Final Fives

Five Coolest Things to Happen this Year

5. I didn't get laid off - I'm always ready to move on and hunt for another job, but I'd like a few more years of experience before that happens. Getting laid off after a good amount of time on the job looks better to potential employers. Oh yeah, the paychecks and benefits are nice too.

4. 6-month Relationship - She got me to pay attention to politics, she got me to read again, she showed me small-town Minnesota. Although it ended when it had too, it was definitely cool for a few months.

3. Seeing California - It was the first time I was west of the Mississippi and East of the Pacific Ocean. I enjoyed hanging out with old friends from college, and I got to see a totally different version of America.

2. Nieces Born - My parents finally get girls in the family. I get to buy fireworks for kids in a few years...and my brothers don't need to live vicariously through me anymore. They've got families now.

1. Illegal eviction Case Settles - After over two years of wondering what's taking so long, and answering the same question over and over again ('what happened with the landlord case?'), we can close the chapter on that. I got out of credit card debt, and justice was served. How much better can that get?


Five Lessons

5. Internet Dating is for Sucks - I don't care if it's kosher in New York. The first date feels like a job interview and those profiles just give you false hope that something can come out of internet dating. I need to grow some courage and just learn how to ask people out in-person and after a decent conversation.

4. I'm a Nerd - I knew the writing was on the wall, but I didn't really accept this fact until recently. I mean...c'mon...I have a weblog...That's the first sign. I was closeted to myself...and all this time I thought I was cool.

3. People Believe the President - The economy wound up in the shitter, the president went to war, his cronies get lucrative contracts...yet he's a hero. Things line up well when you can control everything between you and your constituency.

2. I need to learn how to date locally - See #5. I haven't had a semi-serious relationship without the distance factor since high school. I like my space, but I think my fear of commitment is scoring some permanent emotnial scarring.

1. I need a car - Public transportation is perfect for getting to places within a mile of a train station. Getting anywhere else is a total pain in the ass.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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More Fives

Top Five Shows I Remember Seeing / Participating

5. !!! (26 Sept) : Although they wouldn't admit it, they're a jam-band. However, that doesn't stop people from dancing like crazy all show long. The opening bands were fairly entertaining as well. The highlight of the opening act was the two guys who would use the concert hall to create the music...by letting their guitars ring low chords all night long.

4. RoomService (01 Nov) : The Second reunion show of the year. We played in front of a few thousand people who stood in the rain for a few minutes at a time before wandering back up State Street. From the stage, you could see all the way to the capitol...the street was packed with people. I never thought people would mosh to one of our original tunes. I still say we didn't cause the riot, but I'll still brag about it.

3. Andrew WK (03 Sept) : There was really no reason for the band to use the fog machine at the last song of the set. Yet, it managed to fill the entire Metro and create a sweet effect. This show was so full of energy, you actually realize Rock 'n' Roll can be fun.

2. Steven Pak Benefit (08 Nov) : This gets #2 because it was a bunch of Asians on stage playing fairly decent music. I don't know who Steven Pak was...but SEAM, Ee, ADEN, Pete the Genius, and MirrorAmerica put on a show worthy to remember him.

1. Tha 446 (02 Nov) : Picture a bunch of bunnies standing on stage rapping about how rich they are. Add an owl and a guy with a megaphone and you've got yourself a show. I went from one stage to another for this show. I probably passed up a chance to get laid as a result of being in Roomservice. It was worth it.

Top Five Months of 2003 (in fun)

5. July - I started biking and running again, my job was boring, and a pigeon shat on me. I got to see small-town Minnesota and I played my one round of golf of the summer. All in all, I had a lot of fun this month.

4. January - I started this damn website, dropped my first 446 track, and showed up to work once extremely hungover. I finally felt used to living in Chicago. Good times.

3. October - Moustache month was a success, I got to spend a lot of time in Madison, and I ran 13.1 miles with Achilles tendonitis. Accomplishments galore!

2. September - I saw California for the first time, I found myself single-ish again, and baseball was exciting to watch. I even read a lot of books. This was the most enriching month of the year.

1. March - First niece was born, I was happily dating, the weather started to warm up, I got a bonus and a raise...it was all good that month.

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Let the lists fly!

...and Winter Break: Part II begin. I'll marinate in the city for a few days, and let the cards fly. So to kick off the end of the year, let's go with a boring and predictable. Perhaps, I'll throw in another for good measure.

Top Five Albums

5. NOFX - War on Errorism : Same formula, maturing sound, political as hell. I never thought NOFX could put out a sing-along about politics. The first listen will be the best one for you.

