Showing posts with label Memes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Memes. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

ABCs of Music

It's kind of strange. For months, I was up to my eyeballs every day at work. But since I expected for last Friday to be my last day of work here, I spent the week trying to get all my ducks in a row. As a result, since they asked me to stay on one more week, I don't really have a whole hell of a lot to do. Therefore, it's Meme time. I don't know where this is originally from. It's just one of the random things you sometimes find floating around the web.

List your favorite bands (or artists) from A to Z.

A. Alice Cooper
B. The Band
C. Colin Hay
D. David Lee Roth
E. Elton John
F. Fats Domino
G. George Harrison
H. Huey Lewis & the News
I.
Ian Hunter
J. Jeff Lynne
K. Kiss
L. Little Richard
M. Moody Blues
N. New York Dolls
O. Ozzy Osbourne
P. Pete Townshend
Q. Queen
R. Randy Newman
S. Sex Pistols
T. Tom Petty
U. U2
V. Van Morrison
W. Warren Zevon
X. I thought of a couple bands, but nobody I'd willingly listen to.
Y. Yes
Z. ZZ Top

Friday, November 03, 2006

Stealing Andrew Andrew's Meme

1. What was the first CD/Record/Album/Artist you ever bought and what format was it in?
Guns ‘n’ Roses - Appetite for Destruction. That was the first CD. I couldn’t tell you the first tape. I had TONS of cassettes as a kid, but I don’t remember which, if any, of them I actually paid for.

2. How do you usually listen to music?
My iPod. 40 gigs of eclectic musical bliss.

3. What is your favorite genre of music and why?
Classic rock, but only because it’s different to find a genre that encompasses KISS, Elton John, Ringo, George Harrison, and Warren Zevon. (Maybe "Old Fogie Music"?)

4. What is your opinion on music video shows and music televion?
I truly cannot remember the last time I watched a music video. Ditto for awards shows.

5. Do you usually agree with who the winners of the Grammy Awards are?
The Grammy Award winners generally make me think that REAL musicians (see above) should have to approve every new artist who wants to record an album because everyone (okay, maybe not everyone, but let’s say 98% of the folks) recording today who’s under the age of 40 is a steaming pile of crap. (On a positive note- Weird Al just scored his first ever top-10 single. I guess maybe there’s a little bit of hope for the music industry.

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

4 Things Blog Meme

Four jobs I’ve had:
  1. Store manager - Blockbuster Video
  2. Statistics Teaching Assistant - Barry University
  3. Assistant to the Director of the Speakers Bureau - Florida Marlins
  4. TAPESTRY Assistant - C.O.P.E.S.D.
Four movies I can watch over and over:
  1. Star Wars
  2. The Muppet Movie
  3. Mr. Baseball
  4. Air America
Four places I’ve lived:
  1. Burt Lake
  2. Miami Shores
  3. Lansing
  4. Mt. Pleasant
Four TV shows I love to watch:
  1. The Daily Show w/ John Stewart
  2. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
  3. Grey's Anatomy
  4. The Soup
Four places I’ve been on vacation:
  1. The Badlands
  2. Baseball and Boardwalk
  3. Duck
  4. Los Alamos
Four of my favorite dishes:
  1. Chili
  2. Aunt Marie's Zuchini Casserole
  3. My Dad's Mac 'n' Cheese
  4. S.A.'s Pot Roast
Four sites I visit daily:
  1. Free Press Sports
  2. Deadspin
  3. The Blog at the End of the Universe
  4. Ken Levine
Four places I’d rather be right now:
  1. Home
  2. Keith Ronk's Garage
  3. The Cottage
  4. Miami
Four bloggers I’m tagging:
  1. Andrew Andrew
  2. S.A.
  3. Amy
  4. Sorry, I'm only tagging 3.

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Really long-ass Blog Meme

10 Favorites

Favorite Color: I'm kind of into Pink
Favorite Food: Aunt Marie's Zuchini Casserole
Favorite Month: May. It's starting to warm up and I have lots of golf ahead of me.
Favorite Song: Funeral for a Friend - Elton John
Favorite Movie: Star Wars
Favorite Sport: Baseball
Favorite Season: Summer
Favorite Day of the week: Saturday
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Breyers' Brownie Mud Pie
Favorite Time of Day: Evening

9 CURRENTS

Current Mood: Impatient for the end of the work day.
Current Taste: According to Eddie Izzard, Chicken.
Current Clothes: Khakis and a Blue Oxford shirt.
Current Desktop: Factory installed Dell background
Current Toenail Color: Um... flesh colored? One of them is a bit black 'n' blue from kicking my coffee table a few days ago.
Current Time: 2:36 pm
Current Surroundings: My office
Current Thoughts: Can I go HOME yet???

