today was, since I don't have any other way of airing my complaints in a festive sort of manner. I'll just replay them over and over in my head, hoping to get them right, until I sleep and hope that all is forgiven when I wake up (or wind up counting the hours until see my therapist again the way corny normal people count sheep). Peace, I gotta lotta problems with you people, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
| 30DBC PROMPT: "Write about a childhood experience that you remember vividly. Include as much sensory detail as possible." What's the good word y'all? The war chest has spoken, and it wants to know a little somethin' about our past. That's fine and all, but I have a shoddy memory for things. It's so random. I can recall some things from eons ago, yet I'll forget what I had for lunch. Sometimes I can spew the most inane details from something that happened when I was in elementary school, and other times I'll forget that even though Main St. in Cortland is a one-way street, I should still look both ways before crossing it. Yup, you know how I do. Since I'm having trouble today trying to pinpoint any specific memories, I'm going to do something unprecedented in my many years of blogging and enlist the help of a guest writer. I don't know exactly how this works in the bylaws of the "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" , but I have to think it's kinda legal. So anyway, without further ado, I present to you: The Six-Year-Old Me. Hello! One day we went to Niagara Falls! I got to wear shorts with socks that have the stripes on them...they go up to my knees! Niagara Falls is where there's a lot of water, and it's really wet. I went with my mom and my grandma and my aunt and my brother. They're not in this picture; well, they are, but I cut them out 'cuz I'm the one writing about this day. Nobody went over the falls in a barrel today. I think people do that to be funny...who wears just a barrel? There's two Niagara Fallses. One is here by Buffalo, and the other is up on the map in Canada...everyone says it's nicer there. I don't know 'cuz it all just looks like water to me. Water in a hurry going downhill. It's neat how it gets all foamy, but it looks kinda yucky when it's just there at the bottom. I hope there's no sharks there. I don't wanna stand too close to the railing 'cuz if I fall in and there's sharks I might get eaten. But I can swim good, so I can probably swim away. It would be cool if there were a McDonalds somewhere when we drive home. Not that we have to go there, but McDonalds is fun and has Happy Meals. Someday when I get bigger I'm gonna come to Niagara Falls all by myself because I can go fishin' and swim, but not where it's yucky. Big people tell me to go jump in a lake sometimes when I'm talking to them. I would if I could but I can't so I won't! And that was my trip to see Niagara Falls! Bye! Ok, go easy on the kid. It's his first time here and he's a little excited. You would be too if it were 1981 and you were within a stone's throw of a foreign country for the first time. Funny things of note though...I've never been to Niagara Falls by myself, and I grew up to not enjoy fishing, but the Canadian side of the falls definitely is prettier and more picturesque, plus there's more to see and do compared to a dilapidated and beat-up lookin' urban landscape masquerading as a tourist attraction. But don't take my word for it...tell 'em The Six-Year-Old Me sent ya. BCF PROMPT: "What was the last good book you read?" Well, I made no secret of the fact two nights ago that when I was younger I never read the book Night by Elie Wiesel, or that I started reading it because my internet was broken for awhile Monday morning/afternoon. And no joke, I still haven't finished it (but to my credit I did work yesterday and today). It's a really great book so far (even though the idea of it all is harsh and pretty terrible). As I'd mentioned to Lyn's a sly fox when we were discussing it, the book reminds me an awful lot of Man's Search For Meaning by Dr. Viktor E. Frankl (which, to be honest, is not a good book in my opinion, evidenced by this particular entry: "This one's about the rules and not giving a fang." - and you should definitely read that entry, if only because I spent way too much time looking in the wrong blog for it), but it's more from a psychological standpoint rather than it being just a memoir.But since this is my blog and I make the rules, I'm declaring that since I haven't finished Night yet, it doesn't count as a book I've read. And honestly, while I've read a few books since I've been in Cortland, I haven't read what I'd consider a good book, although I'm not sure I've established any kind of criteria that a piece of literature should be judged by. Therefore, I'm going to evoke section 3.8457521 of paragraph C of the eighteenth amendment to the fourth parable of the nth degree times six of fourscore and a fortnight of the greatest parameter of blogging etiquette, and declare my right to submit a motion to call "shenanigans" on this prompt, because I think CJ Reddick  might just be looking for something different to read and is having trouble deciding on what to add to his reading list, and is using this prompt as an excuse a means of soliciting suggestions. I know my rights, man!!  