4. Atmosphere - Seven's Travels : We've got focused anger, aggressive hooks, and a few laughs rolled into one. My old roommate Dave would love the 'bonus' track. His beloved hometown gets a shoutout...and he loves to hear it.

3. Ted Leo - Hearts of Oak : This guy's songwriting is definitely worth a listen. He's a pretty good guitarist, too. He solos, but doesn't overpower the song with them. I call it subtle aggression...it's good.

2. Brother Ali - Shadows on the Sun : My friend PJ says that this guy should go Milli Vanili and pimp his songs out to rappers of a different race. That would be funny, but this guy put out one damn good sounding album.

1. Darkness - Permission to Land : Happy rock, crazy videos, and all the hilarious elements of 1980's metal...minus the cheese. If you're going to buy one rock album this year...buy this one.


Top Five Wastes of Money

5. Rio Mp3 Player : I wanted something light to carry while jogging. I thought the price of an I-pod was too steep, so I picked up a cheap one. The problem is that it's only 128 megs. With about 30 songs on average, I got sick of repeatedly hearing the same songs pretty quick. It was pretty neat to have for a while. I did get some use, but It was still a waste of cash.

4. Styles of Beyond - Megadef : I have downloaded a few CD's where I should have probably supported the artists with an actual CD purchase. This album is the type you should just sample on Amazon and move on with your life. I should have downloaded this album, listened to the mp3's...then delete the files. What a letdown. Don't listen to this album if you liked the first one...it will spoil anything positive you took from the debut.

3. Five Arby's Roastbeef for Six Bucks : This was for myself. My rationale at the time was that if I'm going to eat three at $2.25 each, I may as well and get more bang for my buck. I actually finished three but the last one was forced. Three times $2.25 is $6.75, so I came out even...but the waste of two sandwiches kills the value. Don't worry...I don't eat at Arby's all the time, so the occasional binge is okay.

2. Cover Charges : I threw down $20 to get into some club once. I don't have any lasting memories of that night, don't remember having fun, or even remember what the hottest lady at the club looked like. Walking through the door is not worth the price if there's no entertainment to be had. I'm glad I stopped that practice early this year.

1. Bass Amp Repair : My bass amp sounded funny. If I played for a few minutes, the sound became fuzzy and distorted. It sounded sort of like I blew out my speaker, but they were fine. I took it in, showed up the next week, tested it...and found nothing wrong with it. The diagnosis? Nothing was wrong. The price to learn that? $25. I wish I could make easy money like that.

Ahhh...no worries, no hurry.

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X-Mas Brake

Now that I'm a working stiff days off of work are few and far between. Where is the justice in getting only 10 days to play with during a 360 day business year? This fact alone scores a point for changing gears towards a career in education. However, that is another post for another day. Anywho, in the past seven days the holiday called Christmas came and went. Four weeks of commercial saturation culminate in a day where people exchange boxes of things in hopes of getting what they want. The Catholic in me says that's not the point of the holiday. For some reason the Buddhist in me agrees. Oh well, I see the holiday as a way to spend time with folks who have made life fun so far; namely family. After consuming a lot of meat, unwrapping my new clothes for the year, I find myself back home with not a whole lot to do for the next week...this will be sweet. Anywho, it's nice to see different people every day for a change..even if it is my parents. A few observations:

- In the past seven days, the Packers have given Wisconsin folk a reason to care less about their jobs and misery for a few days. It almost seems though, that every thing is falling in their favor in a cosmic way. The bad stuff that normally would happen on the field doesn't happen. Do you believe in ghosts?

- This week features only one day of work. Hopefully it will be a cruise and I can spend the rest of the week on the yearly personal vacation. It's the only time of the year I can be anti-social for an extended period and sit in isolation with my daily distractions. The trick here is for me to be productive....yeah, right.

- The Last Samurai was okay. The more I think about it, the worse I think of the movie. I liked most of it...up until the star power ruined the ending. Then I realize that the Asian in me should be bitter that the director and writer are both Caucasian and just hacked the work of actual Japanese directors. Still, the movie was better than I expected. I suggest you rent it in a few months if you have nothing to do.

- Four hours of my life this week was spent watching Lord the Rings: Return of the King. I definitely want to spend four more hours watching it again. It was tough to enjoy when my dad continually asked me questions about everything that was going on. The pinnacle of the questioning was when he asked me why Frodo and Sam were at the mountain. Uh, dude....that's the point of the movie.

- It's warmer in my apartment. I notice that someone came into my apartment and did something to the windows. That's the drawback of living here. Maintenance can come in anytime reasonable without notice. I'm glad they did something to fix the drafts, but it creeps me out that they can come in here anytime. I'd hate for them to enter my apartment in an awkward situation.