8 FIRSTS

First Best Friend: Michael Barney
First Kiss: Summer
First Screen Name: oharring
First Pet: I guess my folks technically had some fish and dogs when i was really little, but the first one I remember was a cat named Pumpkin.
First Piercing: My foot, on rusty nail.
First Crush: Nicole. And it lasted a long damn time.
First CD: Guns n' Roses - Appetite for Destruction

7 LASTS

Last Cigarette: Never
Last Drink: Screwdriver at bowling league a few weeks ago
Last Car Ride: in to work today
Last Kiss: From S.A. before work this morning. I do my damnedest to get a goodbye kiss every morning.
Last Movie Seen: I watch Grizzly Man on DVD a little bit ago.
Last Phone Call: I called Diego to give him some info about Act and Quickbooks training.
Last CD Played: I was listening to Colin Hay for a few seconds in the car this morning.

6 HAVE YOU EVERS

Have You Ever Dated One Of Your Best Guy/Girl Friends: Many times.
Have You Ever Broken the Law: Yes.
Have You Ever Been Arrested: No.
Have You Ever Skinny Dipped: Yes.
Have You Ever Been on TV: Yes. I was on the Deputy Don show about 20 years ago, and you can hear my voice announcing Barry University volleyball games on a number of telecasts from a few years ago.
Have You Ever Kissed Someone You Didn't Know: Yes. (I suppose it depends on how you mean "know".)

5 THINGS

Thing You're Wearing: My rainbow bracelet.
Thing You've Done Today: Plowed a path to my burning barrel at lunch time.
Thing You Can Hear Right Now: My own gum popping.
Thing You Can't Live Without: West Wing and lists from my wife.
Thing You Do When You're Bored: TiVo

4 PLACES YOU'VE BEEN TODAY

1. Home
2. Work
3. Home again
4. Back to work

3 PEOPLE YOU CAN TELL ANYTHING TO

1. S.A.
2. Kev
3. Drew

2 CHOICES

1. Black or White: Black
2. Hot or Cold: Hot. No question.

1 THING YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE:

Get to a point where I can quit worrying about money. (Unfortunately, I cannot afford a lottery ticket.) ::sigh::

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Going' for a Threebie.

Beacause I'm really trying to get back on track with this whole blogging thing, I have a third entry for today.

Would you rather:

  1. wear underwear made out of fur OR bubblegum? Is the gum chewed?
  2. have a complete stranger walk up and french kiss you OR get licked on your naked butt by a strange dog? Assuming we're just talking about a cheek, I'll opt for the dog licking my ass. The stranger thing would be okay if everyone looked like Natalie Portman, but it's been my observation that much of world looks alot like Louie Anderson.
  3. put curry on everything you eat OR touch everything to your chin before putting it in your mouth? I'm opting for the curry. I don't even like food to touch my lips, much less my chin.
  4. make a funny face and have it stay that way OR lie and have your pants light on fire? Definitely the pants on fire. If that happened, I suspect most people would even mind my lying.

Thursday, December 29, 2005

2005 in Review

  1. What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before? I made a baby.
  2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I’ve never made a New Year’s Resolution. I’m gonna this year, though.
  3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Two of my wife’s cousins had their first babies. We’re up next.
  4. Did anyone close to you die? No.
  5. What countries did you visit? None.
  6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005? I’m gonna have a baby boy.
  7. What dates from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? Friday, August 5th. That’s the day we found out we were pregnant.
  8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? I got hired and promoted twice in a 6-month span.
  9. What was your biggest failure? I live the same failure every day. I will never be able to live up to the example set forth for me by my grandpa.
  10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Healthy as a horse.
  11. What was the best thing you bought? Fertility shots.
  12. Whose behavior merited celebration? My mother-in-law. At some point this year, she finally crossed over into the light and declared (at least to my wife and I) that’s she’s no longer a Republican and she agrees that President Bush IS evil.
  13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Dubya’s
  14. Where did most of your money go? I’m not sure. It sure did disappear fast, though.
  15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Sam
  16. What song will always remind you of 2005? Beautiful Boy
  17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? WAY Happier b) thinner or fatter? Fatter c) richer or poorer? About the same, but looking up.
  18. What do you wish you'd done more of? I wish I'd spent more time with the gang.
  19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Procrastinating
  20. How did you spend Christmas? Christmas Eve was with my family – S.A., Mom, Pop, Frog, Aunt Marie, Uncle Joe & Aunt Beck, Jake, & Sara. Christmas Day was with S.A.’s clan. Sylv & Danno, Rach & Jeff, Matt & Joe, Amy, Joe & the girls, the Scotts, more Hamps, assorted grandparents, etc.
  21. Did you fall in love in 2005? Every day, over and over again
  22. How many one-night stands? None
  23. What was your favorite TV program? House or West Wing
  24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? No.
  25. What was the best book you read? S.A. formatted and put every installation of NPR’s This I Believe series in a binder of me for Christmas. I read it, with tears streaming down my face, for hours.
  26. What was your greatest musical discovery? More of a re-deiscovery really. Hooked on Classics. This time on CD.
  27. What did you want and get? A good job and a pregnant wife.
  28. What did you want and not get? A jeep.
  29. What was your favorite film of this year? I think I went to fewer movies this year than any year since I got my driver’s license.
  30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I don’t think I really did much. I turned 27.
  31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Finshing up the mortgage process.
  32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005? “Sweetie? What should I wear???”
  33. What kept you sane? Who says I’m sane?
  34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Can’t really think of anybody offhand.
  35. What political issue stirred you the most? Iraq.
  36. Who did you miss? Drew, Shawna, Steve, Michelle, Jen, Kerry, Carol, & PJ
  37. Who was the best new person you met? I don’t really think I met anyone new this year, but I’m closer than before with a number of people.
  38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005: Stuff works out.
  39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"If not for you
My sky would fall,
Rain would gather too.
Without your love I'd be nowhere at all,
I'd be lost if not for you."
-George Harrison
“If Not for You”