Just playin', CR. Actually, section 3.8457521 of paragraph C of the eighteenth amendment to the fourth parable of the nth degree times six of fourscore and a fortnight of the greatest parameter of blogging etiquette is just code for "I'm picking a classic that everyone but me had to read sometime before they were of the age where kids become adults and graduate college", because I never really had to read cool, fun books under mandatory precepts (and even if I was supposed to, chances are I probably didn't read them anyway back then). This past summer I reread One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey (I first read it about eight or so years ago), which is one of my all-time favorite books (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-hB-WkQQkI). What's not to love about it? A guy gets sent to an asylum (nowadays they're called "Behavioral Health Units"...don't ask me how I know that ) instead of prison and turns the whole ward on its ear. It's fascinating, comical, and at times hilarious, with a glorious ending that's equal parts unfortunate and uplifting. In my opinion, you could almost have an entire season's worth of sitcom episodes out of everything that happens in this masterpiece...it's that good. And let's just say I have a soft spot in my heart for those who are touched differently by the hands of higher powers. That is all.Unfortunately, I won't be taking any books out from the local library to read anytime soon. Seems I accidently on purpose once kept a dvd I borrowed a week past its due date, and I now owe them the maximum $5 late charge (which actually is about the only thing that's more forgiving than the Buffalo/Erie County public library system, which will milk you almost limitlessly for overdue materials), of which I'm too unwilling to part with at the current time. Oh, I'm sure one day I'll get around to paying that up and restoring my borrowing privileges. Just not soon. MUSICAL BREAK!! I really couldn't think of anything else appropriate music-wise that totally fit whatever it is I have goin' on in either prompt, so this is what you get. THE DAILY BOX SCORE:  Back-to-back Sabres games (yesterday and tonight), and instead of watching it I'm here, writing about not watching it. And it's against divison/cross-border rival Toronto. Wanna know a secret? Many years ago I was a not-so-closet Maple Leafs fan. I had one of those Starter pullover winter coats and everything. I don't know whatever happened to that jacket, but I know I lost it...and who loses a jacket like that?? Me, that's who. But it probably happened for the greater good, seeing as how a few years later the NHL would realign their divisions and once again pit both teams against each other on a more frequent basis. Hey, just curious...who clicked on "section 3.8457521..." in the BCF's prompt response 'cuz they thought it might be a link to something actually real and sorta official or important simply because it was blue? It's ok to admit that you did. I won't shame you. Like the person who wrote this article, I too am sure I've heard this before but never really thought about it. I know I always preferred the "wrap it in tin foil and stick it in the oven" method over microwaving leftover pizza, but the rationale behind this idea is so mind-blowingly simple that I really can't believe I never gave it serious consideration. http://gawker.com/the-way-to-reheat-pizza-is-in-a-skillet-1502193686 And because I'm late to pretty much everything awesome, it brings me great happiness to share with you the news that I have finally made it to a store that sells Chocolate Peanut Butter Pop-Tarts. I can't wait to be hungry so I can (hopefully) tell you all how absolutely incredible they are. They better be incredible, because it hurts my heart knowing that there are some things out there made of the combination of chocolate and peanut butter that aren't great (like Peanut Butter Oreos...great concept, bad execution).I don't believe I have anything more to say in regards to this day or either prompt. I hope this has found you well and stuff. Peace from The Thirty-Eight-Year-Old-Me, you got chocolate in my peanut butter, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
| 30DBC PROMPT: "You have 30 seconds to give a speech to the entire world population and after you finish, you will die. What would you say?" What's goin' on? Wow...this prompt is absolutely brutal...and I don't mean that in a bad way necessarily, but this harkens back to the old days of the "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" (when it was under different management) 'cuz I swear we had like an entire week's worth of morbid prompts. This one, however, straight up tells you you're gonna die. Like I'm talkin' to my boy, and I'm tellin' him we're gonna go out to the Burger King drive-thru, but afterwards you're gonna die. You're gonna score big at the casino tonight, and wake up broke. You're gonna lock eyes with a thousand people at the same time, and go home blind. Sure, you can tell the entire friggin' world whatever you want, so long as you understand that you have a thirty second time limit, and when you're done, you are going to die.Now ain't that some bs?? Actually, before I get into this, can I make a suggestion? I make a motion that every day, when the new prompt is dropped, we get an explanation as to what prompted the previous prompt. Like, an answer key, kinda. I wanna know why it was wanted to be known...was it a topic that came up in conversation? The message in a fortune cookie? A philosophical debate in class? Is what we answer being interpreted against another meaning of something deeper...like "if you like the color red and the scent of coffee, your true astrological character is Pisces (even though you're a Scorpio)"? These are the things I think about when I can't think of anything remotely resembling a proper response to the prompt. Carrying on then... Fellow citizens of the world, please listen up. I'm only gonna say this one time, because I only have one chance to say it. Some of you have been doin' some real stupid stuff to other countries (and to other people), and you need to knock it off. It's costing me a lot more to say this to you than you'll have to gain by being super jerk-holes to each other, and there's way more benefits to getting along together than frontin' like you got "nuclear weapons" or "a no-return policy after thirty days" or "my god says the gay people will give me cooties". Y'all need to learn how to pick your battles better and let some shit slide. Peace, love each other, I'm outta here...