- Niece Ruby didn't stop looking at me the whole time was in the room with her. Either she's like all ladies and is fascinated with my Moustache, or thinks I'm a living cartoon because of my facial hair. I'll vote for the latter of the two...I should adopt a funny voice whenever I see the baby...that way, she'll confuse reality with cartoons. Okay, I'm starting to talk out of my ass right now...I should end this post soon.

- I did my X-mas shopping in about 45 minutes on Tuesday. I just went to Best Buy and walked around, found myself in the DVD aisle and picked stuff out. The place was a zoo and I was ready to leave the place as soon as I got there. Fortunately, I picked correctly on all of my gift choices. I've always been good at that...I think that's why I enjoy giving more than receiving around these times.

- Congrats to Jacob and Wendizzle on their engagement. That makes three out of four of my former roommates engaged and/or married. Outside of that, three of my homies from high school are engaged/married. I guess we're at that age...I'd ask myself "what's wrong with me?"...but then I realize that nothing is wrong with me...based on the advice I get, I'm going to avoid the aisle for a few years.

That is the week in a nutshell. We're at the end of the year, so stay tuned to nothing but top whatever lists until the new year. I'm sure all seven of you have been waiting for those with anticipation...

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North by Northwest

I spent a lot of time on trains and busses today. My afternoon began with me leaving work at noon, taking the blue line to Cumberland, transferring to a bus, and getting to my destination 90 minutes later. My business at destination #1 took only 40 minutes. Then I waited half an hour for another bus to take me to a point to transfer to another bus. With the wait, destination #2 took an hour to reach. Then I took busses back home..that took another 40 minutes. My point is, while I got a chance to tour a very boring part of the Northside, having a car would have cut my afternoon in more than half.

Destination #2 can be summarized with the following verse from Primus:

I've been to hell. I spell it...I spell it DMV
Anyone that's been there knows precisely what I mean
Stood there and I've waited and choked back the urge to scream
And if I had my druthers I'd screw a chimpanzee-call it pointless

So I turned in my Wisco card and became everything I made fun of while growing up: a card-carrying Illinois resident. I've been here for almost a year and a half, so law dictates that I should declare myself as an Illinois motorist. Now I can be 'one of them'. Anyway, this adventure was unnecessarily an hour too long. I sat in line with the rest of the chumps for a while and paid my dues. Unfortunately, the smart folks at the counters switched my names around. The database originally read my second first name first and first name as a last name. I told a guy at the desk about it and he 'fixed it'. When I got my license however, my last name was nowhere to be found. I asked the 'supervisor' about it, and instead of changing it and firing off another ID, they made me go through most of the process all over again. Thank-you bureaucracy...where would I be without you? So after making everybody I talked to verify my first and last name, I gave the photographer a very dirty look after he told me to face the camera and not tilt my head. I now appear to be an angry Illinois driver....yep, I am officially, 'one of them'.

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Code Ernie

As I right this, my page shows that we're at Code Ernie. That color of orange doesn't match my color scheme at all. Curses! Unlike the last few Code Oranges, I actually believe that there is a threat. This isn't another scare tactic like the last few. Now I get to go to work and keep my eye on everything that walks by. Thank you, today's administration...I like that scared feeling. The sort-of-ironic part about this is that I'll attempt to show up at work tomorrow at 8 a.m. sharp. I'm not usually in a hurry to get to work that early based on what they said about the timing of the attacks in 2001. Oh well, I only have half a day to work in the loop before I ride public transportation all over the city to re-take my real estate exam. In fact, I get to stay out of the loop until next monday. I can breathe easier once I know I'm at least a few miles away from a potential site.

- In celebration of Code Ernie, I think we should all half-jokingly ask: If 'chatter' shows that there exists the threat of attacks similar in magnitude to those of 9/11, will the Government fail to act on these warnings like they did in the months leading up to 9/11/01?

- Tomorrow I get to re-take the state portion of my Real Estate exam. This is all memory work and since I second-guessed myself into not passing last week, I should at last pass. Last weekend, I spent about a total of three hours reviewing seventeen chapters. This weekend, I have spent about a total of three hours reviewing two chapters. By that logic, I should ace this shit.

- I need an Illinois ID/Drivers license. I'm sick of people spending more than 30 seconds staring at my Wisconsin ID before giving me a strange look. With a fresh haircut and a new m(o)ustache, I should be Drivers License ready. My plan is to take the bus from Lincolnwood a few miles south to the Northside DMV. The afternoon will be an adventure in bus riding and line waiting. I can't wait.

- R.I.P. Brett Favre's Dad. In the words of Bobby Smiley, "Tip and Shout!"