Thursday, December 08, 2005

Whoohoo! 2 Days in a Row!

Interesting fact that may interest only me- Andrew Andrew pointed out that if my wife has any monogrammed stuff, she can soon give it to our son. He'll think it's just got his name on it.


Anyway, I stole a meme from Andrew Andrew. I do that quite often. Lucky you.

Name? Spike

Birthday? April 2nd. Obviously a day late.

Current location? In my office at work. Where else would I blog?

Eye Color? Blue

Hair Color? Hair? I don't need no steenkeen hair!

Height? 6 feet, 1 and 5/8 inches

Right Handed or Left Handed? Right

Your heritage? Mostly French on one side and North Irish on the other

The shoes you wore today? Scuffed up Payless "dress shoes"

Your weakness? I am indestructable. (Unless a somewhat oversized ego could somehow be interpreted as a weakness.)

Your fears? Too many to count.

Your perfect pizza? Ham & Pineapple

Goal you would like to achieve in 2006? Actually turn a profit in my golf shop.

Your most overused phrase on an instant messenger? Gotcha

First thoughts upon waking up today? Sweet. S.A.'s waking me up so I don't have to hear my g*dd*mn alarm.

Your best physical feature? My height

Your bedtime? No less than 45 minutes after S.A. goes to bed. Generally around 10:30

Your most missed memory? I miss college. It may sound cliche, but thems were some good times.

Pepsi or Coke? DIET Coke

McDonalds or Burger King? I am NOT a fast food guy. Doesn't matter what I eat. It all makes me sick.

Single or Group Dates? Single. S.A.'s not into the groups thing. ::nudge, nudge::

Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea? Lipton. (In a 20 oz bottle)

Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate

Cappuccino or Coffee? Prolly Cappuccino, but I'm okay with either.

Do you smoke? Hell no.

Do you swear? I'm doing my best to quit. I don't want my son to sound like me.

Do you sing? Every day. I used to sing in a band, but my stage fright was so bad I had to sing the first song with my back to the audience.

Do you shower daily? Yup.

Have you been in love? I am truly, deeply, rediculously in love. Thankfully, she's willing to put up with me, too. I suspect that may have something to do with my being the one who plows the driveway.

Do you want to go to college? Yup. I'm going be a pre-school teacher some day. At my current rate of study, that day will be in about 60 years.

Do you want to get married? Again? I don't think polygamy is for me.

Do you believe in yourself? I'm a mental mess. I have unreasonable confidence most of the time, but lately I spend way to much time worrying about screwing up the lives of everyone around me. (This whole having a kid thing is mentally kicking my ass.)

Do you get motion sickness? Only if the moving thing is a crowded elevator.

Do you think you are attractive? I know I'd do me.

Are you a health freak? Nope. I'm very health conscious, but way too lazy to really do it right.

Do you get along with your parents? Very well. (In-laws, too.)

Do you like thunderstorms? Love 'em.

Do you play an instrument? Piano and harmonica.

In the past month have you drank alcohol? Yes. I had a Woodchuck's at my sister's over Thanksgiving.

In the past month have you smoked? No

In the past month have you been on drugs? Lots of 'em. (ADD meds, antidepressants, allergy meds, etc.)

In the past month have you gone on a date? Nope. But I sit on the floor in front of my wife and talk to her belly as we watch TV most nights. That's waaaayyyy better.

In the past month have you gone to a mall? Yes. Also over Thanksgiving. I frickin' HATE the mall. And I REALLY HATE jewelry store clerks. I need a shirt that says "I'M JUST LOOKING! F**K OFF!"