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsstzfp6nyo. Sometimes I wonder what's really gonna cause the end of the world...too many people not getting along for all the wrong reasons, or everyone panicking over common sense reigning and not knowing how to handle it. Like, "Hey y'all, this is all well and good...everyone's recycling, being courteous and polite, we all know the difference between 'y-o-u-apostrophe-r-e' and 'y-o-u-r', so how can this go wrong?" and then all the sudden the reverse of the Big Bang happens and the world implodes and sucks everything into its core and Earth is swallowed by the solar system and turned into one giant parking lot for the moon. You don't want that to happen, which is another reason why you should listen to me: if I'm goin' down in 30 seconds, I'm takin' the whole effin' universe with me. BCF PROMPT: "All children have to be deceived if they are to grow up without trauma.” Kuzuo Ishiguro "Do you agree or disagree? What are some popular deceptions that should be told to children? Do you believe it is more traumatic being deceived as a child or more traumatic dealing with the harsh realities of the world at a very young age?" Man...if I was wearin' a shirt with a collar right now, I'd be tuggin' on that somethin' fierce tryin' to get away from this prompt. It's not easy, I'll say this much. I know this is a personal thing for a lot of people, and I'll flat-out admit that my frame of reference on this topic is probably vastly different than the majority. I can't speak from a parent's perspective because I don't have kids, but I was a kid once, so I guess that qualifies me on some level to participate...and I hope y'all understand in no way am I trying to trivialize or minimize anybody else's situations or circumstances. This, ladies and gentlemen, is a very special after-school episode of "Who do I still think I am??" , presented by Ford Econoline vans with "Free Candy" spray-painted on the side. At the very basis of the statement, the Ishiguro quote is true...at some point, something's going to happen in a child's life that is beyond the parent's control, and it's how that moment is used in a teaching purpose that determines the extent of the damage done to the kid. I'm not saying you should be proactive in trying to teach kids a lesson by seeing how many different ways you can break them, but kids have to learn at some point that there's more to life than lollipops, toys and the ball pit at Chuck E. Cheese. And it often doesn't matter how you spin it; once the goldfish hits the water inside the toilet bowl, there's no turning back. It's healthier than the alternative: "Daddy, why does my goldfish always float on his back?" "Uhhh, well, that's how he likes to chill." "He sure chills the most, daddy!" No. Bad, wrong, and no. Because kids find things out, regardless of what you try to shield from them. Some little jerk in your kid's school is likely ruining everything you want your kid to believe until he/she is 35 years old as we speak, and there's nothing you can do 'cept fess up. It's better to have to deal with an hour, or a night, or a few weeks of poor heartbroken kid than it is trying to cover up lie after lie after sacred lie ever since you told 'em that making funny faces would cause their own face to permanently freeze like that forever. Sure, ok, let them believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny and all that other stuff...c'mon, ya gotta let a kid be a kid about certain things. That's normal. But the important scenarios- the things that are gonna matter or affect them whether they're 8 or 88- you gotta be as gently real as you can. It's not easy, but in the long run it's better that way. At a younger age, there's more time to process why things happen and different ways to show examples (if situations dictate that out of necessity). When kids get older and try to deal with certain things, it can be like trying to put toothpaste back in the tube...it all goes back to the Mario Cuomo quote I've referenced in the past: "Life is not joy, but motion". Anyone who says otherwise doesn't know that the struggle goes beyond the skin of their iPhone and that not all mommies and daddies do the science projects. MUSICAL BREAK!! I thought about going with this today because I'm in that kind of mood (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaBVV97GNLc) but I'm gonna take a minute and challenge myself to come up with somethin' else. Ugh...I'm so over trying to think and do anything more than I need to with my fingers. Listen to this instead. THE DAILY BOX SCORE: $3054.82: Freaking amazing article that pinpoints exactly how much technology has changed since 1991, and it's by one of the best writers in Buffalo. http://www.trendingbuffalo.com/life/uncle-steves-buffalo/everything-from-1991-ra... In lieu of any kind of discussion regarding sports this evening, I'd like to share something I came across earlier today regarding interviews that happen (usually) postgame. I'm sure pretty much every non-fan of any sport feels this way. Bonus fun: Plus, I think the thing in the helmet kinda looks like a cat.  Well, I've got some time to figure this out (and it's what I should've been doing all evening rather than what I'm doing right now, but admit it, part of you is glad we've both reached this point in our evenings), and I know I teased the idea about a year and a half ago only to get as far as being turned down for financial aid, but if everything goes as well as it sounded this afternoon, I may be finally going back to school come summer or fall (classes for the local community college here start on Monday, so this semester is out of the question). I just have to figure out what I wanna be when I grow up what I'd like to be studying and what I wanna do, and if it's something I'll need to become a student for (versus vocational training). I've got a few ideas but I don't want to get too far ahead of myself in case some of the programs I've looked into and have met with people about happen to fall through. But I'd be lying if I said the thought of being able to go back to school doesn't appeal to me. There's a contest coming up for WDC'ers that I thought I'd share...most of you are probably aware of it already, but it bears mentioning in this spot of internetical buffoonery primarily because I'm going to be one of the judges (I know, I know...I'll be in a position of authority! Keep all snickering to a minimum. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx4jn77VKlQ). I hope you'll check it out and at least consider it.