- My work group went to a corporate outing type place to bowl. I have never bowled on shittier lanes. If you threw a hook, the ball would slide right off the lane. If you rolled it straight towards the pins, the ball would slide off the right side. All in all it was a fun time, but I think I'm spending way too much time with these people.

- New Years Resolution #1: drinking in moderation. It's just not as fun anymore. I'm sure my dietary habits have something to do with it...but I'm sick of feeling sick at the end of every night. I'm going to see how long I can keep myself at a pace of no more than 3 drinks an hour...we'll see how long this lasts.

- The word is out about this year's holiday card. Everyone who's called me about it has been laughing. JP called last night to say they stated drinking in celebration of my holiday card. I'm glad I brought a smile to people's faces. What I can't put my finger on is the fact that my Mom is convinced that I tried to look Mexican. What's the deal with my parent's distaste for Mexicans? They always seem to use that term in a negative fashion...I don't get it.

- It's a holiday week, folks. Enjoy the time!

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The Bus. Motley Crue. Paychecks.

Last night, I took the bus from the northside to the near west side. When I'm not in a hurry and the traffic is low, it doesn't take too long to get where you're going. Since I've moved here, I've heard stories about how scary it is. Most of these people, however, grew up in the Suburbs and fear anything city-like. Until I have an unpleasant experience, I'm not going to worry about my safety. However, last night was the closest I got to strange. Getting on this bus, I could hear this guy swearing at himself and staying random things. It was probably just his chemical unbalance, but it still kept me on edge until other people got on the bus. During the ride, he pulled out his guitar and started singing non-sensical stuff. Fortunately, I had my headphones bumping Motley Crue and I managed to avoid any inclusion of this guy in my reality. Yep...background music can drown out all the wacky things.

Speaking of the Crue, I've been listening to nothing but for the past three days. Starting with Dr. Feelgood and moving back towards Theatre of Pain, I've been able to laugh a few times. This band presented such an evil and scared the Christians with their 'evilness'. Take the music alone and you get a different picture. I hear nothing but cheezy roadhouse rock mixed with a few dissonant chords. Almost every song by that band features a loose I-IV-V chord structure. The live cover of "Jailhouse Rock" at the end of Girls, Girls, Girls made me laugh out loud on the bus. Yeah...there's so much evil in that...what were people scared of back then?!

I got my second raise in 18 months today. This just complicates my decision to go into music education. If the money is good and I don't hate my life that much....I should get by for the next few years, right? I also calculated my remaining vacation days. Using them around the days I get off for the holidays, I get to take a few days at home, and get a few days to chill by myself in Chicago...good times ahead in the next few weeks. Sometimes, I don't mind my job...but I still hate the whole corporate thing...what gives?

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Late Nights

They don't seem so strange and frustrating anymore. I'm usually staring at the clock for forty minutes at the end of each workday. I surf the same sites, and try to look busy so nothing else comes my way. Yesterday and today, I didn't mind sticking around an extra hour or so. I guess considering what my normal routine has been for the past six months, I shouldn't complain about this. They still don't care that I show up at or around nine everyday. Besides, with the new cube culture, it's kind of nice to get shit done when it gets quiet. Anywho, I vowed not to talk about work on this blog...so I'll cut it here...and we shall never mention work again.

I dropped some trumpet last night for my friend's lil' musical project. My skills at that instrument have slightly diminished. Last night's session was probably the most intense trumpet playing I've done in the last five or six years. I put the instrument down in 1994 because tuba seemed like a better idea...and it was. Hell, I didn't even touch the thing between early 2001 and last June. Right now, my mouth feels like it's been punched but I shouldn't complain. I was feeling the band nerd thing for a while last night...feel the nostalgia, folks...feel it.

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The 'I Should Care' Test

Do you like how I sometimes tie in the titles of posts together. It is as if this weblog turns into a running diary of some sort. Well, I'm sure you all are looking for closure to yesterday's post, so I'll give it to you straight: I can't memorize worth shit. I took the main portion of the test and it was cake. I breezed through to passing without even flinching. After I finished the first step, I put on my coat and was ready to head out the door. Unfortunately, there was another portion to the test which focused on what this state of Illinois thinks about Real Estate. I totally didn't memorize the detail about that. I've always been a bad test taker...I'm a 'big picture' kind of guy, so when it comes to memorizing acute details for something like a test, I usually struggle. Well, I have to go back in and re-take the state portion of today's test. I'm not so much annoyed about not-passing as I am about the fact that I have to trek back out to take the test. Situations like these make me wish I had a car. For those familiar with Chicago, I started at my house and went out to Touhy and Lincoln, then waited 30 minutes for a bus before taking the train to the Sears Tower area. Yep...it was a trek.