In the past month have you eaten a box of Oreos? No. I don't like Oreos.

In the past month have you eaten sushi? HELL NO.

In the past month have you been on stage? Nope

In the past month have you been dumped? No

In the past month have you gone skinny dipping? I haven't been skinny dipping since I got married.

In the past month have you stolen anything? Nope.

Ever been drunk? Uh. YEAH. (I do have a college degree.)

Ever been called a tease? Yup.

Ever been beaten up? No

Ever shoplifted? Long long ago. I shoplifted baseball cards in junior high. My Dad made me take 'em back in.

How do you want to die? When I was in 3rd grade, Mike Barney and I decided that we wanted to fall into a spring-loaded trash compactor covered in spikes. I'm not into slow deaths, but I'm all about gore.

What do you want to be when you grow up? I'm not gonna grow up. I wouldn't say I'm Peter Pan, but, come to thing of it, I do seem to have my own band of Lost Boys.

What country would you most like to visit? The UK. Lots of golf and everybody speaks English.

Friday, September 16, 2005

More wholy irrelevant facts about me.

  1. Ten Years Ago: I had just started my senior year of high school. I lived with my folks, but not in the same building. I was actually thankful that they allowed me to live in the guest house most of the time. I didn’t realize that I was really doing them a favor by sparing them my presence. I drove a 1991 Teal Mazda Protégé that got 42 miles per gallon on a bad day, was, would go from 0 to 60 in under 6 minutes flat, and was lovingly know as “The Rice Burner”.

    Five Years Ago: In September of 2000, I was a newlywed living in Lansing, Michigan. I was a graduate student and teaching assistant at Michigan State University, teaching “Coaching Baseball/Softball” and “Intermediate Softball”. I also took 3 classes but I don’t remember them. I quit school after that semester. I drove a 1991 Dodge Caravan, given to me by my new Mother-In-Law, when she was unable to convince any poor sap to actually buy it from her. Though all the doors opened just fine from the inside, it only had one hatch that was useable to enter the vehicle. My students at MSU LOVED watching me climb through the rear hatch of my minivan and crawl through the vehicle up to the driver’s seat so I could spew blue smoke behind me exiting campus.

    One Year Ago: I was the store manager of 2 Blockbuster Video stores in Petoskey, as well as the owner of a small golf shop. I lived in a manufactured house on a very nice lot in P-town. I drove a ’98 Nissan Sentra with a number of Diversity bumper stickers on it, as well as power locks and windows. S.A. had just started a new job at the Woman’s Resource Center and we had been trying to start a family for a few months.

    Yesterday: I taught “Microsoft Excel: Level I” for The Learning Center. Sarah came home and craved Burger King food. Pregnancy is really strange. We don’t even LIKE Burger King… I helped dig a trench from my house to my shop so I can run gas line out to the furnace in the golf shop.

    Five Songs I Know All the Words To: I know every word to basically every song I’ve ever heard. That being said, I can easily perform on command-
    Rainbow Connection – Kermit the Frog
    Lodi – Creedence Clearwater Revival
    Studebaker – Jordan Zevon
    Oliver’s Army – Elvis Costello
    Crocodile Rock – Elton John

    Five Snacks: Edy’s Rocky Road Ice Cream, Sam’s Choice Crackers, Fresh Apples (Fresh is the key word. I don’t generally like apples from the store.), Garlic Melba Toast, Crab & Cocktail Sauce over Cream Cheese w/ Triscuits

    Five Things I'd Do With $100 Million: Pay off every college loan for every one of my friends; buy the 10 acres next to my parents and build a kick-ass barn-style house; build my own recording studio; give my parents whatever they figured to be able to retire TODAY; give the rest to Sylvia, because she and Danno help us out as often as my folks do and I know she’d find all sorts of great causes to give it to.

    Five Places I'd Run Away To: Miami, Miami, Miami, Miami, and for a change of pace, my folks house.

    Five Things I'd Never Wear: Anything supporting President Bush , anything supporting the republican party in general, a v-neck sweater, briefs (seriously, how do you guy in your tighty-whities stand it?), a raccoon. (Would you?)