Well, it's been a long freakin' day...spent the morning sweeping and mopping a floor at the highway department, which is equivalent to straightening a toy store and then letting a bus full of kindergarteners in. Now I ache all over; I just wanna rip the metal plate out of my leg and beat myself over the head with it for allowing my body to get broken in the first place. I think that's my cue to go find something better to do with the rest of my evening. Peace, we're the best planet on the face of the Earth, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
| 30DBC PROMPT: "What do you do when there is nothing to do?" What's up folks? Judging by the "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" forum, it looks like some people felt a little displaced by the lack of a prompt for the better part of Monday. Normally the day's prompt rolls in around midnight (Eastern Standard Time, or WDC time, or my time...reader's choice), but today it looks like it didn't come down 'til after 2pm. Didn't bother me much, because I spent most of last night and all of today not having internet access at all. I didn't even notice until after my internet was restored and I glanced at the forum briefly to copy the prompt, and saw a bunch of messages about it. Man, that sucks...I don't know who I feel worse for, Emily , or everyone else that couldn't wait to sink their keyboard letters into whatever Wildcard Monday would bring for them.All of that means is that in an odd twist of irony, I actually had nothing to do. I mean, there's plenty I could have done, but I took Nothing for $500, Alex, and the answer was Night by Elie Wiesel. If your question was "What book did you read today", then I guess you're a winner. I gave up on trying to reconnect to the internet after about fifty attempts...I suppose if I were really that hard-up for something to do, I probably could've kept track of the actual times the Wi-Fi signal rejected me. There isn't much worse a feeling than seeing multiple local areas you can get some internet from, only to be told by your laptop that you can't connect right now, and then being diverted back to the screen with all the hotspots begging you to join them again. It's taunting, I tell you...the internet's such a bully. So anyway, about this prompt...(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNcM4YjzgHY) what do I do when there's nothing to do? I'll tell you what...nothing. That's the right answer, isn't it? Ain't nothin' to do, so I ain't doin' nothin' (my spell-check is about to explode after that sentence). Boom...done. End of entry. Only, not quite. If I were to look just a little deeper into this prompt, I would see that it's an offshoot of prompts related to boredom, waiting, and patience. And we did cover patience last week, did we not? [*Editor's note:"This one's about the gifted and the patience." ] Now, we can't be having prompts about the same things every week [*Editor's note: Offer not valid on Sundays.], right? So I'm gonna go with boredom, and see what kinda trouble I can get into with that [*Editor's note: Boredom can be both a direct and indirect cause of trouble in many areas.].Some people can do well with nothing to, well, do. I don't. I hate waiting. I hate lines. I hate not being occupied by something besides whatever's going on in my head. I need diversions and schemes and tactical alliances and methods of minor destruction. I have to be prepared for anything at any given moment. I need to always know what time it is and what the three best exit strategies are wherever I am. There are times for whys, and times for why nots...and when there's nothing to do the first thing to do is figure out which moment fits the bill. And more often than not, you'll catch me makin' faces (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAY27NU1Jog). I tend to think not in thoughts or sentences, but in conversations...all parties involved. And I can get animated with the hand gestures when I speak, so when I'm thinking about the conversations going through my head and I'm speaking I'm picturing my hands moving, and my eyes tend to reflect that. While my pupils are speaking for my fingers, I start mouthing personal answers from my side of the conversation. So if I'm really deep in thought because my physical and/or mental presence is left to its own unoccupied devices, then yes, I do look like I'm slightly batshit-insanely keeping myself company. It doesn't happen often, but it's happened enough for me to have taken note of it (although not enough to stop my mind from wandering aimlessly). So if you see me on the street and it looks like there's a fistfight going on between my ears that my lips are guest-refereeing, it's cool; you should probably gently prod whom or whatever's causing any delays in what it is I want to be doing and tell them to not keep me waiting much longer, because "he looks kinda crazy, and it's best that we get him outta here as soon as we can because I think he's starting to scare people". [*Editor's note: And that's exactly my point; if you're scared of me you'll leave, which means I get my needs tended to that much quicker. Evil genius wins again! ]BCF PROMPT: "What’s your learning style? Do you prefer learning in a group and in an interactive setting? Or one-on-one? Do you retain information best through lectures, or visuals, or simply by reading books?" Quite the multi-faceted prompt from the "Blogging Circle of Friends Prompt Forum" compared to the "nothin' 'bout nothin'-ness" of the 30DBC's portion of Monday afternoon Mondayisticism. I shall tackle it the only way I know how: *raises a finger in the air triumphantly*...wait, ummm, how??I don't mind group-learnin' stuff, but I'd rather learn on my own. People can become distractions; or, perhaps better said, I distract people. I'm much better off gathering new information when there isn't an audience to entertain. However, here's where it gets complicated: I'm not one to study. I can't just read a book and know how to do things; I need to be shown once or twice (the nice thing about that is once I know what I'm doing, I prefer to be left the eff-bombs [*Editor's note: Yes, I went plural there, as an emphasis on how strongly I feel about it.] alone). Don't tell me how to plant a garden; show me. Don't play me the song; let's sing it. Don't tell me to read pages 137-145 about revolution; let's go get them countries! I always had terrible study habits. When you got passable grades, it kinda muted the point. I got what I needed outta class, and that was it. If I tried reading after school, I usually distracted myself into other, more fun, things. Pointless things, most likely. Others strived for wild successes that were often beyond their scope of attainability, while I was content meeting requirements and doing the bare minimum (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cg-6wbETtbo). I imagine having to learn in today's computer-based environments would present their own unique sets of challenges...everything's so internet-driven these days and maybe to an extent that would be beneficial, but the temptation to do