Would you like to know that ices this cake for me? Yep, I missed passing the test because I changed correct answers. I looked too much into the questions and applied my real world knowledge to these queries. I second guessed myself into not-passing. Good job, Ed...your trend of complicating things make it better. Here's the humorous part about the whole ordeal: The woman in the office treated it like I had failed the SAT's or something. She condescendingly advised me that I should "take some time, then call us up and re-schedule". To that I said: "Can I re-schedule now..like next week?!" She gave me a look like I was some sort of a rube who needed to learn how to read before scheduling a re-take. Hell, if I had the chance, I would have said: "Look lady, I'll take a walk around the block, come back in an hour and ace this test"...but that's not how the game is played. So I return next week...for the "I should care" test...and you know what? I get out of work and I get to ace something I should have passed today (damn second guessing).

This day became really long...but it ended on a fun note. I need to join a band.

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The 'I Don't Care' Test

I had an extended weekend, but the enjoyment was hindered by the fact that I'm taking my exam to finish my real estate salesperson correspondence course. If I pass, I can get licensed by the state. I'm not sure what the hell I can do with this license other than hold on to my job. I'm not looking for money by way of more work for this, so the pressure isn't there. Not really caring about whether or not I pass also takes the pressure off. This test will be a rehash of everything I've learned and practiced since 1999. Reviewing the material this weekend seemed very trite. Not too much sunk in because everything passed through my mind as "REVIEW". Hence, I'm going to rely solely on what I already know and understand. If I don't pass, then I shouldn't really be in the Real Estate game, right?

The deposed leader of Iraq was captured today. I like how the administration and their controlled media outlets play this out as a total victory for them alone. I mean, I guess it doesn't matter anymore that the reason the country got into this war was to find nuclear weapons. I'm not saying that I'm against the capture of the bad man with the moustache, but it depresses me to think that the average uninformed American will credit Bush with a total victory and re-election because of this...oh yeah, where are the weapons?

Sitting down at a coffee shop to study felt really strange. I hadn't actually sat in a coffee shop by myself since college. I was productive for about an hour and a half, but as usual, focus was lost. At least I still walked a few blocks out of my way to avoid Starbucks...I'm not ready to take that step just yet.

I went to an LOTR party this weekend. We tried to watch both extended DVD versions of the movies. I would have stayed for the whole thing, but I gave myself a 3:30 exit time no matter what. I left during the second to last scene of the Two Towers flick...I think I did alright. I didn't think that I would manage to watch all six-plus hours, but the movie was engrossing enough to keep my attention. I never saw the first movie. I like the interpretation of the story...more for the sets and scenery than anything else. I might actually try to read one of those books. Oh well, last night's viewing proves that I've finally embraced and accepted the fact that I am a NERD...and it's awesome.

Here's something to listen to if you think Spanish-style guitar is cool. Not too many people do...but this song/style is usually how I warm up or fuck around on the classical when I'm bored. I'm not sure what I'll do with this track...but it's here now. Enjoy.

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Holiday Hockey

I made a rare social appearance at the company holiday party last night. I skipped last years party and I felt kind of bad about it. Ever since I've started the corporate gig, I've tried hard keep separate my job and my life. I don't want all of my social dealings tied through my job. I can't live that way. Showing up once in a while lets them know that, well...I have social skills. I can kick it with all the smug bastards and manage to have a good time. Well, the rumours about these kinds of events are true. All the tightwads let loose and kind of surprise you with their behavior. The women seem to be more friendly with a drink in their hand. As usual, there's the predictable but suprising sexual encounter that everybody will whisper about the next day. The assholes, well...you can't complain when they buy you a shot. It's just like TV...and the comedy writes itself. Speaking of shots, I was sent to Planet Jagermeister twice. Mixed in with the vodka and Makers Mark...you can probably predict how my day went today. One boss suggests I switch to a 'better' brand of whiskey for a drink. Another boss gets me a shot of jager and walks out the door...what are they trying to do to me? Anywho, I took the free pass and showed up late in the morning...people were struggling, and production was low...all in all, it was a good but strange time.

Finally feeling normal for the first time in the day, I found myself at the United Center to see the hockey game. It was a classic matchup between the Wings and Hawks. I've heard that the crowd is pretty rowdy. The fans have a different form of sports culture. They watch intently in silence, are less creative in their taunts, and need the violence to keep them happy. Luckily, I was treated to a close game won by the hometeam in overtime. For it being the first NHL game I've ever been to, I got lucky. No zero - zero tie for me, folks. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see a fight. I've never seen man-to-man physical violence at a sporting event yet. The night featured nothing but bail outs and standoffs...even after the game. I got the good game tonight, but not the good fight...all in all, it was a good but strange time.