    Five Favorite TV Shows: Queer as Folk, West Wing, Baseball Tonight, Any Detroit Pistons Telecast on FSN with Greg Kelser and Fred MacLeod, Celebrity Poker Showdown

    Five Greatest Joys: Having an Animated Discussion w/ My Wife While Driving, playing piano in the dark, napping with Roxie on my chest (even though I invariably wake up with a cold), poker with all "my kids", lying in bed with S.A. talking about all the great stuff we’re gonna do with the baby

    Five Favorite Toys: 3 words – SUPER MONKEY BALL. Also my Cleveland Launcher 400 Driver, Jeff’s postal Jeep (WHICH IS WHY I NEED MY OWN), Strat-O-Matic Baseball (1991 Season), my new Fire Poker from Yvonne

    1. What is your favorite word? Bean (Also my favorite person, hmm…)
    2. What is your least favorite word? Fidget (You hate it too, if you’d been told to stop doing it as much as I have.)
    3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? The ability to make me laugh out loud.
    4. What turns you off? REPUBLICANS!!!!!
    5. What is your favorite curse word? Goddamnmutherfuckingcocksmoke… (I got this from Nate, years ago.)
    6. What sound or noise do you love? My wife snoring. (Seriously)
    7. What sound or noise do you hate? Gunshots
    8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Professional musician
    9. What profession would you not like to do? Accountant
    10.If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? “There are some old people with funny-ass names waiting inside for you.” (Seriously, I hope God cusses like a sailor.)

Thursday, September 15, 2005

7 things...

Stole this one from Andrew Andrew.

7 Things I Plan To Do Before I Die

___________________________________
1) Teach my kids to play baseball/softball, basketball, football, volleyball, and golf.
2) Give them the opportunity to decide that sports are a waste of time and that their time is better spent writing poetry. (And make sure they know I'll love 'em anyway.)
3) Take my son to every major league baseball stadium. (Yeah, it'd be cool with a daughter, too, but somehow, in my mind's eye...)
4) Golf in Scotland.
5) Record an album. Just me and a piano. (Okay, maybe a few friends on guitars and the like might be helpful, too.)
6) Become the President. (Of my kids' school board.)
7) Visit Prague with S.A. I may not have much of a sense of history, but it's her favorite place in the world and I truly want to share it with her.
__________________________________
7 Things I Cannot Do
__________________________________
1) Enjoy gross-out/sophmoric comedy movies. (Movies like "Wedding Crashers" and "Old School" make me want to punch people.
2) Walk more than 15 feet without "sprinkling". (This is my mom's term for whistling without enough air to really blow a note so it's just kind of airy sounding.)
3) Hear ANYTHING about our current president without becoming violently angry. I've actually stopped listening to NPR because I was afraid I was going to intentionally ram my car into an SUV at some point.
4) Keep my foot out of my mouth when regarding my wife's extended family. I actually LIKE her family, but I still manage to offend them regularly.
5) Convince myself that I do not actually NEED a Jeep. (Seriously, I am SO in need of a 12-step program.)
6) Make myself understand why appearances matter. Cars, houses, people, cribs, clothes... I'm just too logical, I guess.
7) Give up on humanity. Even time I come to terms with the idea that people in the U.S. are just not ever going to meet my standards, somebody goes and does something great and get my hopes up all over again. (My Mother-In-Law just offered up her home to any person or family who has been displaced my Hurricane Katrina. She lives in Northern Michigan but figures that if somebody makes it this far north, she'll definitely take 'em in. Kudos, Sylv. My Grandpa Beaver would be proud of you. So would Grandma Alice.)
______________________________
7 Things That Attract me to the same or opposite sex
______________________________
I'm nt goona say the cheeseball thing and put "a sense of humor", but only because it's not specific enough. Instead I'll lead off with-
1) A SHARP sense of humor. Nothing makes me laugh more than my wife shredding someone else. (I hope this doesn't make me a bad person.)
2) A flare for a witty turn-of-phrase. "Like ants on a twinkie," is one of the great similes of our time.
3) A great smile. And there is no other kind. Anyone is 100 times more attractive when they're smiling.
4) Hair. I never really knew I was a hair guy until I met my wife. Now, if I'm good, she'll let me brush her hair before bed.
5) Self-confidence. Know who you are and stand up for that person.
6) Intelligence. The ability to formulate a persuasive argument is SEXY.
7) Compassion and empathy. Nothing is more attractive than seeing that someone cares about something other than themselves.
_________________________
7 Things I Say Most Often
_________________________
1) "Bloody" I really do wish I was British.
2) "Bean" My pet name for S.A.
3) "Good grief!" I've worked really hard to curse less than I used to.
4) "Booger" Besides my obvious affinity for words beginning with "B", it's another one of those exclamations that keeps me from swearing at work.
5) "DUDE!" This one really only crops up when I'm around my friends from H.S. or college.
6)"If I was any father out on the left wing, the plane would flip over." (Describing my political views.) This first time I said this, I thought it was pretty witty. Years later, I don't find it nearly as charming. But people keep laughing at it, so I keep saying it. I'm a laugh whore.
7) "Yeesh..." I don't say this as much as I type it in email and IMs.
_______________________
7 Celebrity Crushes
_______________________
1) Vivica Fox. I'm not really a breast guy but, well, Yeesh...
2) Jessica Alba
3) Christina Ricci
4) Scarlett Johansen
5) Hilary Duff (S.A's gonna hate this one since I think she's still underaged and, as S.A. points out regularly, she has no neck.)
6) Natalie Portman
7) On VH1's "I Love the 90's", Jay & Silent Bob had a bit called "Guys I'd Go Gay For." #7 is my list that S.A. and I have joked about that the past couple years. In no particular order-
Hugh Grant, Phil Gordon (From Celebrity Poker Showdown), Dave Foley, and it seems like I'm missing someone, but I'm sure S.A. will point him out.