other things online at the same time would be so much greater than just trying to watch tv or listen to the radio while doing homework. And I know what you kids are thinking...what's a radio?? See, it's this thing with a knob, and...now, you see how this distraction thing works with me? So I don't know if I actually have a defined "learning style", unless this prompt is meant to be some kind of weird social experiment where we outline specific scenarios and the information is disseminated by a third party that separates us into one of three different groups based on how we responded and uses more of a generalized approach rather than personalized analysis. You know, like those quizzes in Cosmo about your perfect mate and if you choose mostly B's then you're bound to marry your crush who is also a D-list high school celebrity...something like that. I probably should've left the house this afternoon and randomly made faces at strangers instead of carrying on with this prompt. Oh well...I'll know better next time I've got nothing else to do. [*Editor's note: Back to the top.  ]MUSICAL BREAK!! I try not to get bored, but sometimes I can't help it. There aren't many things uglier than the sight of me talking to myself when there's nothing else to do and nobody around to do it with. THE DAILY BOX SCORE: 19: I like informational lists as a means to kill a few minutes just as much as the next guy, but I think the internet has simultaneously outdone itself and reached strikingly sad lows pertaining to content when you find yourself reading this: http://www.buzzfeed.com/ailbhemalone/signs-youre-in-a-relationship-with-hummus?b... (and for the record, I absolutely enjoyed the article, but really Buzzfeed? Seriously?? [*Editor's note: I personally would also like to contest #18, because if you have fingers then you're never short of anything to dip in your hummus.]). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpecF_JfdtQ  I know that Night is barely 100 pages long, and I know what it's about (and no, it was never on any of my mandatory reading lists growing up, so don't pull that card), but nobody ruin the ending for me, ok? I'm, like 70-some pages in, and I'm gonna try to go to bed early tonight, which is just a convenient way of saying I'm lazy and I'm not gonna feel like finishing it later. Hey! Only another month or so before pitchers and catchers report for spring training! Seems like as good as any other time to remind you all that my favorite baseball team is the lowly resurgent New York Mets, although it has been said that I may actually hate the New York Yankees more than I like the Mets. And since there hasn't been much baseball news to discuss as of late, may I throw it out there that Alex Rodriguez deserves every second and more of his 162 (plus playoffs) game suspension from MLB (http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/10288864/alex-rodriguez-arbitrator-an...)? Between that and the Hall Of Fame voting scandal (http://deadspin.com/dan-le-batard-loses-hall-of-fame-vote-suspended-from-b-14980...) last week, baseball needs to do something to feel good about itself. However, I don't think this is it: http://deadspin.com/ok-i-just-fucking-give-up-i-cant-do-this-anymore-i-150054697....And that's another Monday in the books y'all. Let's hope I can get this posted, edited and Tweeted before the internet decides to leave me scrambling to figure out what exactly it is I do do when there's nothing else to do. Peace, I've got people skills, and GOODNIGHT NOW!!  |
| 30DBC PROMPT: "Blog. Tell us about your week. Include your favorite blog entry from your fellow challengers from the preceding week and, most importantly, why." What's up friends? It's another Sunday, which means another "Sunday Review" in the "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" . Another week full of amazing, thought provoking, and fun entries by all the challengers, and as usual, it's difficult trying to single one out as a favorite...it's like being an uncle of a hundred kids, and your sibling's asked you which one you like the most...I've probably said it before but it bears repeating: if it's so daunting to pick one or even a handful of well-done blog entries in a given week, imagine what it's like trying to judge some of the "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" . I invite you all to try it during an official month after January's up...you gain an entirely different perspective and appreciation for the process of the 30DBC.Now...about this week... Personally, my favorite prompts of the week ended up being the "funny tv show" one and the "incredibly gifted at one thing/kinda good at lotsa things" one. Everyone killed it on the latter, offering solid reasons and explanations for why it makes more sense to be slightly above average on a lot of things, especially Jaeff | KBtW of the Free Folk in his entry, "Day 8: Amazing At One Thing or Pretty Good At Lots of Things" . I think his summation for why it's better to be good at a lot of things over being great at one thing hits the nail on the head and does a good great job at encompassing how we all felt regarding this prompt (see what I did there? ). Also, he makes what sounds like a tantalizing mango salsa ("Day 11: "Chef" Jeff's Favorite Recipe" ).As for the funny things on television that make people laugh, I have to go with blainecindy and her entry, "Invalid Entry" , because I'm a diehard Friends fanatic. Cindy does an excellent job introducing the series to those who have never watched it (if you're one of them, I hope you'll check it out), and included a clip of one of the show's funnier ensemble scenes. I'm not gonna lie...when I saw the title for her post, I immediately thought it'd be about Golden Girls based on that show's theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiQzUEc_FmI), although now I'm realizing  not only was I totally (and thankfully, although I loved watching Golden Girls when I was a kid) wrong, but I have the song that made me initially think of that show incorrect as well...I had it confused with http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB2gPZRsz0Q.But like I said earlier, there were a lot of great entries to choose from, and a pretty solid week of prompts as well. Good to see most everyone keeping pace, and this month we've even got a hop-on in the middle of the festivities...say hi to A*Monaing*Faith , joining us along the way! The more the...more entries to read, or something. Anyway, we're just about halfway there...let's have another good week, okay? Sounds good.BCF PROMPT: Like all good businesses who respect their employees, the "Blogging Circle of Friends Prompt Forum" is closed on Sundays and therefore there is no prompt to speak of. I fully support this idea and wish that America could go back to a simpler time, where if you ran out of anything on the weekends you just went without, because stores wouldn't be open. Convenience has really been taken for granted, but I think that's another entry for an angrier day.Today doesn't feel like a ranting kind of day; in fact, I don't know what it is about the last