I'm really going to enjoy the day off tomorrow...I might even be more productive than I would be at work.

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You can Keep the Dollar

I don't normally pack a lunch, but I need to lose weight, eat better, and save a few bucks a week on not going to lunch. When I first moved down here, I'd go to lunch three times a week at the most. Since early fall, I've been going out to lunch almost every day. I think I'm gaining back the fat I lost after the marathon. Anywho, I'm going to get back in to the habit of packing a lunch at least 2 times a week, ideally three. Well, let me get to the point here. I had a hectic morning and I needed to get some fresh air during lunch. I actually count on getting outside to get me through my day. So I took a long walk around the loop (which is my only form of exercise these days) and picked up a soda without a receipt and headed back to my office. I sat down and started to crack open the soda when I realized that it was unusually easy to open. The cap looked like it was already seperated from the ring. Did someone at the pharmacy steal a sip out of that thing? I concluded that my walk around the loop had opened it somewhat (I carried this thing by the neck) and it was just my imagination. So I poured some in a glass and stared at it. Hmmm...the soda level seemed low to me when I got it...I still took a sip...but my Mom's OC trait kicked in, and I tossed the rest...That's some sick shit....I think it was open....

My guitar amp came in the mail today. It's small, but loud as all hell. I can't explore the full possibilities of this thing for a while (I need an open room and no neighbors)...but it sure seems like those 50 watts will be fun to blast. What isn't fun to blast is all the money I've invested on musical stuff. In the past month, I've dropped quite a bit on music related things...definitely too much. Well, at least I can say the Lawsuit has finally got me back everything I lost. But for real, I guarantee that this will be the last non-plane-ticket-big-assed purchase I will make until the summer....seriously.

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Christmas Card

It's that time of year again where I get my usual late start on the holiday season and get going on figuring out my Christmas card. Last year, I matched my half assed my digital camera skills with my half assed photography skills and put together an extremely cheesy looking picture. My goal was to make it look as stupid as possible...to the point where people laugh. I wasn't sure how it would be received, but I got a bigger response than I expected. In fact, I should have sent out more than I did. Well, that whole episode has put the pressure on this year. I'm supposed to match or top last year's christmas card, right? Well, that would be forcing the issue, it would turn out worse if I strived for quality here. I'm taking the exact same approach that I did last year with one exception: I ordered twice as many. I sure hope I know enough folks to send that many.

If you're a random stranger and would like to be on my X-mas card list, let me know...I'd hate to have to sell them on my memorabila page (Coming 2010).

Confidential to K-Co: Unfortunately, I couldn't get your idea to work...but this will kick ass nonetheless.

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Busy Sitting Around

I've been traveling a lot for past month or so. While my schedule has been busy, I notice that I spend most of the time sitting around. I guess just being out of town makes it feel like I'm doing something. Well, today I've fixed up the image directories to free up space and give you less to see. Why get bogged down looking at 100 pictures of my Florida trip when you can just look at the best shots? Anywho, I've wasted a lot of time at this computer tonight, and I'm still not done...I spend way too much time sitting here at home...but at least I make you laugh...weekend style.

- Spending a Friday night at home is pretty sweet. You can get laundry done, make yourself a drink, and enjoy the feeling that you don't have be anywhere for a while. I sat around and tried to learn how to use my new Drum Machine...it was good to get nothing done.

- I awoke Saturday morning to a voicemail from an unanswered late night call. I checked the message and it sounded like my friend Miller leaving me a message saying that he was The (ex)Girl and that he was in town. I kind of laughed off the message. Later that night, the ex(girl) called me and apologized for a prank message. Apparently she was in town, called and let some other drunk grab the phone and leave a message. That was strange...really strange...but I just laughed off the story due to what I was thinking in the morning. I do remember being half asleep when my phone rang and seeing a 414 number, but thinking that it was from a 773 number...wow...being half asleep can sure cloud your vision. Note to self: answer your phone at any random number that shows up.

- I have to get my real estate license afterall. I took the class and did all the lessons (correspondence), but I never took the test to pass before I take the test to get the $200 piece of paper. This might sidetrack my plans to nothing but musically productive for the next month or so.