Thursday, August 04, 2005

More meme-ing

Believe it or not, I've started looking at memes as a method to encourage thought. Case in point, S.A. is hesitant to do the last one I sent her way because she's afraid to put the "wrong" answer. I laugh, but it honestly makes me happy. Music is important, at least to me, so I say "consider carefully." On that note I have a couple updates to my last one and at least a couple more I'm gonna do today. First to the updates-

Under the "last album purchased" line I must now put London Calling by the Clash. I know, I can't believe I didn't already have it either. We went to pick up L.C. + Never Mind the Bollocks by the Sex Pistols for a friend's birthday last night and when I picked it up I realized I had to grab a second copy for myself. I've always recognized the greatness of the album, but never got around to buying it. Yet another wrong now righted.

Secondly, adding another song to the important song list- "Rainbow Connection" from The Muppet Movie. This is a complete double meaning song. First, it's a great song with a great message and second, it makes me think of college. Drew re-wrote the lyrics to it during a broadcast communications class and I still think of his lyrics every time I hear it. I invariably sing along with it, often alternating the real and re-written lyrics as I go. (There are a lot of Muppets songs that nearly make me tear up, when I think about it. I'm Going to Go Back There Some Day, Together Again, Happiness Hotel, It Feels Like Christmas, Love Led Us Here...

Anyway, on to another music meme.

  1. Open up the music player on your computer.
  2. Set it to play your entire music collection.
  3. Hit the “shuffle” command.
  4. Tell us the title of the next ten songs that show up (with their musicians), no matter how embarrassing. That’s right, no skipping that Carpenters tune that will totally destroy your hip credibility. It’s time for total musical honesty.
  5. Write it up in your blog or journal and link back to at least a couple of the other sites where you saw this.
  6. If you get the same artist twice, you may skip the second (or third, or etc.) occurances. You don’t have to, but since randomness could mean you end up with a list of ten song with five artists, you can if you’d like.

So here's my list-

1. "Time of Your Life" - Randy Newman

2. "Love Comes to Everyone" - George Harrison

3. "Reason to Live" - Kiss

4. "It's Don't Come Easy" - Ringo Starr

5. "Uneasy Street" - Pete Townshend

6. "Rock of Ages" - Def Leppard

7. "Can't You Hear Me Knockin' " - Rolling Stones

8. "Club at the End of the Street" - Elton John

9. "Fistfull of Rain" - Warren Zevon

10. "Proud Mary" - Creedence Clearwater Revival

Alright folks. Lets have some comments and links to your lists.

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

Music Meme

I wanted to write this morning and I'm starting to feel like my posts are getting a little bitchy. Solution? Blog meme! So here's my music meme. (Needless to say, I stole stole it from some random nobody out in the blogosphere.)

What is the total amount of music files on your computer?
About 18 gigs. I have almost my entire collection digitized, so I can carry it all on my ipod. When I think about getting on an airplane with 400 cds in 2 huge-ass disc wallets, I just shake my head.

The CD you last bought?
I bought the Spamalot soundtrack a couple weeks ago. As a general rule, I don't BUY cds, but I felt like it was worth having the whole thing rather than going through the trouble of trying to download each individual song via WinMX.

What was the last song you listened to before reading this message?
"You Can Call Me Al" by Paul Simon. I've got my ipod plugged into my computer speakers at work at the moment. Listening to my "Over Easy" list, in case you wondered.

Write down 5 songs you often listen to or that mean a lot to you.
Let's see... This could change a lot from day to day, but here goes.

1. "Find Your Grail" from the Spamalot soundtrack- I listen to it most mornings on my way to work. Nice mood to it and I love Sara Ramirez' voice.(She's kind of a hottie, too.)

2. "Studebaker" by Jordan Zevon - It's from Enjoy Every Sandwich, the tribute to Warren Zevon album. Warren wrote it but never had a chance to record it before he died. Very cool Zevon vibe and very nice piano part. Also uses a really original chord progression that I truly wish I was talented enough to write myself.