two Sundays, but they've just not wanted to go anywhere for me. I've been so lazy, I couldn't even take a nap earlier. I laid down and was comfortable and I think I just bored myself right out of the idea that it's smart to try and rest when you haven't done anything and you've barely woken up from a night of sleep. Maybe it's just me; I dunno. It's not even 7pm and I kinda wish it were tomorrow morning already, even though I don't have really much of anything going on to look forward to on Monday. I could tell you about my week in this space I suppose, but as I've committed to the legacy of words-in-internet-form many a time during Sunday Reviews in past 30DBCs, all you have to know about my past seven days can be gained from wading through my last seven entries. If you can handle that, I think we'll get along just fine. MUSICAL BREAK!! I'm running out of Sunday-themed songs (or, perhaps, more appropriately, I'm running out of memory), but this'll do just fine for today. THE DAILY BOX SCORE: I shouldn't be doing this, but I'm blowing off the second half of the Broncos/Chargers game to write this entry. I don't feel one bit arrogant admitting that either (ok, I'm sorta lying because I'm clicking over to it every so often to check the score). Hard to imagine that after today (not counting the wasted spectacle of charades that used to look like a football game featuring the game's biggest stars, known as the Pro Bowl) there will be just three more meaningful football games left until September. Good thing the league is a cash cow revenue machine that will bleed consumers of every penny they can during the off-season by trying to turn non-events (hello, third day of the draft, where approximately 15% of players picked will be on an NFL roster come December, and that's being nice) into profit-padding celebrations, mostly for guys in stuffed suits who've never played the game before. But I'm getting way off track here... I just referred to switching between websites showing televised programming and non-televised information as "clicking"...wow, technology really has come full-circle again! Raise your hand if you remember when remote controls were called "clickers". I think everyone over the age of 60-something in the early '80's called them that, and it's probably because they had buttons at one time that actually clicked (and cords that connected to boxes as well). No, I didn't forget that my Buffalo Sabres played this afternoon. I get more enjoyment these days by following the game on Facebook. It's more of a sick, pathetic kind of pleasure...one that comes with a terrible last-place team totally bottoming out, getting a high draft pick, having lots of other picks stockpiled for the next draft, some decent prospects in the pipeline, a new General Manager, and loads of salary cap space after this abysmal season concludes. But hey, they won today in a shootout, beating the Washington Capitals and Alex Ovechkin, who is very near the top of my five least-favorite players in all of hockey ever...he doesn't even deserve bold-font capital letters; that's how much I despise him. He can follow Ilya Kovalchuk and quote-unquote retire from the NHL so he can get even more money playing in the KHL for all I care (http://espn.go.com/new-york/nhl/story/_/id/9470677/ilya-kovalchuk-new-jersey-dev...). There isn't much of anything to like about Ovechkin, especially after this story surfaced shortly before the 2010 Vancouver Olympic games: http://deadspin.com/5480457/alexander-ovechkin-loves-shoves-all-his-fans. The girl involved was, like, 13 too, from what I heard. Friggin' scumbag.  Anyway, I came across the perfect image today for everyone who just wanted to not participate in the hobby of writing because, well, it's Sunday, and it's a hobby (unless unbeknownst to us you're also getting paid to write your blog entries, and if so, you and I need to have a little sit-down so you can tell me how I can get a slice of that pie). Boom. Just like that, it's time for me to get out of here and catch the rest of the football game. Hopefully tomorrow will be a little more exciting. Peace, walk with me, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
| 30DBC PROMPT: "Do you cook? Share with us one of your favorite recipes to prepare. Did you invent it yourself? An old family creation? If you don't cook, remind all of us why we shouldn't let you near a stove." Good afternoon friends! It's another weekend, and it's "Creation Saturday" in the "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" ...today's entry is about cooking and recipes. Good thing I'm pretty solid with the eating thing, because I'd hate for this to turn into me babbling about something I know very little of. I actually like cooking. Even if it's kinda fancy stuff. I enjoy the willful disdain of following a recipe's directions only when you absolutely want to, and then finding out that your deviancy became deliciousness. They say people who enjoy gardening and are good at it are "have green thumbs"...so what do you call someone who makes up stuff in the kitchen occasionally and it turns out to be more than edible? Ponder that while I figure out which recipe I wanna share with you... I could go with my legendary Heineken Chicken I suppose, but I'm not sure how well anyone else outside of the northeast would do in trying to replicate it because it requires one main ingredient that is local to Western New York (but available online and through many outlets around the nation). Also, I don't have an actual recipe I follow...every time I've made it, I've used the second-best measurement system made by man: the eye. It's been awhile since I've attempted it last, but I think I remember how it goes... Ingredients: 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 32oz bottle of Chiavetta's barbecue chicken marinade http://www.chiavettas.com/our_products.php3 *This can be substituted for any kind of chicken marinade I guess, but you can't go wrong with Chiavetta's. 1 24oz bottle of Heineken beer *This can be substituted as well, and the flavor and amount you use are up to you 1 small onion, sliced or diced 1 small green pepper, sliced or diced Frank's Original Red Hot Sauce (optional) http://www.franksredhot.com/ *This can be substituted for any type of tabasco or hot pepper sauce, or left out entirely Worcestershire Sauce Grated Parmesan Cheese Garlic Powder Salt and Pepper 4 slices of Provolone (or Muenster) Cheese 5 Ziploc sandwich bags Preparation: Tenderize the chicken breasts with a mallet and place one in each Ziploc bag, saving the fifth bag to make extra marinade to be used while cooking. Fill each bag with enough Chiavetta's and Heineken to completely cover the chicken. Add the onions and peppers, and a sprinkle each of garlic powder, salt and pepper. Throw in a few shakes of the worcestershire sauce and the hot sauce, and a couple of healthy sprinkles of parmesan. Carefully seal each bag, trying to squeeze out as much air as possible. Make sure you gently knead each bag in order to really mix all the ingredients. Refrigerate at least 24 hours, turning each bag occasionally