- I won't name names, but in traveling back and forth to Milwaukee...I had to listen to spoiled rich kids talk about how rich members in their family are. They're nice folks that can have some intelligent conversation. I've learned though, that people spend the most time talking about what makes them happy. I never shut up about music...it make me happy. What these kids seemed to tie happiness with cash and belongings. I kept on hearing sentences starting with "when we get our money..." At first, I wasn't that annoyed with it, but towards the end of the trip I couldn't stand it. I learned a lot about people like that today...and I ask: What is it like taking for granted the idea that you're going to rich in a few years? What's it like to say that you want your second car to be a Range Rover? How does your mind work when you stop a conversation mid-sentence to gawk at a Rolex billboard? Is focusing on being rich and having lots of expensive stuff the key to fulfillment and happiness? Should I stop these rhetorical questions now? Am I wrong in being satisfied with paying the bills? Okay, I'm done.

- At home, I put up my parent's Christmas tree. Artificial trees can be okay, and they serve their purpose. However, when I get my money (ha!), I'm going to have a live Christmas tree. It smells nice, its alive, and it never looks strange because the branches aren't set at precise levels as you go up the tree. I think having a real tree at the cost of vacuuming for hours is worth it. Then again, I did have fun "bending" the branches to give off a full look. It's the little things that make me smile, folks.

- 3 AM bars aren't as evil as 4 AM bars. I managed to last the whole night and get home in relatively good shape. I like having these rare nights out in Chicago. I think the trick is to not start drinking until after midnight...you last longer and you don't get as hungover.

- Lazy: I ordered a pizza for lunch and Chinese for dinner. This weekend turned expensive in a hurry....oops.

- I've updated the CD catalogue to your right. I decided that I'll even list the one's I acquired via technology. There are a bunch of new additions to the library, and somehow, they all get a lot of play in my rotation. Check out a few of them...It's good shit.

- This week is going to be nice. This week features a Holiday Party, a Hockey Game, a moving day (again) at work, and a day off on Friday. I should probably take my real estate class test on Friday, but it sure would be nice to have two lazy Saturdays next weekend. I'll try to convince myself to be productive, but a day off to be off of everything sure sounds nice, eh?

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Rhymesayin'

Last night, we hit up the Atmosphere show. They came to town with a bunch of other hip-hop artists from Minneapolis. They're a part of the Rhymesayers crew...all based in the Twin Cities. I wonder why Milwaukee couldn't do something like this. You'd think that a city closer to Chicago would have some sort of alternative hip-hop scene known througout the midwest. I bet there is...I bet Chicago has one, too...This stuff usually finds me, so I"ll have be patient on that one.

Quick Notes / cheap promo for the artists:

Oddjobs - We got there during the show. While standing in line outside the bar, we talked to these dudes in front of us. They were pretty messed up and proclaimed to be rappers themselves. I wonder how many people claim that they're an emcee, too. I bet people like that can be pretty annoying to the artists on stage. Oh yeah, the show was pretty intense. The Filipino guy wasn't as good as I thought he'd be. There was also an older woman dancing in the crowd. I think her nephew or son was on the stage...I don't think my mom would dance like that at any of my shows.

Micranots - They were okay. Appearing as the elderstatesmen of the show, they seemed to be preaching to the choir and letting the white kids know that it's okay to relate to them. Those were Steve's observations, not mine. I actually took the opportunity to check out the merch table.

Brother Ali - This guy puts on a damn good show. He controls the stage, controls his voice, and controls the crowd. I was pretty impressed considering that I wasn't ready to see an Albino emcee. I picked up the CD at the show and it will get heavy play in my rotation for sure. Unlike a lot of recent CD acquisitions, I dropped the money on his CD. This guy should be supported.

Atmosphere - Slug headlined the show, and he did not hesitate to play the rock star game. He came out strong, had a little slur in his voice, was belligerent, and jumped into the crowd when an unruly mosher got too violent with his dancing. This intensity was as much fun as I expected in a show like this. I'm going to take Atmosphere off the rotation for a few weeks...I can live off the show for a while.

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Zone Out



Did you spend a few minutes staring at that animated. gif? So did I...it's kind of hypnotic. If you're listening to any type of music while staring at the dancing images, I bet it will match up at times and you'll freak out.

A hip-show is going down tonight. It should be a good time...but I don't think everybody will be dancing in unison.

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Damn Good Burger

I'm not talking about the movie either. Speaking of which, I wasted two hours of my life watching that movie so I could hear the Less Than Jake songs. The movie was unlike the TV show in that you laugh less and you realize that meat doesn't expand like that...to top it all off, the Less Than Jake song totally sucked (the lyrics were written by one of the cast members)...but I digress.

I ate at the Weber Grill today. They make amazing burgers. I had "the Wisconsin". Its a burger with bacon and cheddar. I held the cheddar for personal reasons, but the damn thing was tasty. It tasted like a steak (sirloin meat) and the hearty serving of red meat didn't leave me feeling 'bogged down'. If you can look past the ultra-yuppie interior of the restaurant, then you'll like this place. If you are going to eat only one burger this year...have it at the Weber Greill.