3. "Sad Songs Say So Much" by Elton John - The song that turned me on to Elton John when I was only 5 or 6 years old. Not necessarily his best, but I have a lot of good memories of riding in the car and singing it with my mom. "I Just Called to Say I Love You" by Steveie Wonder and "The Longest Time" by Billy Joel also fall into this category. (That would be the "Cheesy-Ass songs you're embarrassed to like but stuck with them due to childhood memories" category.)

4. "Beast of Burden" by the Rolling Stones - Again, not a great song, per se, but I have great memories of driving down the highway with B and Nate sticking their heads out the windows and singing to the whole world. The time of my life when I realized that the only thing I needed to have in common with my friends was our outlook on life.

5. "Forever" by Kiss - This was our first dance at our wedding reception. "Cheesy early-nineties' power ballad," you say? Hah! We got married in 2000! So by then it was a "classic". Its good stuff and I truly believe it. (I know it's cheesy. I'm cheesy. I've learned to live with it.)

Who are you going to pass this stick to (3 persons) and why?
Andrew Andrew, because he loves music almost as much as I do. S.A., because I think the "Forever" stuff might get me a few brownie points. And Amy, because she's the 3rd person I know with a blog. (I'm kind of pitiful, aren't I?)

More fun blog memes...

Another Blog Meme
I think these are a little fun, and I'm always looking for something that might elicit a few comments. So here goes...

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.
5. Don’t search around and look for the “coolest” book you can find. Do what’s actually next to you.

The book nearest to me right now is "Good Omens" by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. Here's the sentence from p. 123:

Setting fire to her would probably cause no end of trouble, he reasoned.

In case you can't tell from 1 sentance, it's a great book.

Thursday, July 21, 2005

ABC list

Hey gang. Remember my comment about my willingness to steal other folks ideas? Well, here's yet another example. I'm copying this ABC list from S.A., who got it from Drew, who stole it from Jezzy. See? Originality is highly overrated.

A is for Age: 27
B is for Booze: Not a big drinker. Probably Woodchuck's Draft Cider.
C is for Career: I do not have a career yet. I have a job. It's a decent job, even a good one, but if I'm still doing it in 10 years, I hope someone will have the decency to shoot me.
D is for Dad's name: Tomas (Okay, not really, but it's close.)
E is for Essential Item to bring to a Party: Poker Chips
F is for Favorite Songs at the Moment: Well, I listened to "Find Your Grail" twice on the way to work today.
G is for Goof-off thing to do: Well, it's 2:13 p.m. and writing on my blog probably isn't in my job description...
H is for Hometown: Burt Lake, MI
I is for Instrument you play: Piano, harmonica, and I'm gonna learn to play bass guitar.
J is for Jam or Jelly you like: Orange Marmalade
K is for Kids: Did you not read my earlier comments about fertility shots???
L is for Living arrangement: 3 bedroom house with my wife, our 12 fish, and our squatter/roommate, who's gonna have to move out soon and is costing me sleep because I feel so guilty about that fact.
M is for Mom's name: Cathy
N is for Name of best friend: My wife says I talk about her too much on my blog, so instead I'll say Kevin. Though I could justifiably say Drew. Or Jen. Or Nate. At times like this, I feel honestly lucky.
O is for overnight hospital stays: Numerous.
P is for Phobias: Seriously claustrophobic. But only with people. I'm okay with small spaces. And I don't like heights unless I'm in control. In other words, climbing 100-ft tree - Good. Standing on 20-foot ladder - BAD.
Q is for Quote you like: "The National Rifle Association says that, "Guns don't kill people, uh, people do." But I think, I think the gun helps. You know? I think it helps. I just think just standing there going, "Bang!" That's not going to kill too many people, is it? You'd have to be really dodgy on the heart to have that."- Eddie Izzard
R is for Relationship that lasted longest: I met my wife on July 4th, 1998. We've been together ever since.
S is for Siblings: 1 younger sister. She's working hard at becoming a normal person. I've decided not to give up hope. She's single, so if you're a very intelligent guy with a good sense of humor, but some significant flaw that's not too terrible, but is something you have to overcome, we're taking applications.
T is for Texas, ever been?: Drove through the panhandle as a kid.
U is for Unique trait: I'm gonna have to update this later. Nothing is springing immediately to mind. Please feel free to submit suggestions.
V is for Vegetables you love: I love Brussels Sprouts. And Drew does not know what he's talking about.
W is for Worst traits: Unreasonable optimism. (Seriously. You have no idea how often this bites me in the ass.)
X is for X rays you've had: You name it, they've x-rayed it.
Y is for Yummy food you make: Zuchini casserole
Z is for Zodiac sign: Aries

Laterz.

Wednesday, July 20, 2005

If you can't be a trend setter...

Alright. I'm gonna do the ubiquitous "Blogger 101" list. Explainations of why are forthcoming.