and gently swishing around the contents. Cooking: Take the bags out of the fridge and let them sit at room temperature for about a half hour before cooking. If you've got any Heineken left, crack it open and start responsibly enjoying it. If not, now would be a good time to get some. Grab a large frying pan, and empty all of the contents of two of the chicken breast bags into the pan, along with the remaining two chicken breasts, onions and peppers. If the liquid in the pan isn't as high as the chicken breasts, add a little more from one of the bags...but try not to let it get higher than the chicken. Start cooking at a low heat, increasing to medium. Once the mixture starts to simmer, cover the pan. Every five minutes or so, you might want to stir and/or flip the chicken. The mixture in the pan should eventually cook down as the alcohol evaporates and the chicken soaks in some of the marinade...if it cooks down too much you can always add a little more at a time from the fifth Ziploc bag, but there should always be a little in the pan at all times. I usually let it simmer a total of 20 minutes to a half hour, and after that I check the chicken with a knife to make sure they're properly done inside (you know, the whole "internal temperature" thing and it's not pink and the juices run clear, etc.). When they're done, lower the heat (you might even be able to turn it off completely), top each piece with a slice of provolone or muenster cheese (if there's way too much of the marinade left in the pan at this point you can always drain some of it...I like to have a few pieces of onion or green pepper atop the chicken before I put the cheese on it), and cover the pan again for just a few minutes, until the cheese melts. Serve it over white or brown rice with broccoli (or any green vegetable) on the side, or skip the rice and serve with fettuccine alfredo and corn. It makes enough to serve four. I've thrown a few impromptu dinner parties in my stay years ago at the locally-renowned 542, and that was my go-to meal when having company on a day or two's notice. I've never not had the chicken come out tender and moist, echoing the best parts of the flavor of both the Chiavetta's and the Heineken. I've never tried this with anything but Chiavetta's, so I can't say how well other brands will work, but I guess you could substitute. I've also never tried this recipe on a grill, although I imagine it could work as long as you keep a good eye on the chicken and you baste often, but I can't say for sure. If you ever do find yourself trying this recipe though, let me know what you think of it and how you tweaked it...next to eating, altering recipes and making them your own is probably the best part of cooking. BCF PROMPT: "National Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friend Day!  Prompt: Would you or better yet have you done that to a friend in fun? What other silly things have you and a friend shared looking back on? If you could write this friend an anonymous letter would they know by the situation that is was from you without you signing the letter?"I'm gonna share a fun tidbit of info about this prompt in honor of "NSIAPASYF Day": it's a scientific fact that 87.823% of all people who knowing and purposefully jump in a puddle with intent to splash their friends are usually called some form of the word "A-hole". Look it up; it's on the internet somewhere. Or better yet, try it. Catch someone who's hurriedly trying to get out of the rain, and blindside them with a torrent of water coming from another angle. I'm pretty sure the first words out of their mouth would be "Hey! What'd you do that for, you a-hole?!", no matter how much that person likes or is indebted to you. But since I don't have all day to wait for it to rain out wherever you are so you can see this phenomenon in effect (more so because I'm daring you and less than I think you don't believe me), let me see if I can spout off a few other silly things...these all don't have to be with the same person, right? Good. I could spend an entry a day just on different people I've done stupid shit with. There's the time a couple of us raced around the mall on razor scooters (helpful hint: mall security guards can't catch you when you're on a scooter). In high school, there was a small group of us who played Tecmo Super Bowl for Nintendo and some of us wagered on the outcomes of games. Yes, we contributed to the downfall of society by way of conspiring to form organized gambling rings and screaming at 25" tv sets from six inches away while playing this: http://nintendo8.com/game/321/tecmo_super_bowl/. There was that bar that was closed by the time we managed to get out slightly intoxicated asses there, so we unfurled the tarps protecting their patio. That should've taught them to be closed before 4am. Childish pranks. Done by adults. Usually, as long as they're harmless, they're pretty hilarious. Now, about that letter thing...I couldn't do it. Oh, I could write the said letter, but I'd never be able to get it through anonymously. If the situation itself wasn't a dead giveaway, my writing style would definitely blow me in. I can't tell a story without adding every little detailed nuance to save my life, so any letter I could possibly bang out would instantly out me as the author. Well, that and the fact that I'd probably get caught trying to slip it into a friend's jacket, or pocket, or trying to look inconspicuous in some other way. If we order Chinese food and you see me trying to bust open your fortune cookie with a screwdriver, just pretend you don't see me. Or if I linger a little too long while hugging, but notice your rear end being fondled in a way I normally wouldn't touch you, just go with it. And if I wake you up for any reason in the middle of the night...uhhh, well, there's no excuse for that, and no, that's not an invite to wake me up super early the next morning. Friends gotta draw the line somewhere. MUSICAL BREAK!! Yes, I did actually invite friends over and make that chicken recipe I wrote about up above...one of the rare times you'll catch me not trying to come up with something off the top of my head as I'm actually typing. And when I'd have guests, I'd throw on "dinner music", which was basically just a couple cd's I had of Christopher O'Riley doing versions of Radiohead songs like this rewritten especially for piano. http://www.christopheroriley.com/ This is what you get...when you mess with us. THE DAILY BOX SCORE: Imagine that...I've probably posted as many quasi-serious entries as I have quasi-fun ones so far this January. Hmmm...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2hidavo1Yw. More playoff football this weekend, which means I'll probably have @Fivesixer fired up over on Twitter for the better part of today and tomorrow. Well, maybe not the better part, but for the most part. Speaking of rain and puddles, I decided to take a little trip to the store this morning before I locked myself in for the day because it was considerably warmer and more tolerable outside than it's been all week...and when all was said and done at CVS, it was raining sideways. I don't care how close to a store you live...nobody's comfortable in that kind of down/over-pour. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgNoY3MqpZg Prompted by yesterday's, uhhhh, prompts, I went ahead and finished the rest of the season 4 episodes of Arrested Development. I have a few more questions now than answers, and the biggest one is "How are they going to ever put out more episodes?". They can't possibly do another season like that...it's too much of a hot mess and it lacks the ensemble feel. But what do I know? While thinking of childish pranks, it occurred to me that some adults take longer than others to outgrow them. There are reasons why I'm not a parent, and it's examples like these that I find hilarious enough not to help my case in that department. And "Dad Of The Year", FTW:   And since YouTube's acting a little sketchy right now, I better just nut up and post this before the internet decides to follow it right down whatever sinkhole it's headed in.Enjoy your weekend folks...see ya tomorrow for the all-too-important "Sunday Review"! Peace, for a minute there I lost myself, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
| 30DBC PROMPT: "What is one funny TV show or movie that will always make you laugh no matter how many times you watch it? What makes it funny? Convince me I should watch it." What's up folks? It's another "Funny Friday" in the "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS" , and I'm convinced I've seen this prompt before. But instead of railing on and on about how much I think watching tv and movies are a waste of time, I'm going to go a different route altogether and unveil the SuperMegaUltra Funny Friday Blogging Circle Of Friends Combo Entry.BCF PROMPT: "Is there anything you are a total nerd for? A TV show, a card game, a video game? You know a ton about it and love to watch/play it. If you do, tell us about it. If not, tell us why." In this SuperMegaUltra entry, I'm going to attempt to pare down my response to two prompts into one collective argument why I like a particular television show, why you should watch it, and how I'm a nerd about it, but not quite. I'm a fan of very few television shows, partially because I like comedy, and everyone has certain types of comedy they prefer over others. Some like slapstick and physical comedy. Some like the quick laugh. Others prefer intellectual comedy that might take a few extra ticks to get, but the payoff is just greater because you feel more like you're in on the gag. If there were one show that encompasses all of these traits, without overstaying its welcome or outliving its purpose, it'd have to be Arrested Development. I'll admit, I didn't even start watching the show until long after it'd been cancelled. I still haven't finished the Netflix-released fourth season. I happened to be looking for something to watch one day and, since I really hate jumping into the middle of things, noticed all of the first season was available at my local library on dvd. So I figured I'd give it a shot. And I was hooked. Imagine what should be a rich, successful family brought down to Earth by scandal, and then think of everything that could undo this family even more. And then make it ridiculous. You've got the jailed patriarch (George Sr., "Pop-Pop") who has run his business into the ground (and his twin brother Oscar), his spoiled, crass wife (Lucille, "Gangie"), their oldest son GOB (a failed magician), the mama's boy of a youngest son (Buster), and twins Lindsay (who married Dr. Tobias Funke, who lost his license to practice medicine and is struggling to find work as an actor) and Michael (who takes over the business as the most level-headed of the clan). There's also Michael's son George Michael, and Lindsay and Tobias' daughter Maeby, along with scads of cameos and random oddball bit parts. The timing of the humorousness don't seem to follow the cadence of a typical sitcom, and a loose story arc means you can pretty much watch almost any episode at any given time and not feel like you needed to watch the three before it to understand the gist of what's going on (having a narrator helps this along some). I'd say if you found yourself checking out an episode, it probably wouldn't hurt to peruse this slideshow of running gags: http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/lists/arrested-development-the-funniest-runni......it's not a complete list, however. That would be http://recurringdevelopments.com/#_, which is an interactive guide that shows you what jokes are in which episodes and, if necessary, provides a few more details about them (and that's how I know I'm a slight nerd about Arrested Development...I just wasted a half hour on that last site). Dry, witty, sarcastic humor. A storyline that's easy enough to follow. Outrageous yet almost plausible things happening nearly all the time...just when you think things can't get any more indefensible or incomprehensible or stranger, they do, even at times where you think you see it coming. That, to me, is the high watermark of good comedy: when you can predict what's going to happen, and it still does, but it catches you off guard at the same time. It takes the right combination of writing and acting to make certain things- unfathomable, inconceivable, heinous things- funny. And it also takes a lot for me to enjoy watching a program repeatedly, if at all. I can do that with Arrested Development. I highly recommend it, especially if you're thinking to yourself "Well, I've done watched all I've ever wanted to on Netflix; now what?" Allow yourself time to watch the first six episodes (you can actually watch the first two seasons for free anytime using http://www.hulu.com/arrested-development, and then watch them again to see how they start to make sense. Give it time to evolve. I think you'll enjoy it. MUSICAL BREAK!! An ode to the Bluth Frozen Banana Stand, where the kids would meet up at back in the day... THE DAILY BOX SCORE: Since I had a rather unexciting day, I'll just leave a few links here for you to use at your own discretion...  Buster: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo1pkHKHuts The Chicken Dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zf2e8z7EoF8 The Cornballer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ps6mpuJuF54 Ann...her? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1iwfmNCEIk No touching!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuHILqDIvis Tobias: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5posU08HjXg The family's lawyer, Barry Zuckerkorn (also known as "The Fonz" on Happy Days): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZWrMrld7LI (In addition to Henry Winkler's role as Barry, and Ron Howard (narrator and executive producer), Scott Baio from Happy Days also has a recurring role late in the series: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOtDNXfMyD0).Ok, well, I think I've carried on about this whole Arrested Development thing long enough for one day. Peace, I've made a huge mistake, and GOODNIGHT NOW!! |
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