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Dollar Saved...

I gave some panhandler a dollar today. I don't do it very often, but occasionally I'll just give them something on the chance that they actually really need the cash to get something to eat. Call it playing the law of averages for karma. The guy told me that he just got out of jail downstate and was headed north. I reached into my pocket to blindly pick out a dollar so I wouldn't have to flash my cash. However, the first thing I pulled out of my pocket was a $20...so I put it back and tried again. I pulled out another twenty. The guy laughed at me...which probably means that he didn't really need the money....oh well, I just might have done something good today.

Perhaps it was he paint fumes in my office, but I sat in on a conference call for an hour today and it wiped me the fuck out. All these corporate accounting terms thrown around between client and agent. All for the sake of telling stockholders that your company is doing okay. For half of this call, I stared blankly at the screen, occassionally put my phone on mute, and read some of the news. I was totally clocked out by the end of that one. Yep...we're talking 100% motivation for the 9-5, folks...boredom, fumes, and that dull feeling. I bet that panhandler had more fun at his job than I did today.

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Just Like Home

Its good to be back in the windy city. Unfortunately, I had to watch the Bucks put on a poor showing against the Bulls tonight. The bucks are 0-2 when I see them live at the United Center. I can't give much thanks for that, but the chance to see the team live doesn't happen too often these days, so I take what I can get. Anywho, it has been a few days to pile on the Leftover Chinese...Thanksgiving style.

- Getting out of bed at 3:45 am to get to the airport is not as fun as you'd think. I'm serious. All that you've heard about going to sleep and waking up to the exact same amount of sunlight outside is overrated. Another thing not as fun as advertised is smelling booze and cigarettes emanating from folks who just left of a 4 am bar. The end of their night was my morning...and that's a morning smell you don't want to take with you for the rest of the day. Another overrated activity is finding out that the train stations are running a Holiday schedule when the press release says otherwise. I don't know who finds that fun...but a day in the park it is not. The unexpected $30 cab ride to the airport...now that's fun.

- Renting a car is fun. You get to borrow someone else's car and if you have insurance...you can do what you want with it. The most fun thing I did with renting a car was forgoing the insurance payment. I rolled the dice and dropped a lie waiver. In non-vacation circumstances, I've never paid car insurance, so when they told me to list my car insurance company, I blanked. It took me about 45 seconds to think of a random car insurance place....thanks Geico.

- Turkey is good. I look forward to this meal every year. Just pile on the gravy, rice and let the stomach go. It made seeing the Packers lose on Thanksgiving day seem like an afterthought. The best part about turkey is that you get to eat it for about three more days. Every meal.

- Running out of light on the golf course sucks. I had not played since July 4th. Before that, I played on Thanksgiving '02. In cases like this, I need nine holes to shake the rust off, and then I come back with a score I'm used to getting. This time around, I was playing the way I should be doing all the time...but only thorough sixteen holes. The sun shouldn't set at 5pm in Florida. Its not the way the Sunshine is supposed to function.

- My parents can be tough to deal with on vacation. Mother's Obsessive Compulsive tendencies always seem to get worse. Everything seems more dirty to her when she's outside Wisconsin. I sat on the floor near the front door of the house and she freshet because my shorts were deemed dirty. Yeah, its like that. Everything becomes a drama as well...Its hard to relax when she's at this state. The scary thing about this scenario is that she was in the new home....how could everything be dirty in a new home?

- Furniture outlet stores have shitty furniture. I mean...really shitty. That is all about that one.

- I taught my cousin's nephew how to throw a football. Oops, it was probably his job....but I did it anyway. The kid is pretty bright for a four year old. He can add and subtract in his head and he can spell "obedience". He's just like his dad was....except this time around, the lil won't throw like a girl. Zing!

- I bought a notebook to write some stuff. Rhymes, songs, ideas for songs. I tired this once before, but that fad didn't last into senior year of high school. However, I've been feeling pretty creative lately. Its like I hit 25 and something got released inside of me...something fun should come up in the next few months.

- New guitar amp and drum machine is on the way. I guess it's my Christmas/birthday present to myself. I always find excuses to buy myself musical equipment. Perhaps I should just accept the fact that I should be serious about music and the screws on my budget won't be turned anytime soon.

- Traveling without check-in baggage is the shit. You're in, you're out, and agonizing waits are kept to a minimum.

- My dreams have been totally vivid lately. I almost achieved lucidity at one point this weekend....but I should stop now...this post is getting way long. Maybe tomorrow.

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