1. I have gained a reputation for being an original thinker.
2. It's bullshit.
3. I am not an original thinker; I'm a person that recognizes good ideas and utilizes them to my best benefit.
4. I do not have a problem being wrong and will willingly admit when that's the case.
5. But you're gonna have to prove it to me first.
6. I'm EXTREMELY opinionated.
7. I do not mind when people disagree with me.
8. I mind GREATLY when they can't form a coherent argument as to WHY.
9. I am a "Grammar Nazi", for example...
10. I am the only person in my immediate family to have attended FEWER than 3 colleges.
11. I know when to use "fewer" and when to use "less".
12. I have a degree.
13. It actually makes it harder to get a job where I live.
14. I am the 2nd-most politically minded person I know.
15. My wife actually cares even more than I do.
16. I have a very high I.Q.
17. And a sometimes alarming lack of common sense.
18. I have a truly amazing wife.
19. I thank God, Allah, Buddha, Krishna, or whatever other higher force or being there is out there EVERY DAY that I met her.
20. I often think that all the difficulties I face in my life are the aforementioned higher force's way of evening out the score.
21. I love sports.
22. My degree is in Sport Management.
23. I own a small golf shop.
24. I am an experienced softball coach.
25. I've taught college classes in softball and baseball coaching.
26. I have all the native athletic ability of a moderately clumsy statue.
27. I still think life IS fair (for the most part anyway...)
28. I've watched almost every minute of every Detroit Lions game since 1981.
29. I know they tend to suck.
30. I love them anyway.
31. I love the Tigers even more.
32. Even though they're even worse.
33. I am moderately tall (6'1 1/2") and a bit on the skinny side (165).
34. I would HATE to be short.
35. I have an okay job.
36. With a great boss.
37. They're gonna need a crowbar to get me to leave.
38. I am a very messy person.
39. I'm also a bit lazy.
40. That's a horrible combination.
41. Thankfully, my wife's is up to the task of telling me when to clean up.
42. I have ADD.
43. I believe that most people forget that ADD is not an insult; it's a medical diagnosis, so there's no point being upset about it.
44. I am an avowed liberal.
45. I believe that our president is an imbecile and a hate-monger.
46. I firmly believe that everyone should be true to himself, regardless of what others may think about him or his lifestyle.
47. I assume that people who condemn other people because "the Bible says so," must also assume they're going to Hell because the Bible also says "Judge not, lest ye be judged."
48. I am very comfortable in my own skin.
49. I am descended from greatness, but if you ever met my grandfather, you already knew that.
50. I have an awesome family.
51. My Mom works with persons with disabilities.
52. My Dad teaches Jr. High. (Does adolescence count as a disability?)
53. My sister can be as irritating as the tag in your undershirt.
54. She is also one of the world's truly good people.
55. I have great in-laws.
56. They're WAY better to me than I deserve.
57. I'm a geek.
58. But not enough of one to be confident that someday I'll be running the world.
59. I love animals.
60. Except dogs.
61. The only 2 likeable dogs in the world have now passed on. (R.I.P. Cletus & Sage)
62. I also love kids.
63. I badly want to have my own.
64. But until I do, my wife and I will borrow them from parents who don't seem to get how lucky they are.
65. I gave my wife a shot last night.
66. I did not pass out, vomit, or do anything else to embarass myself.
67. I hope these shots help her get pregnant, because I really don't want to give any more than I absolutely have to.
68.I play piano.
69. But I can barely read music.
70. I also play harmonica.
71. We have a roommate.
72. He's a very good guy.
73. He's also slightly balding, which makes for an interesting tub situation.
74. I love to read.
75. But I'm picky.
76. I used to try to expand my horizons, but then I realized that nobody cared what I read, so I quit.
77. I'm in a golf league.
78. My partner has one of the world's ugliest swings.
79. He still plays better than me much of the time.
80. I badly want a Jeep.
81. For now, I'm getting my fix by trying to help my father-in-law to get his Jeep running.
82. I have a feeling that this isn't going to work in the long term.
83. I love to listen to the Al Franken show on Air America.
84. But I generally miss it because I have a job.
85. I listen to NPR news all the time.
86. It generally depresses me.
87. But it's still better than watching the local news, which makes me want to kill myself, because it's so bloody insipid.
88. I say "bloody" A LOT.
89. I wish I was British.
90. Even after the bombings.
91. I met my wife on the internet.
92. She impressed me with her turn of phrase.
93. We've been married for almost 5 years.
94. She still impresses me.
95. I have a sharp, sarcastic sense of humor.
96. But I still like puns.
97. I regard "Weird Al" Yankovic as a genius.
98. Randy Newman and Warren Zevon, too.
99. I have really great friends whom I wouldn't trade for anything.
100. I try to make sure they know who they are.
101. Hopefully they'll all read this and chuckle.

Laterz